Kissinger's Theory Of Detente

Detente was the brain child of Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger. It was in reaction to the realization that the Soviet Union was less dangerous and more capable than the West had previously understood. Kissinger thought that the Soviet Union would think it necessary for security reasons to cooperate with the US, because the Soviet Union at this point was economically stagnant, had recently split with China and had to deal with the rising tensions in Eastern Europe1. All of these factors, Kissinger thought would lead to a time of cooperation between the Soviet Union and the United States. While both sides wanted an improved relationship, they also both understood that the other side's downfalls were their opportunity for gain. There was a sense of misinterpretation of detente, as each side had their own “hidden agenda” when it came to the goals for this time of negotiation and improved relations2. This would ultimately be the downfall of detente, as each side would never be able to fully reconcile the idea of a peaceful coexistence with the need to be at the top. …show more content…
The inception of detente was created out of these “incompatible interests” and “divergent conceptions of what was or was not legitimate behavior with the detente framework3.” This meant that while detente was sold to the American public as an effort to cooperate with the Soviet Union in the hopes of reaching a better relationship, in actuality, detente was from the start about each side trying to push their own agenda and pursuing their own gain, under the guise of peace and