U.S. policy toward European integration, 1969 - 1974: a continuation

This paper aims to argue that the Nixon administration’s policy to Western Europe from 1969 to 1974 was a continuation of the U.S. traditional support and promotion of European integration. It argues that despite its concentration on the détente with the Soviet Union and opening to China, the Nixon administration still attached importance to its relations with Western Europe and actively supported the European attempts to enlarge the European Economic Community (the EEC). Henceforth, the paper will begin with an examination of the Nixon administration’s continued commitment to physically defend Western European and to strengthen the Atlantic alliance before looking at how active the United States was in supporting the United Kingdom (the UK) to become a member of the European Community (the EC). Then, it will highlight the necessity of the U.S. – EC alliance in the international system. It will be concluded that, though there were conflicts between the two sides of the Atlantic Ocean, the Nixon administration remained committed to promoting the integrative process in Western Europe.