Side Effects May Include Peace: Richard Nixon, the Soviet Union, and the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT)

In today’s climate, when each day seems to revisit conflicts of days gone by, particularly the Cold War, examination of the history of international relations is more important than ever. In my research, I analyzed the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) between the United States and the Soviet Union. Through a close reading of recently declassified government documents including memorandums, meeting minutes, and transcripts of conversations between the negotiating powers and within the Nixon administration, I found that US diplomacy at the time was marked by inter-administration competitiveness, ignorance of other cultures, and strategic pragmatism. In this thesis, I scrutinize the early events of the nuclear age which influenced SALT, and the three-year process of the talks, from the drafting of potential treaty options to lobbying for legislative approval. I ultimately argue that SALT was not a tool of peace, but a tool to enhance President Richard Nixon’s domestic image, and to maintain the United States’ defensive power.