Study On Nixon Administration's Policies Towards The Federal Republic Of Germany's Ostpolitik (1969-1974)

In October 1969, Willy Brant, the leader of Social Democratic Party (SPD), was elected as the new Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG). In order to ease tensions with the Soviet Union, East Germany and other Eastern European countries, Brandt implemented Ostpolitik as soon as he was in charge of the Government. How did the Nixon Administration think of this great change of West Germany's eastern policy? What attitudes and policies did the Nixon Administration adopt, when the FRG improved relations with the Soviet Union and other Eastern European countries. What were the factors influencing the decision-making of the Nixon Administration? All these issues above remain to be further explored. By studying through the historical materials of Foreign Relations of the United States during Nixon's years uncovered on the web of the Department of the United States, Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, and Central Intelligence Agency's Reports etc. and referring to the latest works of the West, the author tries to further explore the US policies towards Ostpolitik, which mainly consists of four parts.The first part reviews the post-war American governments'attitudes towards the eastern policies of the Federal Republic of Germany. In order to have West Germany against the Soviet Union, the Eisenhower Administration supported Adenauer who took a hard line with East. But after the second Berlin Crisis and the Cuban missile crisis, the US gradually established a detente with the Soviet Union. In this background, the rigid eastern policies of the Federal Republic of Germany were becoming more and more isolated. For detente with the Soviet Union, both the Kennedy and Johnson Administrations wanted West Germany to change their demode eastern policies. The conflicts between the US and FRG on those issues, to a certain extent, led West Germany to change their eastern policies and Brandt coming to power in the late 1960s.The second part studies the Nixon Administration's views and attitudes towards Ostpolitik in the early stage. For comprehensive consideration of many factors at home and abroad, Nixon Administration adopted wait and see policy in the early days. The US chose non-interference in the negotiations between FRG and Soviet Union, as well as other Eastern European countries. The Nixon Administration's attitude on the Berlin Question was also very negative.The third part discusses the shift of the Nixon Administration's attitude towards Ostpolitik. In order to make Ostpolitik into the strategy of detente with the Soviet Union, and control it, the Nixon Administration decided to use the Berlin quadripartite negotiation as the breakthrough point to intervene in it The Nixon Administration gave Brandt Government a lot of help in the Berlin Question and ratification of the Eastern Treaties. The US Government's interference made Ostpolitik implementation easy. As the same time, the Nixon Administration successfully put Ostpolitik into its detente strategy.The fourth part analyzes the causes of the considerations of the Nixon Administration of Ostpolitik. Among those factors, the influence from the Soviet Union might be the most important and direct. The US was concerned that the Soviet-German (West) relations were becoming too close. And that's the reason why the Nixon Administration worried about this policy in the early days. Later, the Nixon Administration's interference in Ostpolitik was also for improving the US-Soviet detente. As the important allies of the US in the Western Europe, the attitudes of the Great Britain and France towards Ostpolitik also influenced the Nixon Administration. In addition, President Nixon's own views on international situations at that time, and the unique mode of the diplomatic operation of this administration were also significant factors.