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Reasons for the USA to pursue Detente (Economics (. (Inflation rose to 6%…
Reasons for the USA to pursue Detente
Vietnam
.
Primary objective= withdrawal of troops from Vietnam
Very expensive 1969- $30 billion
Withdrawal could be achieved if relations with the USSR who supported the Vietcong were improved
Weakened the moral authority of the USA as leader of the free world
Economics
.
Inflation rose to 6% in 1970
Unemployment rose to rose to more than 5% in the early 1970s
1970- "long post war boom"- coming to an end
Detente offered the potential to reduce defence spending and greater trade with the USSR
Kissinger's Realpolitik
.
Detente was an expression of realpolitik and focused on practical issues e.g. arms reduction, rather than resolving ideological differences
Politics based on given circumstances
Normalisation
.
Kissinger believes negotiations would "normalise" relationship between USA and USSR
Detente would create framework in which they could both work, preventing erratic behaviour