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?