Geopolitical Strategies of the Late 1970s

This chapter explores the contrasting geopolitical strategies of the U.S. National Security Advisor during the late 1970s, focusing on the factional conflict within the Carter administration over interventions in Afghanistan and Southeast Asia. It highlights the strategic maneuvers to foster a partnership with China against Soviet influence while analyzing the complexities in U.S.-Vietnam relations, including an espionage trial that complicates normalization efforts. The chapter critiques the effectiveness of these interventions and the shift away from diplomacy toward a more confrontational stance.