22. An Easing Of Tension

Question 1

What two main issues remained between the su and usa by late 1960s?

Answer 1

Vietnam and human rights

Question 2

Give two ways circumstances in Vietnam made it difficult for the USA and su to cooperate

Answer 2

• The still American presence in Vietnam concerned su and other communist countries especially China
• by 1960s, the Vietnam war cost lives of 58,000 US soldiers and so American withdrawal was necessary as they clearly couldn’t win

Question 3

Give 2 reasons suggesting why human rights was making hard for the SU and USA to cooperate by late 1960s

Answer 3

• the su still denied its people civil rights and free speech and the west was aware of this
• events in Hungary and Czechoslovakia were high profile examples of the su governments lack of respect for human rights

Question 4

What was détente?

Answer 4

Was the relaxing of tension during the 1970s

Question 5

give two examples nuclear technology encouraged détente and explain

Answer 5

-As the Cuban missile crisis showed neither side was willing to use nukes
-there was also a concern less stable countries could develop nukes
This meant cooperation could limit spread of nuclear technology

Question 6

What alliance did the USA build that helped bring on détente?

Answer 6

The USA - China alliance as China was the world’s second communist power and its relation with the SU was deteriorating in the Sino Soviet split.

Question 7

Give an example of the alliance between the USA and China

Answer 7

In February 1972, Richard Nixon became the first US president to visit China

Question 8

Give examples where each side avoided wars and so encouraged detente

Answer 8

The Vietnam war showed nukes didn’t help win conventional war and instead talking made more sense in the future

Question 9

State why the arms race ended making it an aspect of détente

Answer 9

Both countries spent billions of dollars fighting the Cold War and continuing the arms race would have bankrupted the SU

Question 10

What were reasons of detente?

Answer 10

Nuclear technology, USA and China alliance, avoiding wars, ending the arms race due to economic issues

Question 11

What was SALT? (Include a year)

Did it make the Cold War more or less likely to end?

Answer 11

In 1969, the Strategic Arms Limitations Talks began between the USSR and the USA. They were the most serious arms race talks ever taken place

Question 12

How did president Nixon effect the likely hood of the Cold War?

Answer 12

When he agreed to let China join the UN in 1971 and later visited Beijing in February 1972

Question 13

What was the USA trading and to who was making the Cold War more likely to end?

Answer 13

In 1972, it was selling its extra wheat cheaply to the Soviet Union

Question 14

What agreement showed the Cold War was likely to end?

Answer 14

SALT

Question 15

What did the USA and SU discuss in SALT?

Answer 15

Banning new ballistic missiles

Reducing the no. Of anti ballistic missile defence systems that could be built

Question 16

How did the space race signify better relations?

Answer 16

When the American astronauts and soviet cosmonauts met up and shook hands in space in July 1975

Question 17

What was the Helsinki agreement of 1975?

Answer 17

• where the west recognised the frontiers of Eastern Europe
• where all 35 countries that were signed up (including USA) agreed to improve human rights, particularly freedom of speech, religion and movement

Question 18

When was SALT II and what did it discuss and how was it not as helpful to ending the Cold War?

Answer 18

June 1979. It intended to limit the no. Of long range missiles, especially those with multiple war heads but it fell through