Richard Nixon Foreign Policy

Many would put Richard Nixon in the top five on a list of America’s worst presidents. Those who share in this opinion focus only on the negative aspects of Nixon’s presidency and fail to see all of the things he succeeded in doing. Nixon’s presidency encompassed great achievements especially in the category of foreign policy. Throughout his presidency, Nixon shaped United States’ foreign policy and had many events to show for it. For example, Nixon gained popularity for being the president who finally ended the war in Vietnam. He also created peace between feuding nations, and resolved issues the United States had with other countries. Nixon’s foreign policy achievements greatly outweigh the shortcomings he had while in office and showed he

Tensions between the United States and China existed because in the many years prior to Nixon’s presidency, no contact with China had been made. In order to calm these tensions, Nixon took to a bold step to visit China himself. During his trip, he discussed an alliance between the two nations in order to deal with the threat the two had in common, the Soviet Union (“The Richard M. Nixon Administrations”). Nixon’s visit to China helped to strengthen the United States foreign policy because it lessened the resentment China felt towards the United States therefore lessening the number of enemies the United States dealt with. When others spoke of Nixon they said that he, “... took bold and imaginative steps to improve U.S. relationships with Russia and China” (Drew 61). Being known for his foreign policy acted as a personal goal of Nixon during his presidency. A visit to China donoted something unlike any other president had done before, and it helped to developed Nixon’s credibility as a foreign policy leader. “It has been said that Nixon 's trip to China and its results mark the most significant achievement in U.S. foreign policy since the end of World War II, because it shifted the global balance of power in favor of the United States” (“The Richard M. Nixon Administrations”). Along with his visit to China to help promote Nixon’s popularity in foreign affairs, Nixon utilized

He took difficult situations, such as Russia’s extensive weapon use and hostility towards the US and resolved this problem through his new foreign policy ideas. Without Nixon’s strong focus on foreign policy, events like the war with Vietnam could have continued and caused more damage to the United States. Nixon also showed he was able to adapt to all situations and interact with all leaders of different countries. Instead of focusing on only the negative aspects of Nixon’s presidency, he should be remembered for all of his positive achievements that contributed to getting the United States out of difficult situations.

Works Cited

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1970-1979, Gale, 2004, pp. 224-230. U.S. History in Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX3490201507/UHIC?u=dove10524&xid=bb85da9d. Accessed 14 Feb. 2018.

"Congress, U.S." Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War, edited by Stanley I. Kutler, Charles

Scribner 's Sons, 1996. U.S. History in Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/BT2336200108/UHIC?u=dove10524&xid=56050f49. Accessed 28 Jan. 2018.

Drew, Elizabeth. Richard M. Nixon. Times Books, 2007.

"The Richard M. Nixon Administrations." Presidential Administration Profiles for Students, edited by Kelle S. Sisung and Gerda-Ann Raffaelle, Gale, 2002. U.S. History in Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/BT2304200029/UHIC?u=dove10524&xid=71984f92.