Impact of Vietnam on US Policy

  • failure greatly affected future US policies towards communist states
  • after war → US tried to improve relations with communist world

Detente with USSR

  • US sought greater understanding with USSR in this period → known as Detente (reduction of tension)

  • 1972 → US and USSR signed Anti Ballistic Missile Treaty to reduce nuclear weapons

    • this was result of series of successful bilateral negotiations known as strategic arms limitation talks
  • in 1975 → 2 parties met again in Helsinki, Finland → to discuss borders and human rights

  • at same time → US ended its block on the issue of China’s representation at UN and Nixon made visits to China to improve diplomatic relations