The Nation : Shift Found in American View of Soviets

In a significant shift from the last decade, most Americans now hold a skeptical view of the Soviet Union, advocating a cautious approach toward superpower relations that will keep the United States strong militarily and protect it against Soviet manipulation, a new study concluded. “The American public does not want instant detente. That’s a big switch from the 1970s,” said pollster Daniel Yankelovich, who worked with top-level diplomats, scholars and politicians on the Public Summit ’88 project. The study, which organizers described as one of the most comprehensive to date of public perceptions on U.S.-Soviet relations, combined monthlong forums, educational programs and polling in four cities around the country with a three-year research and interview project. Yankelovich said a “blind” optimism during 1970s detente has been replaced by “disillusionment . . . skepticism, reservation and even cynicism” about the Soviets.