Section A: Attempts to reduce tension between East and West

• what does détente mean?

  relaxation of tension
• why did the usa and ussr move to a policy of détente in the 1970s?

  1. usa were focused more on fighting the war in vietnam which costing $170 billion in total and the lives of 60,000 US troops which was very unpopular. there were race riots
• when was the strategic limitations treaty signed?

  may 1972
• what was the strategic arms limitations treaty also called?

  SALT 1
• what did the anti-ballistic missile treaty state?

  that ABMs were only allowed at two sites - 100 missiles max in each
• what did the interim treaty state?

  usa was allowed 1054 ICBMs and 740 SLBMs. USSr was allowed 1618 ICBMs and 740 SLBMs
• what did the basic principles agreement say?

  rules for conducting nuclear war such a banning warheads on seabed. step set out for avoiding nuclear war such as exercising restraint when needed.
• what does ICBM stand for?

  inter continental ballistic missiles
• what does SLBMs stand for?

  submarine launched ballistic missiles
• what were the consequences of SALT 1?

  • unlikely that it would actually avoid nuclear war
  • despite restrictions, both sides had enough nuclear weapons to destroy the planet several times over.
  • did not cover the latest technology such as multiple independent targeted re-entry vehicles (MIRVs)
  • allowed usa and ussr to demonstrate publicly better relations
  • nixon visited brezhnev in moscow, and brezhnev visitied washington in 1973, to set up SALT 2 in 1974
• when was the helsinki accords signed?

  august 1975
• what were the 3 baskets of the helsinki accords?

  European borders, international cooperation, and human rights
• what did the european borders basket of the helsinki accords say?

  borders are untouchable and cannot be altered by force
• what did the international cooperation basket of the helsinki accords say?

  work for closer relations between east and west which would include trade agreements; technology exchange and joint space mission
• what did the human rights basket of the helsinki accords say?

  we will respect human rights and individual freedoms such as free speech, religion, and free movement across europe
• what were the consequences of the helsinki accords?

  1. first time the boundaries between east and west germany were formally accepted
  2. soviet-american Apollo-Suyuz mission of 1975
  3. USA politicians were critical of the concept of accepting Soviet expansion in Europe
  4. the USSR had little intention of genuinely offering human rights, so this section had little impact
• when was SALT 2 signed?

  18 june 1979
• what happened with SALT 2?

  it was signed but it was not ratified
• what does being ratified mean?

  sign or give formal consent to
• what did SALT 2 include?

  restrictions on missile launchers and strategic bombers, and bans on testing and using new types of ICBMs.
• what were the consequences of SALT 2?

  1. it was never ratified
  2. the most important reason of that was the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979
  3. Other factors included increased Soviet involvement in Central America and the Islamic militant attack on the US Embassy in Tehran in November 1979
• what were the 5 summits in between the years 1985-1989?

  Geneva summit, Reykjavik summit, Washington summit, Moscow summit, Malta summit
• when was the Geneva summit?

  november 1985
• what happened at the Geneva Summit?

  Gorbachev met Reagan for the first time.
• what was the outcome of the Geneva Summit?

  No formal agreements were struck but a good working relationship was established
• when was the Reykjavik summit?

  october 1986
• what happened at the Reykjavik summit?

  Gorbachev was concerned about the danger of nuclear weapons, the Chernobyl nuclear disaster highlighted this fact. Gorbachev proposed phasing out nuclear weapons if USA dropped the SDI program.
• what was the outcome of the Reykjavik summit?

  USA was never going to give up the SDI program and no formal agreement was reached but improved international relations
• when was the Washington summit?

  December 1987
• what happened at the Washington summit?

  Gorbachev now accepted that SDI was there to stay and the USSRs best interest were served by forming agreements which led to disarmament and reduction in military spending
• what was the outcome of the Washington summit?

  first US-Soviet summit to lead to a formal treaty - Intermidiate-Rage Nuclear Force (INF treaty).Both countries would abolish all land-based missiles with a range 500-5000 km.
• when was the Moscow summit?

  1988
• what happened at the Moscow summit?

  Resolved some of the more complex aspects of the INF treaty. Gorbachev travelled to UN later in ythe year and announced a reduction in Warsaw Pact troops
• when was the Malta Summit?

  1989
• what happened at the Malta summit?

  Gorbachev met with new US president George Bush
• what was the outcome of the Malta Summit?

  no new formal agreements, however, both sides viewed this as the end of the Cold War