rapprochement

plural rapprochements · alternative rapproachment

1. The reestablishment of cordial relations, particularly between two countries; a reconciliation.

   It was the Nixon administration that saw the rapprochement between the United States and China.

   5 more examples

   The inauguration of a liberal order of things, a rapprochement of the [First French] Empire with constitutionalism and Parliamentary government, had been expected from the Speech from the Throne now just given. This expectation is completely disappointed by the speech. …

   1869 December 11, “The Changes in the Government of France (Die Neue Freie Presse—Vienna, Nov. 30.)”, in Public Opinion […] , volume XVI, number 429, London: Printed by Charles Wyman, […] , →OCLC, page 738, column 2

   Not forever, however, was the animal world to suffer this indignity at the hands of man. Thinkers themselves prepared the way for a rapprochement between the two. More particularly the English philosophers from [John] Locke onward, together with their French followers, […] may be said by a sort of leveling-down process to have favored the idea of a mental kinship between man and brute.

   1892 February, James Sulley, “Is Man the Only Reasoner?”, in The Popular Science Monthly, volume XL, New York, N.Y.: Popular Science Pub. Co., →OCLC, page 506

   M. [Aristide] Briand, in a statement on the French foreign policy said a lasting European peace was impossible without a Franco-German rapprochement.

   1926 December 2, “‘No victors’ if European war starts: French foreign policy: China and Italy”, in The Daily Examiner, volume 18, number 2721 (New Series), Grafton, N.S.W.: Printed and published by William Frederick Blood, of Grafton, for the Daily Examiner, Limited, …, →OCLC, page 5

   Attempts at a Hungarian–Yugoslavian rapprochement are not a recent matter, and Italy has always approved of them. But in the past these attempts had been made with the idea of breaking up the Little Entente and isolating Yugoslavia.

   1940 January, “Italy’s Living Room”, in The Living Age, volume 357, number 4480, New York, N.Y.: The Living Age Company Inc., →OCLC, section II (Eyes to the Balkans: Translated from Europe Nouvelle, Paris Political and Literary Weekly), page 475, column 1

   Moreover, the reactionary economic and political forces in south Korea show little sympathy with the commission meetings now being held in an effort to achieve American-Russian rapprochement. Instead, their program calls for American pressure to dislodge Russia and the Communists from north Korea, by force if necessary.

   1947 September 10, Thoburn T. Brumbaugh, “Soviet Nightmare in Korea”, in The Christian Century, volume LXIV, number 37, Chicago: Christian Century Foundation, page 1077, column 1