Keywords

• During détente in the early Seventies
• the idea of gradually overcoming the military blocs appeared on the international scene. In Italy
• the PCI and the Catholic Left were major players in this endeavour. Moreover
• the Vietnam War paved the way for a sort of parallel diplomacy
• in which the Vatican and the PCI played an important role. Meanwhile
• Berlinguerâ€
• ™
• s proposal emerged of a Europe that was «neither anti-Soviet nor anti-American». The economic crisis sharpened competition between the United States and the EEC
• strengthening the idea of an autonomous European initiative among Catholic leaders as well. Chileâ€
• ™
• s golpe reinforced
• within the PCI
• the strategy of large alliances. Lastly
• the energy crisis highlighted the problem of the «development model» and allowed further convergences with the Catholic Left to emerge. Foreign policy thus remained a delicate subject
• but was at the same time a remarkable element in the concept of compromesso storico