Detente

• After avoiding nuclear war in Cuba, the USA and Soviet Union looked for ways to lessen the conflict between them - Historians refer to this period of time as détente , which means 'lessening of tensions' in French
• Why was the Cuban missile Crisis a reason for détente ?

  It showed both sides that talking to each other achieved more than threatening each other - The new telephone hotline made this easier
• Why was reducing nuclear arsenals a reason for détente?

  Both sides were interested in reducing their nuclear arsenals as building and making nuclear weapons was very expensive - The 1963 Partial Test Ban Treaty showed that cooperation could help them achieve this
• Why did the failure of the US intervention in Vietnam become a reason for détente?

  It had failed to contain communism - Therefore if the USA improved its relations with the Soviet Union, they could negotiate a withdrawal - this is one of the reasons why President Nixon visited Leonid Brezhnev (The leader of the Soviet Union) in Moscow in 1972
• Why did the growing power of communist China lead to détente?

  The USA and Soviet union were both worried about this - The USA did not want to see a communist alliance between the Soviet Union and China - closer cooperation could prevent this
• Why did the fact that the USA wanted more freedom for people in Eastern Europe lead to détente?

  The USA hoped that talks with the Soviet Union would achieve this - The Soviet Union had invaded Czechoslovakia in 1968 to put down an anti-communist uprising - This showed that the Soviet Union would send troops to prevent countries dropping out of the Warsaw Pact - This policy was called the Brezhnev Doctrine