The Rise and Fall of the Détente Era 1963-1984 Flashcards
What has the period after the Cuban Missile Crisis up until 1975 been known as and why?
The ‘Long Peace’ due to a stabilization in relations that amounted to détente
What were US aims for détente?
To stabilize Europe in order to focus on the conflict in Vietnam
What was the USSR distracted by during détente?
Rivalry with China
What did the French and other European powers want to use détente for?
To assert their independence from the superpowers
What did Mao think the Soviets were?
Appeasers of capitalism
What did the Soviets feel the Chinese wanted to do?
Overthrow them as the leading Communist state
Where and when did the Soviets and the Chinese fight?
They fought a Sino-Soviet border conflict in 1969
By 1966, how many US troops were in South Vietnam?
Over 500,000
Why had the US put troops in Vietnam?
To contain the spread of Communism from the North and fought a bitter guerilla war with Vietcong fighters that caused a huge loss of life, morale and support from their own people.
What was NATO’s response to the US putting troops in Vietnam?
They did not support it, so the US lost respect
When did the US pull out of Vietnam, and why?
1972, they had failed to make significant progress
When was South Vietnam finally invaded by the North?
1975
How did the US exploit the Sino-Soviet split and what impact did it have for the USSR?
President Nixon visited Mao in 1972 and agreed to a rapprochement in relations, this made the USSR seek improved relations
When was the Test Ban Treaty signed?
1963
What did the Test Ban Treaty do?
Banned nuclear tests in the atmosphere, underwater and in outer space
Who signed the Test Ban Treaty?
Britain, USA and USSR but not France and China
When was the Non-Proliferation Treaty signed?
July 1968
What did the Non-Proliferation Treaty do?
It meant the countries pledged not to transfer nuclear weapons to other countries or assist their manufacture
Who signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty?
USA, Britain, USSR & FRG
When was SALT (I) signed?
May 1972
What did SALT (I) do?
It froze construction of missile launchers, intercontinental, submarine launched ballistic missiles and long-range bombers
What weapons were allowed in SALT (I)?
The USSR was allowed more missiles as the USA had more MIRV’s that could hit multiple targets. They were only allowed two anti-ballistic missile screens ensuring ‘mutually assured destruction’
When was SALT (II) created?
June 1979
What was SALT (II), and why was it never ratified?
It meant further limitations, but the US never ratified the Treaty as the Soviets invaded Afghanistan
When did France withdraw from NATO?
1966
What did France try to do to the USA?
They tried to weaken the USA financially in order to enhance national prestige and end the ‘bloc mentality’ of the Cold War.
What did France trying to weaken the US lead to?
This 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
What was West Germany’s long term goal?
To re-unite with the East
What did West Germany feel the best policy for them was during détente ?
Ostpolitik, recognizing the division of Europe and post-war borders to gain better relations. They set up trade missions to Yugoslavia and Romania
When was the Hamnel Report released, and what did it say?
1967, and it committed NATO to defending the West but reaching détente with the East
What was the Bucharest Declaration?
It tried to define what the whole bloc wanted from détente, and was the USSR’s way of trying to stop independent initiatives from satellite states with the West
When did Alexander Dubcek became leader of the Czech Communist Party?
January 1968
What did Alexander Dubcek want to do?
Change the system to make it more democratic and independent of the USSR
What was Alexander Dubcek’s programme for change?
The ‘Prague Spring’, it opened the door to westernization and abolished censorship, leading to anti-Soviet propaganda
What happened on 20-21st August 1968?
Twenty divisions of Warsaw Pact troops invaded Czechoslovakia and ended the Prague Spring
How did Brezhnev justify the invasion to put down the Prague Spring?
A threat to socialism in one country was a threat to the others. Collective intervention was to be justified and the principle became known as the Brezhnev Doctrine
Who became Chancellor of the FRG, and what did he want?
Willy Brandt, he had a full mandate for Ostpolitik and he gained other nations support by emphasizing that he did not wish to quit NATO or EC
When was the Moscow Treaty signed?
August 1970
Who was the Moscow Treaty signed by, and what did it say?
The FRG and USSR declaring they had no territorial claims and the Polish frontier was ‘inviolable’. The Soviets had their Empire recognized but not without conceding that the FRG had the right to work for unification
What were the Warsaw and Prague Treaties?
Similar to the Moscow Treaty, but for Poland and Czechoslovakia
When was Four-Power Treaty on Berlin signed?
September 1971
What did the Four-Power Treaty mean?
It saw the USSR allow unimpeded traffic between West Berlin & FRG, recognition of the ties between the two and the right of West Berliners to visit the East. USA, UK & France agreed that West Berlin was not legally part of the FRG
When was the Basic Treaty signed?
December 1972
What did the Basic Treaty say?
The FRG recognized the GDR as an equal and sovereign state, with both being represented at the UN
What did the FRG hope in terms of the GDR?
It insisted that it still considered people of the GDR to be German citizens and hoped that the magnetic social and economic forces of the West would draw them across
When were the Helsinki Accords signed?
August 1975
What were the three baskets of the Helsinki Accords?
Basket one insisted on the peaceful settlement of disputes and inviolability of borders, basket two stressed cooperation in economics, science, technology & the environment and basket three called for cooperation in humanitarian and cultural areas
What were the reactions to the Helsinki Accords?
Hardliners like Ronald Reagan saw it as a ‘new Yalta’ accepting Soviet abuses, whereas others saw it as a ‘time-bomb’ in the heart of the Soviet Empire undermining them
What did the Soviets do in 1976, and what impact did it have?
They placed SS-20 medium range nuclear missiles in central Europe, which damaged relations
What did the US do in 1983?
Put Pershing and Cruise Missiles in Europe, after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan destroyed détente
What were the political views taken by the UK and France towards the end of détente?
Margaret Thatcher supported the strong stance taken by Reagan against the USSR, whilst the FRG and France were determined not to let it derail Ostpolitik.
Where and why did strikes break out in 1980?
In the shipyards of Gdansk over price increases and the Polish government recognized the Solidarity movement as an independent trade union
What happened to the Solidarity movement in Poland after 1980?
Membership of Solidarity rose to 8 million and it began to dismantle the Communist party organization from within
What did the US warn against after the strikes in 1980, and what did this do for Poland?
They warned against Soviet intervention, saying the Polish should be left to sort it out themselves, this gave the new leader Jaruzelski the green light to declare martial law
When was Solidarity outlawed?
October 1982
What did the FRG do during Solidarity?
They went out of their way not to criticize the suppression of Solidarity in order to try and maintain détente, unlike the US and UK
