detente

• Détente in 1970s


  • Cold war tensions were evident in US support of Israel in the Middle East and the USSR’s support of Arab states. Likewise in Vietnam – the USA supporting the non-communist south; USSR provision of weaponry in the north.
  • However by late 1960s, a thaw was evident – USA did not get involved in Czechoslovakia in 1968; USSR prepared to overlook US involvement in Vietnam.
  • In 1973 both superpowers accepted UN peacekeeping forces supporting the end of the Yom Kippur War in the Middle East
• 1972 – President Nixon visited Brezhnev in Moscow


  • There was a desire to work together driven by political fear of improving relations between the USA and the Chinese following a visit three months earlier; the economic need for the USA to buy Soviet oil and the USSR to buy grain from the USA.
• SALT 1 1972 - positives


  Strategic Arms Limitation Talks – seen as a positive first step towards arms reduction but it did not address issues of strategic bombers nor were there restrictions on developing new weapons. Positively –SALT talks were an attempt to control the arms race : Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty – allowed systems at only two sites, each site with only 100 missiles. Also, a five year freeze in the total number of ICBM and submarine launched ballistic missiles – Interim Agreement on Offensive Arms.
• SALT 1 1972 - negatives


  • No limitation placed on the numbers of strategic bombers and number of bombs allowed on each side
  • no restriction on (MIRV) multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles and each side were still allowed to use satellites to check the other side was not breaking its agreement.
  • USA added 3 new warheads to the MIRV each day
• consequences of Détente


  • Nixon agreed to take part on the European Security Conference which led to the Helsinki Agreement in 1975. Basic agreement made on US-USSR relations in May 1972
  • Brezhnev played part of intermediary between Washington and Hanoi re Vietnam. Final agreement signed in 1973.
  • Reduction of arms talks i.e. SALT 1 and SALT 2 – talks held inHelsinki and Vienna over three years. SALT 1 in 1972.
• consequences of SALT 1

  • Positive to slow down the number of ICBMs and SLBMs each side could have; led to SALT II Treaty in 1979; neither side had a decisive advantage in strategic nuclear weapons
  • Arms Race continued with intermediate nuclear weapons
• Brezhnev visits Washington in July 1973


  • Many agreements made – agreed to work towards removing danger of war through removing nuclear weaponry
  • limiting and ending the arms race, especially strategic warheads – both leaders spoke of the ultimate aim of disarmament
  • both committed to limiting tensions worldwide; development of broad, mutually beneficial co-operation in commercial, economic, scientific, technical and cultural fields i.e. “peaceful co-existence.”
• Helsinki Agreements – All 35 countries signed.


  •  Recognition of Europe’s frontiers; USSR accepted the existence of West Germany –Call for closer economic, cultural and scientific links – hoped these would lead to political agreements. USA bought Soviet oil; USSR bought American grain. Recognition of the role of the Un so allowing peaceful resolution to conflict.Human Rights – Agreement no country would interfere in the running of any other country. All signatories agreed to respect human rights and basic freedoms eg freedom of speech, thought, religion and from unfair arrest
• Brezhnev visits Washington - consequences

  • Apollo-Soyuz Test Project on 17 July 1975 – astronauts from both countries met in outer space – symbolic handshake in space
  • Helsinki Agreements 1975. USA, USSR and 33 other nations made declarations about three international issues – Security; Cooperation and Human Rights.
• Helsinki Agreements - consequences

  • Helped stabilise relationships With USA and USSR
  • By mid to late 1970s, spending on arms began to increase further as did involvement in other conflicts – Despite the Helsinki Agreements, USSR send weapons to Angola and Ethiopia, and by 1980, 21 other African states. President Carter increased US defence budget in 1978; USA also supported rebels in Chile and El Salvador. SALT 1 had not effectively limited the arms race; the Helsinki Agreement had not prevented the Superpowers aiding other countries.
• helsinki agreements & Brezhnev Doctrine 


  • USSR did not uphold human rights – Brezhnev Doctrine was still applied eg treatment of dissidents like Alexander Sakharov (Scientist) – arrested, hospitalised and force-fed. New US president, Jimmy Carter, was keen from 1977 to push the human rights issue – he openly supported the Soviet dissident, Sakharov. Internationally human rights in Soviet states were monitored – there was much discontent about the lack of freedom. Brezhnev was becoming increasingly embarrassed.
• SALT II, 1974 – 9

  • Should be a limit of 2400 strategic nuclear delivery vehicles for each side i.e. ICBMs, SLBMs and heavy bombers.
  • 1320 limit on MIRV for each side.
  • Ban on construction of new ICBM missile launchers
  • Limit on deployment of new types of strategic offensive arms
  • SALT II to last to 1985
• SALT II 


  • not ratified by US Senate in 1979 for a number of reasons -
  • US Congress did not believe limitations could be verified;concerns over 2000 Soviet troops stationed in Cuba.
  • NATO established long range missiles in Europe showing détenteas a policy was strained – W Germany particularly feared thiswould weaken its defences
  • USSR invaded Afghanistan on 25 December 1979Invasion of Afghanistan triggered start of Second Cold war.