ABSTRACT
In regard to the Soviet Union, America’s only serious military rival, “confrontation” is to give way to “negotiation.” The so-called Nixon Doctrine appears to be the product of two factors: the steady growth of Soviet military power and the concurrent decline of the American public’s willingness to continue bearing a heavy load of international obligations. The Nixon Doctrine rests on a theoretical conception of Communism and the Soviet regime. The political instinct of Mr. Nixon and the historical convictions of Mr. Kissinger lead them to the same conclusion: modern conditions impel mankind toward cooperation and render obsolete the spirit of rivalry, aggressiveness, and expansion, as well as the politico-military techniques derived from it. The importance of Western Europe to the United States is such that, in the event of Russia’s direct onslaught, the United States would certainly react in an appropriate manner.
