reducing tension

• The term "Taunt" in French means the reduction in tension.
• In 1968, the US, USSR, and Britain signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to reduce the spread of nuclear weapons.
• The US was in great debt after the Vietnam War, which lasted 20 years, leading to inflation in the country.
• The standard of living in the USSR was rapidly deteriorating, and Russia needed to improve their relationships, increase trade, and economic income.
• There was great fear over the threat of nuclear war, especially after the Cuban Missile Crisis.
• New leaders President Nixon of the United States and Brezhnev of the USSR were more open to talking to each other and wanted to reduce tension.
• The conflicts in the Middle East, such as the Six Day War, threatened the crucial oil supplies for both powers, leading to the taunt.
• After the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1963, a permanent hotline was made between the USSR and the USA so the leaders could stay in constant contact.
• In 1963, the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was signed to prevent further testing of nuclear weapons.
• Cuba was still heavily militarized and was seen as a victory for Khrushchev and the Soviet Union, but people also respected Castro for his efforts.
• Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) took place between America and the USSR to agree to limit the number of nuclear weapons.
• An agreement was signed in 1972 after three years of negotiations, limiting the number of ICBMs (Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles) and ABMs (Anti-Ballistic Missiles) on both sides.
• The agreement also submits the use of spies on both sides to ensure that they remain true to the treaty.
• The agreement lasted five years, which was seen as a major achievement for the superpowers.