Detente - Beginnings and SALT I Flashcards
What is detente?
Period from 1969 to 1970’s of improved relations between USA and USSR
What were the USSR’s motives for detente?
- Arms parity
- Sino Soviet Split
- Reduce arms expenditure
- Access to western technology
USA motives for detente
- Vietnam
- Arms parity
- Reducing military spending
Economic situation in USA 1970
6% inflation and unemployment of 5%
How did the Oil Crisis 1973 impact detente for US?
OPEC raised oil prices by 70% impacting US
- Short term made detente more attractive to US as it heightened anxiety that military spending was not sustainable
Economic problems in the USSR
- 30 out of 100 million worked in military industrial sector
- Continuous money to support allies ($1 bill to Vietnam a year and $4 bill to Cuba) - 3/4 of SU currency went abroad
- Poor living standards
- Agriculture inefficient. 1970s USSR imported $15 billion worth of grain
How did Cuban Missile Crisis influence detente?
Highlighted the danger of a superpower confrontation which could end in nuclear war
- Posed economic threat and reduce risk of nuclear war
What were the movements towards limiting nuclear weaponry in 1960s?
1963 - Moscow Test Ban Treaty
1968 - NPT
When was SALT I - ABM treaty?
26 May 1972
What did SALT I propose?
- Limited ABMs – neither USA or USSR had more than 100 missiles.
- 2 ABM sights (one to protect capital and one to defend ICBM sites)
- Discouraged development of ABMs and building of more offensive arms
What did The Interim Agreement on the Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms do? (AGREEMENT)
Completed the ABM treaty and established a freeze on strategic missiles
How many ICBMs did USA and USSR have when missiles were froze?
USA - 1054
USSR - 1618
How many SLBMs did USA and USSR have when missiles were froze?
USA - 656
USSR - 740
How many strategic bombers did USA and USSR have when missiles were froze?
USA - 450
USSR - 140
How long was the agreement set to last?
5 years
What was the limitations of the agreement?
No limits on new technology like MIRVS or cruise missiles
Was SALT beneficial for Nixon and Brezhnev?
Yes as it showed they were taking steps to reduce risk of nuclear war
Overall significance of SALT I
- Political achievement
- Made detente possible
- Opened negotiation opposed to confrontation
- Acceptance of nuclear parity (economic benefits)
- Trade increased between the two (specifically grain)
Limitations of SALT I
- Treaty on weapons was thin on substance as MIRVS etc
- Each superpower retained enough to still be able to destroy eachother
