The Search For World Peace Since 1970 Flashcards
Detente
Improvements in relationships between USSR and USA.
Reasons for detente
- bothe parties keen on arms limitation talks as a means of reducing their ever-increasing defence spending
- soviet leader keen to gain access to US technology and grain sales
- Vietnam war was unsuccessful and Nixon looking to end war
SALT agreements
Strategic arms limitations treaty
Salt 1. No further production of short range arms missiles
Salt 2. Ban on construction of land based missiles. Voided by Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979.
1975 Helsinki agreements
Mutually beneficial cooperation in commercial, economic, scientific technical and cultural fields. Aiming to promote increased understanding and confidence between both countries
Reasons for improved relations between the USA and China
Relations between China and the USSR had worsened in the later 1960s, especially after the Chinese denounced the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. Nixon saw an opportunity to exploit this split between the two leading communist nations. •Nixon also hoped that closer relations with China might help to end the war in Vietnam, as the Chinese were close allies of the North Vietnamese
Waugh, Steve; Wright, John. WJEC Eduqas GCSE History: The Development of the USA, 1929-2000 (p. 91). Hodder Education. Kindle Edition.
Ping pong diplomacy
‘Ping-pong diplomacy’ began at the World Table Tennis Championship held in Japan on 6 April 1971, when the Chinese ping-pong team formally invited the US team to play in their country on an all-expenses paid trip.
They were the first group of US citizens permitted to visit China since 1949. On 14 April 1971 the US government lifted a trade embargo with China which had lasted 20 + years and talks began between Nixon and China leader to normalise relations between the two countries and reduce tensions over Vietnam.
Important because led to restoration of Sino-US relations and triggered a series of other events including restoration of Chinas legitimate rights in the UN and establishment of diplomatic relations between China and other countries
Lift of trade embargo restored trade between countries although it was slow.
Soviet involvement in Afghanistan
The people’s Democratic Party, a communist party, overthrew the government of Afghanistan. During the first 18 months of rule, thousands of members of the original elite, the Muslim religious establishment and intellectuals, were imprisoned tortured or murdered. In September 1979, amin the deputy PM sleazed power from Taraki but there was continued instability due to anti-Muslim policies. Thousands of Afghan Muslims joined the mijahideen a guerilla movement which proclaimed holy war mission for allah and wanted to overthrow the Amin government. The mujahideen declared a jihad - holy war- on the supporters of Amin. Brezhnev was concerned about the growing power and spread of Islamic fundamentalism. To show the Muslims in the USSR that there would be no changes ti how it was run and remove threat of fundamentalism, between 25 December 1079 and 1 January 1980 more than 50,000 soviet troops were sent to Afghanistan to restore order and protect the People’s Democratic Party from the mujahdeen
Reaction Of USA to USSR involvement in Afghanistan
Already under pressure
The carter doctrine stated that the USSR would use military force if necessary to defend pits national interests in the Persian gulf region and promised US aid to all countries bordering Afghanistan. The passing of SALT 2 was delayed. The USA cancelled all chip nets do grain to USSR and high tech goods companies were forbidden to sell here.
Carter pressured United States Olympic committee to boycott the 1980 Moscow Olympics
Reagan and second Cold War
Reagan had no interest in detente and was prepared to confront the USSR whenever possible. The strategic defence initiative nick named Star Wars, proposed a nuclear umbrella to stop soviet bombs reaching American soil consisting of an army of satellites and powerful lasers which would intercept Soviet missiles in space and destroy them.
Gorbachev new policies
Saw limitations of communism ( not as efficient as American economy, ussr suffered shortages) , oversaw end of Cold War end of communism. He ended the arms race through various arms reduction agreements. He stopped Soviet interference in Eastern Europe satellite stats such as Poland. In the USSR Gorbachev gave more freedom to more people through perestroika and glasnost.perestroika brought some aspects of a free economy. Arms limitations talks was sped up by the Geneva accord and the signing of the intermediate nuclear forces treaty in 1987 eliminated nuclear and conventional ground launched ballistic cruise missiles. By the treaty’s deadline, 2,692 weapons had been destroyed. Also under treaty Both nations could inspect each others military installations. At the Moscow summit there were more arms control talks. The summit led to te conventional forces in Europe treaty which was signed by nato and Warsaw representatives and reduced the number of tanks, missiles and aircraft held by the signatory states.
Gorbachev and bush
Able to announce end of the Cold War at a summit in Malta 1989. t Washington summit in 1990 bush and Gorbachev discussed arms limitations and finally signed the treaty for the reduction and limitations of strategic arms. It called for both sides to reduce their strategic arms over the next seven years and reducing 25 to 35 percent of all their strategic warheads,
Sinatra doctrine
Members of Warsaw pact could make changes without threat of USSR invasion which weakened communism in Eastern Europe.
9 November 1989
East German government opened border crossings into west Germany
US involvement in Iran
The USA had vital oil interests in gulf area, period saw growth in fundamentalism in Iran region which demanded an end to western imperialism and seriously threatened the US Middle Eastern Oil interests. Iran was now controlled by religious leaded Ayatoallah Khomeini who denounced USA as the great Satan and announced want to destroy all western influences
The Iranian hostages
On 4 November 1979 the US embassy in Tehran was taken over by militant Iranian students 66 Americans including diplomats and their guards were taken hostage. In return for the release the ayatollah demanded USA agree to extradition of former shah. The US government refused and suspended Iranian oil imports and threatened Iran with military action. In April 1980 a rescue mission by US forces was a total failure a helicopter and refuelling aircraft collided in a staging area. 8men were killed and operation called off. Negotiations for the release resumed after the death of the Shah in July 1980. On 20 January 1981 20 minutes after Reagan was sworn in, 52 American hostages released.
