Strategies of Containment, Essay Example

The established relationship of the United States with USSR has long been tainted with the relative condition that existed between the two nations during the Cold War. During these years, the two nations formed different aspects of alliances with other countries and specifically made it a point that they are both able to stand firmly against each other’s course of governance. While the USSR remained in its communist state, US was determined in living through the principles of democratic rule. The conflict of interest between these two nations made it possible for them to go against each other even in the midst of world events including wars within other nations such as Vietnam. The United States, being a more expanded government towards other smaller nations, wanted to push forward for the process by which they are able to support others especially in terms of their military need. True, such movement was not charity, US of course expected something in return. Although this was the case, the US administrators viewed their involvement in particular national conditions of other countries as a noble presentation of how they want to present their values and missions of established recognition for the country.

USSR on the other hand remained firm in protecting those that are its own. Forming its own alliance of communist nations, USSR provided conditional attention to those that are able to follow the same principles as it does. China for instance is a strong alliance and USSR intends to keep the values of communism intact within the party that it hopes to create. It is only through this that it will be able to manifest a strong sense of control and power within the nations that it hopes to serve in ally with.

Through the years, several administrators of the United States come and go and the foreign policies they make mark the years of their service to the country. The idealism of America to the World was a constant ground that almost every American administrator recognized to be real and reliable. Nevertheless, President Nixon’s administration was able to establish a policy that did away with the illusions of the American desire to serve everyone at every possible time. Tuning into a more politically wise approach, Nixon’s administration recreated the values presented in the country’s foreign policy especially in relation to its connection with USSR.

In his writing, Gaddis further points out that the foreign policy established by Nixon reflects more of the particular doctrines that Kennan introduced in relation to how the American government should respond to its role to its country and towards the other nations as well. Opening the American support to all other smaller nations who are in need of assistance was likely a condition of approach that Nixon embraced especially during the war years. The desire of establishing a sense of camaraderie towards China and USSR was part of this plan. However, as the said relationship was seen to have vague conditions, Nixon refurbishes his idealism and realized the need to give attention to more important issues. Among such conditions include giving chance to more beneficial alliances thus freeing the American government from taking a role that it would not get best results from. At this point, Nixon believes that the American government would be able to get the best out of its foreign relations through losing its illusions of having peace with everyone else. Instead of pursuing an elusive dream, Nixon campaigned for a more focused policy that simply implied on improving their capacity to improve relations with those that are able to provide them with good and established benefits especially in terms of establishing a better economy and a better military force. In the writing of Gaddis, he points out how Nixon’s policy reflected the condition of relationship that the American nation should have with other countries. Based on the aspects of reality and not illusions, Nixon respects the idealism suggested through the original principles of foreign relations under Kennan’s direction, which indicates that dealing with other nations should have benefit for the US’ concerns as well. In relation to this, the recognition of limits should be identified hence creating a sense of distinction on how modern policies of relating to the needs of other countries could also provide an essence of resulting benefit for the country. This way, US administrators would be able to recognize it limits and not push for too much when it comes to supporting the needs of other countries especially relating to economic and military assistance.