(18) The extent of Detente up to 1979

Question 1

What was SALT?

Answer 1

Stood for Strategic Arms Limitation Talks

The USSR and USA aimed to limit the development and use of nuclear weapons during the 1960s

Question 2

When did these talks happen?

Answer 2

Talks began during the 1968 - Non-Proliferation Treaty, resuming until 1969 until an agreement was made by May 1972.

Question 3

What was the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and when did it occur?

Answer 3

May 1972

This limited the number of ABMs (Anti-Ballistic Missiles) the USSR and USA could have to no more than 100 missiles.

This agreement reduced the number of Anti-Ballistic Missiles and slowed down the race to develop strategic offensive nuclear weapons.

This reduced the possibility of nuclear war.

Question 4

Political Effects of the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty

Answer 4

Foundations of political agreements which opened the way for negotiation as opposed to confrontation,

This was an important step in international relations because it meant that both sides had something to gain from the detente.

Question 5

What had been the Interim Agreement on the Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms, and why had it been limited in terms of its success?

Answer 5

This limited the numbers of missiles for 5 years.

It did not, however, limit the newly developed technology such as cruise missiles or MIRVs.

Question 6

When did it occur?

Answer 6

May 1972.

Question 7

When was the Moscow Summit and what happened?

Answer 7

May 1972

The Moscow summit established the ‘basic principles of relations’ between the USSR and USA regarding the principles of disarmament and the avoidance of nuclear war

Question 8

What did the Second Basic principle state, and what did it lead to?

Answer 8

It stated that situations should be avoided that could damage the superpowers commitment to peaceful coexistence. This led to an agreement to avoid military confrontation - prevented the threat of nuclear war.

Question 9

What did the Third Basic principle state, and what did it lead to?

Answer 9

It stated that there should be an acceptance of ‘special responsibility’ - whereby everything in their power would be done so that conflicts or situations will not arise which would serve to increase international tensions.

Question 10

Why had the Basic Principles been limited?

Answer 10

The basic principles however did not have a legal status. Everything depended on the other side abiding by these guidleines.

Question 11

What happened in the Vladivostok Summit and when did it occur?

Answer 11

It was meeting that came before a visit to Moscow in October by Kissinger.

In November 1974, at the Vladivostok Summit, the USSR agreed to a 10 year programme to reach equal levels of ICBM and SLBM launchers.

This was agreed between the USA and USSR and was seen as the first step towards SALT II.

Question 12

Why ha there been a bumpy transition from Vladivostok to SALT II?

Answer 12

One problem was that the USA argued that the limit on air-to-surface missiles applied only to ballistic missiles, while the Soviet Union argued that it also included cruise missiles.

It seemed clear from this that the two sides were still far away from reaching a finalised agreement.

Question 13

When had Ford been replaced by Carter?

Answer 13

January 20, 1977

Question 14

What happened in the attempt to push for a SALT II agreement?

Answer 14

Carter moved talks forward after lots of disagreements.

Carter proposed a reduction in strategic systems, MIRV missile launchers, ICBMs, and launchers for ICBMs with MIRVs.

In addition, the USA suggested that only heavy bombers should have air-launched cruise missiles with a range of 600-2500 kilometres.

Question 15

How did Brezhnev receive these new proposals?

Answer 15

He said that these attempts were unacceptable and unilateral as the proposals demanded a disproportionate reduction in Soviet forces compared to the USA.

This led to a development of tensions as the USSR then viewed his administration as deviating from detente.

Question 16

What was the Vienna Summit and when did it occur?

Answer 16

On June 1979

SALT agreement was finalised at the Vienna Summit in June 1979:

• ICBM and SLBM launchers and heavy bombers were not to exceed 2,400.
• There was to be an overall reduction of strategic offensive arms to 2,250 by January 1981
• There was to be an overall limit to MIRVs, ASBMs, ICBM and SLBMs.

Question 17

Why was the Vienna Summit significant?

