18) The extent of détente up to 1979 Flashcards
Define détente
the easing of hostility or strained relations, especially between countries
What was agreed at the Moscow summit
SALT I
The Basic Principles of Relations between the United States and the USSR’- a code of behaviour in terms of their relations
When was the Moscow Summit
May 1972
What were the Basic principles
Committed to peaceful coexistencew
look for peace over war
promote peace in other countries
what were the limitations of the Basic principles
they had no legal status, the USSR saw the basic principles as the foundation of détente and peaceful coexistence (very important) however the US merely saw them as aspirational values
When was SALT I signed
May 1972
delayed by the invasion of Czechoslovakia
What was agreed in SALT I
Anti-Ballistic missile treaty (ABM)
The Interim Agreement on the Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms
what as agreed in the Anti-Ballistic missile treaty (ABM treaty)
USA and USSR were only allowed 200 ABMs each across two different fields
One could be set up to protect the capital city, the other to protect ICBM sites
Importance of the ABM treaty
decreased the strategical value of ABMs and thus any competition to advance this technology was less critical
Showed the super powers recognised the others destructive capability and thus wanted to reduce it
What was agreed in the Interim Agreement on the Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms
linked offensive and defence nuclear weapons
established a freeze on strategic missiles
At this point the USSR had more ICBMs but the USA had more Submarine-launch ballistic missiles and more strategic bombers)
what were the limitations of The Interim Agreement on the Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms
expired in 5 years (1977)
Did not limit other newly developing nuclear technology
benefit of SALT I talks for leaders
it reenforced their prestige and gave them political advantages as they backed policies which promoted greater stability
significance of SALT I
Foundation of détente
proved that détente was possible
began the era of cooperation over competition
curbed the effects of the arms race
What did SALT prove to the US
that it had lost its nuclear dominion over the USSR, at this point the superpowers were had very similar nuclear capabilities which was a important step in international relations- now both sides had something to gain from détente
‘a balance of power had been acknowledged and this necessitated the construction of a new non confrontational relationship’- the textbook
When was the Vladivostok summit
November 1974
Gerald Ford is now president
Who was present as Vladivostok
Kissinger
what was agreed at Vladivostok
A 10 year plan which would lead into SALT II talks
Equal levels of ICBM and SLBM launchers
Despite US internal opposition to this, congress passed resolutions supporting the Vladivostok SALT agreement by Feb 1975
Arguments that delayed SALT II talks
US-Soviet disagreement over what counted as a ‘air to surface’ missile
Kissinger faced lots of opposition internally and was forced to present new proposals to Brezhnev (these were backed by Ford) Brezhnev rejects these
Election of Jimmy Carter in 1977 also delayed talks
What did the Carter administration attempt surrounding nuclear talks
Carter was under significant internal pressure to reduce the USSRs weapons
Carter did not want to completing Kissinger’s previous agreements from Vladivostok but further alter them to reduce arms
When and what was Carter’s nuclear plan
March 1977 it is revealed to the Soviets
Essentially significant bans and reductions on nuclear weaponry
the Soviets who saw Vladivostok as binding, simply rejected this- feeling in the USSR began to develop that the Carter administration was moving away from détente and the cooperation on nuclear weapons that it needed
When was the Vienna summit
June 1979
What was agreed at the Vienna summit
SALT II
what did the Vienna summit show
that the leaders, while the conversation was mainly scripted, could talk freely and cooperate- good for detente
Hallstein Doctrine
An early west German policy
non-recognition of the GDR
Any other countries recognising the GDR would be seen as unfriendly- resulted in the GDR only really having ties with the USSR
Willy Brandt
A chancellor of west Germany who headed Ostpolitik
Ostpolitik
Am abandonment of the Hallstein doctrine which lead to the recognition of post WWII territorial changes and negotiations with the USSR and GDR
Willy Brandt 3-pronged strategy
- Negotiate with the USSR
- Settle the frontier with Poland
- Negotiate with the GDR
Leaders that supported Ostpolitik
Erich Honecker- new leader of the GDR in May 1971
Treaty of Moscow
August 1970
USSR x FRG x GDR
Non-Aggression pact
Led to increased stability in Europe
Treaty of Warsaw
December 1970
Poland x FRG
Recognised the loss of former German territory and was now part of Poland (given in Yalta)
Recognition of the Oder-Neisse border
The Basic Treaty
December 1972
Grundelagenvertrag
An attempt to normalise relations between the Germanies
1. develop good relations
2. respect sovereignty
3. Peaceful means of solving problems
Significance of the Ostpolitik treaties
Through détente, Europe becomes more stable
Trade opens up
Other countries begin to recognise the GDR (Australia, UK, France, Netherlands and the US)
What are the Helsinki accords
a series of agreements that came out of the Helsinki summit meetingsw
when were the Helsinki summits
July 1971-August 1975
What were the final decisions at Helsinki called
the Helsinki final acts
It included three ‘baskets’
Who was involved in the Helsinki accords
All of Europe (bar Albania) the US and Canada
Declaration on Principles Guiding Relations between Participating States
1st basket
Respect of sovereignty
Peaceful measures to solve disputes
recognition of frontiers
territorial integrity
no intervention in internal affairs
Respect of human rights/fundamental freedoms
Equal rights and self determination of all people
Cooperation in the field of economics, of sciences, technology and the environment
2nd basket
addressed trade and industrial cooperation Transport, science, technology, the promotion of tourism, the environment and issues concerning migrant labour
Cooperation in Humanitarian and other fields
3rd basket
Focused on cultural and educational exchange
what was the Soviet position at Helsinki
wanted to expand Ostpolitik
develop an acceptance of the european status quo (satellite states)
Did not think the 3rd basket was necessary
concerned about the non intervention principle (basket 1) but readily signed 1 and 2 as it confirmed status quo in europe, the sacrifices of the USSR during WWII and depleted their fears of a German resurgence
Eventually signed to promote detente
American position at Helsinki
Did not want to accept european status quo or support eastern european subservience to the USSR
they feared that more peace in europe would reuslt in reduced support for NATOs military programs
signed for detente
What impact did Helsinki have on detente and the arms race
Limited on arms race as it had no specifically nuclear clauses
What happened following the end of the interim agreement in 1977
USSR refused to stop supplying SS-20 bombers to Warsaw pact allies or decrease its stock of missiles, facing the potential of the USSR being nuclear superior, Carter activated the deployment of new weapons, the establishment of a new stealth bomber and convinced NATO allies to increase defence spending by 3%
detente was shifting, a fact accentuated by the USSRs invasion of Afghanistan
Sign of detente in space
July 1975
American Apollo and Soviet Soyuz spacecrafts dock together in outer space and carry out experiments with one another- a sign detente had now replaced confrontation
7 reasons that detente developed in the 1970s
The China card (improving relations)
Linkage strategy (Willy Brandt)
Revamp of Containment (Helsinki)
Impact of Cuban missile crisis (SALT)
Escape from Viet Nam (ease tension)
Nixon and Kissinger (visits to China)
Moa Zedong’s successor
1976
Den Xiaoping- both believed that the chinese economy needed development and help from the US
Carter’s view on China
was central to the USA’s global strategy
Solution of Taiwan
No longer official recognised as China’s representative in the UN
US will still aid Taiwan militarily
China will solve the problem peacefully
When do diplomatic relations between the USA and China begin
1st Jan 1979
