[hinckley buzzard]

The Sino-Soviet border war was no secret at the time. It is plausible that the Soviets would consider a 'decisive solution' at the time, for China was relatively very weak, with a nascent nuclear program but no real deterrent power. It would have been an ideal time for the USSR to establish continental hegemony across the entire Eurasian landmass once and for all.

Nixon was the man with enough foreign policy savvy to realize that a fullblown war between the two Asian behemoths would be a worldwide catastrophe. This is why the Chinese had great respect for Nixon, despite his antipathy to communism.

[Navy Patriot]

Re: #36,

All true.

However, Nixon did not offer to blow the USSR off the face of the Earth to solve the problem.

He was much more skilled, he offered Détente, and the deal was excellent from the USSR's point of view.

By 1972 he had SALT I in place and SALT II in the works, and the pressure between the USSR and China dialed down to manageable levels.

This was a real achievement considering the ongoing Vietnam war.

Nixon had courage as others have pointed out, however he was about as far from a warmonger as one could get, and not a reckless man.