Nixon Government And Allende Regime:the Role Of The U.S. In The Chile Upheaval From1970to1973

On September11th,1973, a military coup in Chile overthrew the Unidad Popular government which was composed by democratic elections. Allende government was overthrown due to many factors; however, Nixon administration played an important role in the Chile political upheaval from1971to1973. In the context of the Cold War, since1960s the United States began to interfere in the situation in Chile secretly and the behavior of the Nixon administration was a continuation of the two former administrations. According to declassified documents, the thesis presents the role of the United States in Chile’s process of historical development, mainly reveals the relationship between Nixon administration and Allende regime, and thus explains the United Sates’double standards on regional issues during the detente of the Cold War. The thesis is divided totally into three chapters in addition to the Preface and the Conclusion.The first chapter mainly discusses two problems:one is the U.S. political interference in Chile from1958to1969, and another is the background introduction to the two protagonist of the historical event-Nixon and Allende. The first section discusses the main cases of the United States successive governments’interference in Chile before Nixon administration. Early American intervention in Chile provides the premise for Nixon administration’s massive action. The second section respectively describes the relationship between Nixon and Latin America, and Allende and his coalition Unidad Popular.The second chapter mainly discusses the countermeasures of the Nixon administration after Allende won the election on September4,1970. After three unsuccessful campaigns, Allende rallied to participate in the presidential campaign in1970. Nixon approved two interference policies to prevent Allende to be president of Chile because of concern about Chile being another "Cuba". Nixon administration’s strategy that plans to conduct a coup is beyond the effort of interference of the United States successive governments in Chile."Track Ⅰ "and "Track Ⅱ" failed, and Allende eventually became the president of Chile successfully.The third chapter mainly discusses the policy that was implemented in the construction of Socialist Chile after Allende government was formed and countermeasures of the United States. It also discusses the military coup due to failure of reform and undermine of the US. After coming to power, Unidad Popular immediately implemented the reform, but reform generated a lot of problems which left potential worries for the Allende regime. Nixon administration formulated the so-called "cool and correct" fundamental policy which in essence was to overthrow the Allende regime. Under the guidance of this policy, the United States carried action against Allende regime from the political, economic and military aspects. Under the attack of the hostile forces inside and outside, Allende regime got into trouble, on September11,1973, Chilean military junta headed by Pinochet overthrew the Allende regime by means of military coup.