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How did Nixon’s Visit to China Change the Cold War?
Mr. Ornstein
Willow Canyon High School
IB: History of the Americas
Nixon Visits the People’s Republic of China
US President Richard Nixon Visited the People’s Republic of China in February of 1972
He Was the First US President to Visit Communist China
China Since 1949
Establishment of the People’s Republic of China
Mao and Communists RuleUS Refused to Recognize
Communist GovernmentViews Government of Taiwan as
Official Chinese Government
Could Only Nixon Go To China?
Nixon Had a Strong History and Record of Being Anti-Communist going back to times of McCarthyism.
Some Say Only A Very Strongly Anti-Communist President Could Open Relations with China.
Nixon Could Not Be Criticized for Being soft on Communism.
Why Does China Want to Improve Relations with the US?
Sino-Soviet SplitFear of War with Soviet UnionInvasion of CzechoslovakiaWants to Cut Aid to North
Vietnamese
Why Does Nixon Want to Open Relations with China?
China is providing major economic and military assistance to North Vietnam
US Does not want to See USSR destroy China
US wants to reduce nuclear arms and tensions with Soviets, better relations with China could force Soviets to negotiate.
Common Goals of China and US
Fear of Soviet Union/Check on Soviet Power
Chaos at Home: China is going through Cultural Revolution and US is going through Vietnam War
Sticking Point: Taiwan
Taiwan
China viewed Taiwan as part of People’s Republic.
US had recognized Taiwan as legitimate Chinese government and pledged to defend.
Strong support for Taiwan in US Congress
Taiwan, Nixon, and China
US and PRC agree to disagree on Taiwan issue.
Both sides agree to “one China” and Taiwan being part of China.
The U.S. acknowledged the notion that all Chinese maintain that there is only one China and that Taiwan is part of China. Nixon and the U.S. government reaffirmed their interests in a peaceful settlement of the Taiwan question agreed by the Chinese themselves.
Results of Nixon’s Visit to China
Relations continue to normalize with China. China decreases support for North
Vietnamese and US is in better position to leave Vietnam.
Nixon improves bargaining position with Soviets on Nuclear Weapons Reduction. Russian don’t want to be left out
Détente or “cooling” period of Cold War
SALT I: 1972
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks Began between US and USSR in 1969 Goal: Prevent Nuclear War Both Sides Discuss limiting anti-ballistic
missiles (ABM) and strategic nuclear missiles Talks stalled and bogged down until Nixon’s
visit to China.
Opening of China and SALT
Leonid Brezhnev and Soviet Union are more willing to negotiate after Nixon improves relation with China.
Triangular Diplomacy
Triangular Diplomacy
Rejects Monolithic Communism Nixon Plays China off USSR to improve Cold
War Position of US and reach a “easing of tensions”/détente
ABM Treaty
1972 1st step towards detente Limits Anti-Ballistic Missiles or defensive
missiles Protects Nuclear Balance Limits ability to retaliate SDI of the 1980’s conflicts with US Pulls out in 2002
SALT I
May 1972 Center Piece of Détente and Triangular Diplomacy Limits Intercontinental (ICBM) Missiles and
Submarine launched ballistic missiles Both superpowers recognize that the nuclear arms
race hurt both and made them less secure. Acceptance of MAD: Mutual Assured Destruction-
remaining defenseless from a Nuclear Attack was the best way to prevent one from happening.
Ticket Out the Door
What were 2 reasons China was interested in better relations with the US?
What were 3 reasons Richard Nixon wanted better relations with China?
What is Détente? What are 3 results of Nixon’s visit to China?