Answer 17

This meeting between the two leaders demonstrated warmth and respect for one another, and it seemed that both publicly recognised the responsibility held by each other to control the arms race, avoid nuclear war and sustain detente.

Question 18

What was Ostpolitik?

Answer 18

West Germany had a new Chancellor in 1969-Willy Brandt. He developed a new approach to dealing with the East which was known as Ostpolitik (Eastern Policy).

Question 19

Why was Ostpolitik significant?

Answer 19

Ostpolitik encouraged greater cooperation and communication through the Iron Curtain.

It recognised East Germany and of East-West borders and a period of détente between German countries began.

Ostpolitik led to warmer relations between many Eastern and Western countries.

Question 20

What was the Basic Treaty, and when did it occur?

Answer 20

In December 1972, the Basic Treaty was signed.

This formally recognised East and West Germany and promised that there would be peaceful resolutions to any conflict between them.

Question 21

Why had this been a critical moment in European detente?

Answer 21

Settled relations between East and West Germany, providing a route for which other European nations could establish relations with the GDR.

By the end of Sep 1973, both FDR and GDR were members of the UN, showing the positive impact of the Basic Treaty in laying the groundwork for a furthering of European detente.

Question 22

What are historical interpretations about this period of detente?

Answer 22

David Evans and Jane Jenkins in Years of Russia and the USSR 1851-1991 (2001) argue that ‘the improvement in American-Soviet relations was so marked that some spoke of a new era of détente. There were also those that thought the years of the Cold War were over’.

Question 23

What was the Helsinki Accords?

Answer 23

The Helsinki Accords consisted of three ‘baskets’ of agreements:

• Security in Europe. Including the recognition of the sovereignty of countries, respect, equal rights, self-determination and peaceful settlement to issues.
• Co-operation on economics, science and technology and the environment, including trade and industry.
• Cooperation on humanitarian and other fields. Both sides would recognise the current borders of European countries, human rights and freedoms in their respective countries and help each other economically and technologically.

Question 24

When did it occur?

Answer 24

August 1975

Question 25

Why was the Helsinki Accords so significant?

Answer 25

This was the most wide-reaching détente agreement to date.

It was signed by 35 states including the USA, USSR and all of Europe apart from Albania.

Question 26

What had been historical interpretations of the Helsinki Accords?

Answer 26

The historian Kenney (2002) argues that the Helsinki accords were important in creating dissent in Eastern Europe in 1989.

The Helsinki Accords gave intellectuals and humanist critics of communism a platform. They argued for respect for basic human rights.

These ideas became part of the national consciousness as reports on the Helsinki baskets were printed in newspapers around the world.

Question 27

Limits in the extent of detente

Question 28

Why had there been concerns about the Helsinki Accord?

Answer 28

For the USA, accepting the Helsinki Final Act meant accepting a divided Germany and an Eastern Europe that was under the control of Moscow.

There was also concern over the freedom of movement from the Helsinki Accords for the USSR.

• The USSR applied heavy taxes on those wishing to emigrate.
• This was because they feared a loss of workers which would damage their economy.

Question 29

This led to the Jackson-Vanick amendment which was…?

What did it lead to?

Answer 29

The USA passed the Jackson-Vanick amendment which denied credit tax to any ‘non-market’ economy that imposed an exit tax or restricted the right to emigrate.

As a result of the Jackson-Vanick amendment, the USSR withdrew from talks with the USA.

Question 30

Why was this significant?

Answer 30

In this period, despite improved relations, both countries still misunderstood and distrusted each other.

Question 31

Why was the arms race continuing?

Answer 31

Despite the promises of détente the USA and the USSR continued to build up their arms.

Even during the SALT II meetings, Kissinger stated that if no agreement was made, the USA would expand its nuclear programme.

By 1978, no agreement had been made and the USSR continued to increase its stockpile of missiles.

In December 1979, Carter convinced 3 NATO countries to increase military expenditure. The USSR retaliated by deploying its own missile system throughout the satellite states.