French term for re-establishment of friendly relations
In
international relations
, a
rapprochement
, which comes from the
French
word
rapprocher
("to bring together"), is a re-establishment of cordial relations between two countries.
[1]
[2]
This may be done due to a mutual antagonist, as the
German Empire
was seen by both
France
and the
British Empire
at the time of their signing of the
Entente Cordiale
.
[3]
It has also been done, particularly in the cold war between the
Soviet Union
and the
United States
, in an effort to reduce tensions and the likelihood of war.
In the political scene of an individual country, rapprochement means the bringing together of diverse political factions as, for example, during
metapolitefsi
in
Greece
.
The word is also used in a personal sense: when friends or family members who are in conflict or have become estranged reestablish a friendlier relationship, they achieve a rapprochement.
Historical examples
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]
The Great Rapprochement
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]
Relations between the United States and the United Kingdom warmed significantly in the period leading up to
World War I
. After multiple border and influence disputes in the 19th century, particularly that of the
Anglo-American border dispute in Venezuela
, interests in the western hemisphere aligned. Public opinion in the United Kingdom supported the United States in the
Spanish?American War
, though previously they were skeptical of American domination of the Caribbean.
[4]
Rather than intervene, the British government remained neutral. Likewise, the government of the United States refused to aid the Boers in the
Boer War
, and instead sold limited amounts of war materials to the United Kingdom.
[4]
The roots of this rapprochement were both not only strategic, but cultural; many notable political figures including
President Theodore Roosevelt
supported the United Kingdom on the basis of supporting "Anglo-Saxon" culture.
[4]
Entente Cordiale
[
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]
The Entente Cordiale was a series of diplomatic agreements between the United Kingdom and France in 1904 that saw the warming of relations and simplification of overseas borders.
[3]
In particular, the original cause for the negotiations was the disputed north African colonies of both colonial powers.
[5]
Diplomats agreed to colonial concessions in order to prevent colonial conflict between the two; it would eventually grow to be a military alliance acting as a counterweight to the
Triple Alliance
that would see conflict in World War I. Rather than a formal agreement to military aid, the Entente Cordiale grew with the various diplomatic crises leading up to World War I. The effects of rapprochement could be seen with Franco-British unity in the
Moroccan Crisis
against the German Empire.
[3]
President Nixon's visit to China
[
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]
The mending of relations between the
United States
and the
People's Republic of China
that began with President Nixon's
1972 visit to China
and culminated in 1979 with the
Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations
can be considered to be a case of rapprochement between the two countries.
[6]
Detente
[
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]
The period known as
detente
, or "relaxation", between the United States and the Soviet Union during the 1970s was a time of rapprochement. Treaties limiting the scope and number of strategic weapons, including
SALT I
, were signed. This was partially in response to construction of missile defense systems, which would allow a nation to launch a
first strike
and shoot down retaliation.
[7]
As such, agreements were signed to reduce the feasibility of a first strike - while further agreements sought to reduce strategic weapons systems, rather than cap them.
[7]
This led to more cordial relations overall between the two superpowers.
Methods and causes
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Rapprochement often begins with a joint policy, treaty or statement, such as with the SALT I treaty or the Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations. Often, the rapprochement occurs specifically in an attempt to counter another power, like with Chinese-American rapprochement targeted towards the Soviet Union.
[8]
Likewise, France and the United Kingdom sought to counter the German Empire.
[3]
See also
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References
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