view that they too now have nuclear weapons .” 249 Beijing’s refusal to conform to the rule of the U.S. and the Soviet Union brought the two Cold War adversaries closer together by providing them a common security threat to manage instead of focusing on one another. While addressing the PRC nuclear policy and wider nuclear proliferation may not have directly reduced tensions, these did assist in diverting hostility away from the model of U.S.-Soviet rivalry whilst at the same time allowing further diplomatic cooperation to develop on nuclear issues. It would be inaccurate however to assume that overall nuclear tensions between the U.S. and USSR enjoyed a stable decline throughout the 1960s. Firstly, there was significant resistance from hardliners on both sides against the passivity of nuclear relations following the Cuban Missile Crisis. In the U.S., right wing lobbies dismissed President Kennedy’s efforts in achieving the test ban treaty. These lobbies, like many conservative politicians placed importance on toughness and resolve, to them this demonstrated the best way of dealing with the Soviets. 250 Republican nominee for President, Barry Goldwater exemplified in his rhetoric during his campaign, in which he spoke out against universal disarmament. He claimed there’s “a real prospect of an America unarmed and aimless in the face of militant Communism around the wold.” 251 This demonstrates heightened tensions of the loss of U.S. nuclear superiority in the status quo. Similarly, Oliver writes that in the Soviet Union there was anger at how the Cuban Crisis was resolved, and the perception that the country was seen to make concessions, undermining national prestige. 252 This made the Soviets less eager to make further negotiations on the nuclear arms issue. As a consequence of 249 Ibid, pp.256. 250 Oliver, 1998, pp.136. 251 Barry Goldwater, Peace Through Strength, Vital Speeches of the Day, Vol 30. Issue 24, 1964, pp.744. 252 Oliver, 1998, pp.137.
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