W's and L's of Detente

Question 1

(1w) (2L) Détente improved economic relations?

Answer 1

HA2: Trade and western technology imports into Soviet Bloc meant influence of western culture of populations and co-operation
US-Soviet trade never rose above 1% of their respective share of trade
Agricultural trade later used by US as leverage against USSR

Question 2

(3W) (1L) Détente eased political tensions?

Answer 2

Helsinki accords- signed by Europe minus Albania
HA1: Borders of Europe ‘inviolable’, accepted Soviet domination of Eastern Europe and reduced tension over potential European intervention from west
HA3: Human rights including freedom of speech and movement, shows trust of Soviet Leadership to weaken their authoritarian power over their population given the conflict
1976 Henry Kissinger in conversation with Gerald Ford about CSCE ‘is meaningless—it is just a grandstand play to the left’

Question 3

(3w) (2L)Brought end to arms race?

Answer 3

SALT1 provided limits on of ICBMs & amp; SLBMs (Submarine-launched ballistic missiles) of 1054 and 740 respectively and birthed ABM
Basic principles agreement- banned warheads on seabed and promised reduced confrontation and more trade
Biological weapons convention
1982 START began nuclear disarmament SALT1 open-ended with no limits on MIRV’s and allowed obsolete missiles to be replaced
SALT2 rejected by congress in 1980 seen as too much of a concession to USSR and allowed them to catch up with the US by the right

Question 4

Conc:

Answer 4

Ease of tension was real however committed to detente in LR, was only meeting SR political pressure from the left