Collapse of Detente

• Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan 1979:

  • Kabul Revolution April 1978 - a communist revolution

  • royal family overthrown

  • Mohammed Taraki created a new communist government and became an ally of the USSR

  • a civil war broke out after Taraki tried to assassinate the head of the army

  • Soviet’s invaded Afghanistan as a response
• Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan 1979:

  • Amin actually ended up assassinating Taraki and began to

  form an alliance with the USA

  • Babrak Karmal said he would take over as the new communist leader but needed help to defeat Amin

  • USSR believed USA would not respond

  • USSR tried to prevent Afghanistan from becoming an Islamic state

  • the war lasted 10 years and

  over 1.5 million people died
• American Reaction to Afghanistan 1980:

  • appalled at the Soviet

  aggression

  • Carter Doctrine 23rd January 1980 - argued the USA would not allow the USSR to gain control of territory in the oil-rich Middle East

  • tried to remove Soviet troops

  • formed an alliance with China and Israel to support rebels who were opposed to the Soviet invasion

  • (CIA) provided weapons

  • imposed economic sanctions stopping virtually all trade with the Soviets

  • ended diplomatic relations

  • end of detente
• SALT II 1979:

  • USA withdrew support of SALT II

  • SALT I stopped further production of strategic ballistic missiles

  • the terms of a treaty made on June 18th 1979 were honoured by both sides until 1986 when the Reagan Administration withdrew from SALT II after accusing the Soviets of violating the pact.
• Olympic Boycott 1980:

  • boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games

  • sixty countries followed the American lead and refused to attend the games in protest

  • set up an alternative Olympics

  • the press ridiculed the official Olympic Games and nicknamed Misha Bear, Russia’s Olympic mascot, Gulag Bear – a

  reference to Soviet prison camps, which were known as gulags

  • 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games - highly political. In retaliation for the 1980s boycott, the USSR and 14 communist countries refused to attend.