REASSESSING THE VALIDITY OF REACTIVE DECISION-MAKING: PERCEPTION, MISPERCEPTION AND AMERICAN-SOVIET DETENTE, 1972-1976

The Nixon-Kissinger policy of detente with the Soviet Union was a pragmatic attempt to supercede the antagonism of the Cold War. The policy of detente indicated an apparent interest by both sides to limit international tension and construct a framework of cooperation instead of confrontation. The overriding mistrust for each other's long and short-term motives, however, led to the collapse of detente. The Basic Principles Agreement of 1972 was an attempt to define the parameters of the American-Soviet relationship but, because of its ambiguous language, created further misunderstanding. Events in Washington and Angola contributed to the misperception of goals and tactics. This dissertation discusses the effect of perception on the belief systems of decision-makers and makes the contention that the failure of American-Soviet detente was preordained by ingrained American and Soviet mistrust of each other's motives.;The United States had hoped to use the detente process as a restraint upon Soviet foreign policy in the Third World. The Soviet Union, on the other hand, saw detente as affecting only the relationship with the United States, not its ability to pursue foreign policy goals elsewhere. In fact, detente inspired greater competition in the Third World because of the diminished risk of confrontation. This dissertation investigates events that were easily misperceived in Moscow and Washington. The Jackson-Vanik Amendment to the Trade Reform Act of 1974 was seen as interfering in Soviet domestic politics; Soviet aid to Angola was seen as a direct confrontation to American interests in Southern Africa. The mechanism of perception is discussed, as well as Soviet and American images of each other. Detente is still seen as a viable, indeed, essential policy goal, but any future attempt at Soviet-American collaboration will first require an intellectual and political adjustment on both sides that is able to overcome decades of misperception and mistrust.