Final answer:
Nixon's foreign policy differed from earlier Cold War stances by pursuing detente with the Soviet Union and recognizing the People's Republic of China, rather than Taiwan, as the legitimate government. His policies emphasized reducing nuclear risks via SALT and a strategic shift away from direct military interventions.
Step-by-step explanation:
President Nixon's foreign policy marked a departure from previous Cold War stances through his pragmatic approach toward Communist powers, especially China and the Soviet Union. Unlike earlier strategies that solidified opposition to Communist influence worldwide, Nixon implemented the Nixon Doctrine which signaled a shift from full-scale military intervention to supporting allies without engaging directly in their defense. The hallmark of Nixon's foreign policy reorientation was his pursuit of détente with the Soviet Union and the groundbreaking recognition of the People's Republic of China as the legitimate government, a move embodied by his 1972 visit to China. This visit resulted in resuming diplomatic relations and the withdrawal of US forces from Taiwan, indicating a major shift from the United States' longstanding policy of recognizing Taiwan as the legitimate government of China.
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) with the Soviets represented a mutual desire to reduce the risk of nuclear confrontation. Nixon's approach manifested a complex balancing act between reducing tensions with Communist superpowers and maintaining US influence, which diverged significantly from the more aggressive containment policies of the Truman administration and other predecessors.