In what ways did Nixon, Ford, and Carter further the Cold War, or did they reduce tensions between the various combatants?

1.) In what ways did Nixon, Ford, and Carter further the Cold War, or did they reduce tensions between the various combatants? Did their attitudes and policies differ from one another where the Cold War, the war in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America were concerned?
2.) What groups resisted the conservative social agenda in the 1980s? In your view, did the desire for equal rights and opportunities conflict with conservatism?