Nixon And Kissinger-Partners In Power Case Study

1. Nixon’s many initiatives during his presidency have been written in Robert Dalleck’s book, ‘Nixon and Kissinger-Partners in Power’. These were-“ending the Vietnam war, signing a new era in the sino-American relations, building détente with Soviet Union, managing daunting middle east problems, favoring Pakistan in Indo-Pak wars, seeking the overthrow of Salvador government in Chile, using foreign affairs to counter for growing cries of impeachment of the President, and hiding Nixon’s erratic behavior–can also be fully recreated than ever before. The opening of China is a celebrated event but who of the two is responsible? And whether it was good? First time this issue was raised-and will be raised again, since the initiative created a challenger
China led the list of gains. There is almost universal agreement that the opening up of China was a wise act of statesmanship. Regardless of their respective roles, however, the policy itself deserves acclaim as not only a step away from more than two decades of tensions that risked world peace but also a device for pressuring the Soviet Union into more accommodating relations with the west. “Reagan won the Cold War” is more than a celebration of Reagan’s presidency; it is an argument against the wisdom of détente.
3. The tilt towards Pakistan in the Indo-Pakistan war was yet another foreign policy blunder. Seeing the conflict as more an extension of the cold war, with Pakistan and China pitted against India and Russia, than a regional conflict, the White House lined up with the Pakistanis and Chinese as a means to foster the opening to China and inhibit Moscow’s reach for hegemony in
Working side by side in the White House, Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger were two of the most compelling, contradictory, and powerful figures in America in the second half of the twentieth century. While their personalities could hardly have seemed more different, both were largely self-made men, brimming with ambition, driven by their own inner demons, and often ruthless in pursuit of their goals. Tapping into a wealth of recently declassified documents and tapes, Robert Dallek uncovers fascinating details about Nixon and Kissinger’s tumultuous personal relationship—their collaboration and rivalry—and the extent to which they struggled to outdo each other in the reach for foreign policy achievements. He also brilliantly analyzes their dealings with power brokers at home and abroad—including the nightmare of Vietnam, the brilliant opening to China, détente with the Soviet Union, the Yom Kippur War in the Middle East, the disastrous overthrow of Allende in Chile, and growing tensions between India and Pakistan—while recognizing how both men were continually plotting to distract the American public’s attention from the growing scandal of Watergate. Authoritative, illuminating, and deeply engrossing, Nixon and Kissinger provide a startling new portrait and a new understanding of the immense power and sway these two men held in affecting world history.
5. Jeffrey Bader in a recently published article, “China and the United States: Nixon Legacy after 50 years” has written, “Forty