Abstract
Throughout Gerald Ford’s presidency (9 August 1974-20 January 1977), the Romanian government of Nicolae Ceauşescu was one of the most totalitarian governments of Communist Europe. Yet, President Ford and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger had a friendly personal relationship with Ceauşescu, primarily in the hope that he would help to undermine the Soviet Empire. Kissinger had limited interest in democratic practices outside the United States, and Ceauşescu’s Stalinist tendencies were of limited concern to him. Ceauşescu sought to use the United States as a counterweight to the Soviet Union and to gain economic benefits for Romania. Ford and Kissinger were willing to grant Romania most favored nation (MFN) status, but Congress had reservations. Would Romanian Jews have the right to emigrate? Would Ceauşescu’s government respect the language “rights” of Transylvania’s ethnic Hungarians and Germans? Would Romania’s Protestants and Roman Catholics enjoy freedom of worship?
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