The full generation of peace and the Sino-American rapprochement, 1969-1976

In this thesis, several key issues will be discussed which significantly influenced the American foreign policy during the Nixon and Ford presidencies. The very system of foreign-policy-making which Nixon instituted together with Kissinger and which gave crucial powers and control over the American diplomacy into the hands of the president and his national security advisor is one such factor worthy of consideration. Nixon, who harbored a deep mistrust for the Department of State, did all he could to marginalize its role and even to keep his own Secretary of State, William Rogers, in the dark about the real American foreign policy objectives. Nixon also had a penchant, which he shared with Kissinger, for secret, backstage diplomacy, which proved especially important in dealing with such countries as the PRC or the Soviet Union. Most of the important negotiations and talks were shrouded in a cloak of confidentiality and were only presented to the public when Nixon was sure of their success. In this way, Nixon, like Kissinger, was building his image of a master diplomat and negotiator who was indispensable for the United States and whose skill greatly improved the deteriorating American position in the world. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org