The Rise and Fall of the Detente Era 1963-84 Flashcards
Name the 4 main causes of detente
Distracted Superpowers
Fear of Nuclear War
Independent European Initiatives
Soviet Economic Weakness
Explain why ‘Distracted Superpowers’ helped to cause detente
US and USSR needed to stabilise relations in Europe because were dealing with other conflicts:
- The Sino-Soviet Conflict
- The Vietnam War
The Soviets desired Western acceptance of their eastern Empire
How did ‘Fear of Nuclear War’ help to cause detente?
Arms race led to MAD, and following the close call of the Cuban Missile Crisis - both sides willing to negotiate to avoid nuclear war
Explain why ‘Independent European Initiatives’ helped to cause detente
France and the FRG less confident in the US’s desire to defend them, so wanted to assert their independence by:
- France left NATO + developed the EEC looking for USSR cooperation.
- The FRG desire to reunify with through peacful means (Ostpolitik)
Explain why ‘Soviet Economic Weakness’ helped to cause detente?
Because of Khrushchev’s overspending, the USSR needed to boost economy by:
- Cutting the arms race
- Gaining access to Western consumer goods (get some butter in there)
What was the US’s aim for Arms limitation?
Reduce the threat of their use
What has the period after the Cuban Missile Crisis up until 1975 been known as?
Why?
The ‘Long Peace’
Due to a stabilisation in relations that caused detente
Why, despite both being Communist, did the Sino-Soviet conflict occur?
What was the specific conflict and when?
Mao: Thought the Soviets were appeasers of capitalism
Soviets: Felt that the Chinese wanted to overthrow them as the leading Communist state
They fought the Sino-Soviet border conflict in 1969
To contain the spread of Communism from North Vietnam, what 2 actions had the US taken by 1966?
Placed over 500,000 troops in South Vietnam
Fought a bitter guerilla war with Vietcong fighters
What was the impact of the US’s guerilla war with the Vietcong on:
- The troops themselves?
- The US public?
- The US’s NATO allies?
- Troops: huge loss of life and morale
- Public: huge loss of support
- NATO: respect (did not support US actions)
What was the end result of the Vietnam War?
- 1972: The US pull out of Vietnam having failed to make significant progress
- 1975: The South successfully invaded by the North
How did the US, in 1972, exploit the Sino-Soviet split?
1972:
Nixon visited Mao and agreed to rapprochement in relations
Made the USSR seek improved relations with US (to avoid being ganged up on)
When was the Test Ban Treaty signed?
What did it pledge?
Who signed it?
Who didn’t?
1963
Banned nuclear tests in the atmosphere, underwater, and in outer space
Signed by:
- USA
- Britain
- USSR
NOT signed by:
- France
- China
When was the Non-Proliferation Treaty signed?
What did it pledge?
Who signed it?
July 1968
Pledged:
- Not to transfer nuclear weapons to other countries
- Not to assist their manufacture
Signed by:
- USA
- Britain
- USSR
- FRG
When was SALT (I) signed?
What did it pledge?
What allowances did it make for the USSR?
Who signed it?
May 1972
- Froze construction of missile launchers, SLBMs and long-range bombers
- They were only allowed two anti-ballistic missile screens ensuring MAD
The USSR was allowed more missiles as the US had more MIRVs that could hit multiple targets
Between US and USSR
When was SALT (II) created?
What did it pledge?
Why did the US never ratify it?
June 1979
Pledged further arms limitations
US never ratified because the Soviets invaded Afghanistan
When did France withdraw from NATO?
In 1966
Why did France try to weaken the USA financially in 1966?
- In order to enhance national prestige
- To end the ‘bloc’ mentality of the Cold War
What did France’s attempting to weaken the US financially almost lead to?
What was the actual result?
Almost led to a US withdrawal from Europe
BUT
President Johnson persuaded the Senate to maintain a presence due to his negotiations with Brezhnev over arms limitations