US Foreign Policy History

US Foreign Policy History

Nixon 's Foreign Policy : Global Balance of Power Period : 7 Background Richard Nixon entered office in the midst of one of the gravest foreign policy crises in American history . The Cold War was at its height hundreds of thousands of American troops were in Vietnam , and the views of society were split down the middle . With the aid of his national security adviser and secretary of state , Henry Kissinger , Nixon felt that it was imperative to change America 's foreign policy . They felt that it was necessary to

support our interests in the long run they felt it necessary to have a balance of power throughout the world in to ensure peace and prosperity . One has to take into consideration geopolitics when discussing balance of power . The main purpose is stability by using different political philosophies based on geography and self-interest . If the major powers pursued their self-interest rationally and predictably , equilibrium would emerge from the conflicting interest . Nixon knew that a strong America is essential to global equilibrium , and counted on stability to produce it . Under Nixon 's new policy partnership , strength , and the willingness to negotiate were the three pillars essential in keeping peace . The policy would stop trying to eliminate communism and win the Cold War , but rather replace it through new initiatives directed toward finding areas of cooperation . In fact it was clear that the Soviet Union was Nixon 's biggest partner towards peace . Nixon parted with the philosophy of containment...