9 - Detente

Question 1

Reasons for detente - USA

Answer 1

• Vietnam war cost USA billions of dollars + resulted in 60,000 American deaths
• Social tensions meant that the government needed to concentrate on other issues
  DETENTE MEANT THAT USA COULD STOP SPENDING MONEY ON WEAPONS AND TAKE TIME TO SOLVE SOCIAL PROBLEMS IN AMERICA

Question 2

Reasons for detente - USSR

Answer 2

• facing serious economic problems so wanted to cut spending on weapons and devote more resources to improving living standards and updating the economy
• Arms Race was too expensive = was having a damaging effect on the economy
  IMPROVING RELATIONS AND SPENDING LESS ON WEAPONS WOULD BE A ‘SAFE’ POLICY FOR THE USSR

Question 3

Who were the leaders at SALT I?

Answer 3

President Nixon and Leonid Brezhnev

Question 4

What was agreed at SALT I?

Answer 4

• ABM Treaty
• Interim Agreement on Offensive Arms
• Checks

Question 5

What was the ABM Treaty?

Answer 5

Anti Ballistic Missiles only allowed at 2 sites and each one could have a max of 100 missiles. Designed to destroy attacking ICBMs.

Question 6

What was the Interim Agreement on Offensive Arms?

Answer 6

Imposed a 5 year freeze on total number of ICBMs and SLBMs allowed.

Question 7

What were checks?

Answer 7

Each side allowed to use satellites to check the other was not breaking the arms limit.

Question 8

What were the 3 baskets of the Helsinki Accords?

Answer 8

Basket 1: Security and European borders - recognising all existing ones
Basket 2: International co-operation - called for closer economic, scientific and cultural links
Basket 3: Human rights - respect human rights and freedom of thought and speech

Question 9

3 key agreements from the Helsinki Accords

Answer 9

1 - Apollo - Soyuz space link up
2 - The West recognised (accepted) the existing borders of Europe
3 - All countries (including USSR) agreed to respect human rights

Question 10

Apollo - Soyuz link up date

Answer 10

1975

Question 11

Why were US politicians unhappy about the West recognising the existing borders in Europe

Answer 11

Demonstrated an acceptance of communism in Europe

Question 12

Why were Soviets unhappy about everyone agreeing to respect human rights?

Answer 12

Worried it would undermine communist authority and weaken the power of the Soviet Union

Question 13

Consequences of the Helsinki Accords (3)

Answer 13

1 - Apollo-Soyuz link up
2 - West recognised East Germany as a country
3 - USSR agreed to respect human rights

Question 14

Consequences of the Helsinki Accords - Apollo-Soyuz link up - evidence

Answer 14

• outcome of Basket 2 - International co-operation
• 1975, US astronauts + USSR cosmonauts worked on joint project
• symbolic handshake in space

Question 15

Consequences of the Helsinki Accords - West recognising East Germany as a country - evidence

Answer 15

• West + East Germany could work together
• accepted communism in Germany

Question 16

Consequences of the Helsinki Accords - USSR agreed to respect human rights - evidence

Answer 16

• outcome of Basket 3 - Human Rights Agreement
• agreed to freedom of speech

Question 17

Impact of the Helsinki Accords on the Cold War - Apollo-Soyuz link up

Answer 17

IMPROVE RELATIONS: sign of international co-operation. A symbol that USA + USSR would work together

Question 18

Impact of the Helsinki Accords on the Cold War - West recognised East Germany as a country

Answer 18

IMPROVE RELATIONS: decrease tensions in Germany
GROWING TENSIONS: people in USA angry that they had to accept communism in Germany

Question 19

Impact of the Helsinki Accords on the Cold War - USSR agreed to respect human rights

Answer 19

GROWING TENSIONS: people in USSR angry with Brezhnev. Worried that it would reduce USSR’s influence in satellite states.

Question 20

Why did President Ford and Brezhnev face criticism because of the Helsinki Accords?

Answer 20

Ford: Thought he was being too soft. Led to Carter and Reagan adopting much tougher stances with the USSR.
Brezhnev: Thought he was being too soft. Criticised for agreeing to uphold human rights in all satellite states because people were worried it would weaken USSR control.

Question 21

Why was SALT II never ratified? (3 points)

Answer 21

1 - growing belief that Soviet government could not be trusted
2 - 1979 - Iranian hostage crisis: US wanted to show strength to the world again
3 - 1979 - USSR invasion of Afghanistan - brought detente to an end

Question 22

What happened in consequence to SALT II not being ratified?

Answer 22

NATO: placed long range missiles in Europe
USSR: sent 2,000 Soviet troops to Cuba

Question 23

Consequences of SALT I (1972)

Answer 23

1 - ABM Treaty
2 - Interim Agreement on Offensive Arms
3 - Checks

Question 24

When was SALT I?

Answer 24

1972

Question 25

Impact of SALT I on the Cold War - ABM Treaty

Answer 25

IMPROVED RELATIONS: made was less likely on both sides. Weakened their defences. Sign of so-operation between USA and USSR.

Question 26

Impact of SALT I on the Cold War- Interim Agreement on Offensive Arms

Answer 26

IMPROVE RELATIONS: slowed the Arms Race which made war less likely

Question 27

Impact of SALT I on the Cold War - Checks

Answer 27

IMPROVE RELATIONS: increased trust and communication between both sides