The Arms Race and Detente
What is Détente?
The process of easing tensions between the superpowers
Although Détente wasn’t fully realized until Nixon and Brezhnev, when did the idea of it begin?
From the mutually assure destruction, and Khrushchev and Eisenhower.
What was the first major summit in 1955?
The summit to discuss global issues of mutual concern
What critical decision did Truman make about the use of nuclear weapons?
The use of nuclear weapon is a political decision
According to Americans, how was the relationship between the political sphere and military sphere supposed to function in regards to war and peace?
The politicians should make decisions such as war and peace, the military choose how to use.
Did the Soviets essentially agree with this relationship about dealing with politics and military (especially in regards to nuclear weapons)?
They agreed
Eisenhower altered Truman’s policy slightly. What changed in under the “New Look?”
A instrument of policy and War
What was Khrushchev’s primary goal within the military sector of the Soviet Union? What motivated this goal?
To decrease military spending in order to be able to increase standard of living
What were the terms of the 1962 Nuclear Test Ban agreed upon by both the USA and USSR?
To cease nuclear test everywhere.
By 1964, what countries (other than the USA and the USSR) had nuclear weapons?
Britain, France, PRC
What did the Non-Proliferation Treaty of July 1968 agree to? Why could the USA and USSR fundamentally agree to the terms of the treaty despite many raging cold war crisis happening simultaneously?
No one sharing nuclear technology so this power is controlled by rational actors
The Breznev era
Why did Brezhnev agree to arms limitation talks with President Johnson? Note, there are 3 reasons
1.The economic stagnation 2.To show that they want detent 3.The border clashes with China
What exactly did the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT I) of 1972 agree to?
To freeze the number of blasting missiles
What is an ICBM and SLBM?
Intercontinental ballistic missiles and Submarine-launched ballistic missiles
What did the ABM treaty agree to? What is an ABM?
Limit the number of ABM system
What did SALT II effectively agree to?
reduce number of nuclear warheads
Although SALT II was never ratified by the US senate, did the USA and USSR uphold the treaty? Why did the USA eventually change it’s stance in 1986?
They followed it, but on 1986 president Reagan accuse USSR of violating the pact.
What was the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), or Star Wars that officially announced by the USA in 1983?
To put a shield to protect USA from nuclear attack
What specifically did the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) of 1982 aim to limit?
limit the number of ICBMs
What was the advantage of START for the USA?
parity
As negotiations over START dragged on through the 1980’s, what did both superpowers continue to do?
Produce more nuclear weapons
What did START negotiations firmly agree to in 1991?
to possess over 10000 war heads but limit the number of fighter planes and other artillery pieces
What happened 6 months after START was negotiated?
USSR collapsed
How did the USA re-approach START after 1991?
They sign it with Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Belarus
Cooperation
What were the 3 baskets of the Helsinki on Security and Cooperation in Europe of 1975 (Helsinki Final Act)?
1.Post war frontiers recognized 2. Cooperation in all science fields 3.HUman rights
What was the USSR’s issue with human rights at Helsinki?
They have heavy exit taxes for emigrants
The USA responded to the human rights issue with the Jacks on-Vanik amendment. What did it do? What was U.S. Secretary of State’s Henry Kissinger’s objection to the amendment?
To genie credit to USSR corporations, but Henry wanted the soviet to shift its policy
How did the Soviet’s respond to this U.S. action?
They didn’t make changes
What did the USA fail to understand in this action?
Why the soviet care about the effect of diplomacy on its internal affairs
How did Brezhnev see Helsinki’s Final Act and Détente?
To consolidate soviet sphere of influence.
Did Brezhnev ultimately lessen discontent within the Soviet sphere of influence with these actions?
Yes
The european states
Who was elected Chancellor of West Germany in 1969?
Willy Brandt
How did this new Chancellor approach reunification?
The rapprochement with the communists
Why did France withdraw from NATO in 1966?
They felt the US was too dominant
How did France’s withdrawal from NATO ultimately force the USA to act in West Germany?
They agree with Brandt’s plan
In 1970, what was signed between West Germany and the USSR? What did it agree to?
To recognize the border of Germany and treaties of friendship was signed
This process of negotiation was called Ostpolitik. Look up what this term means. It’s not in your textbook.
They see Israel as a capitalist and imperialistic interloper in the region
Why did the USSR support Arab countries in the Middle East and openly criticize Israel?
They see Israel as a capitalist and imperialistic interloper in the region
What made Israel a particularly formidably opponent in the Middle East when compared to other local countries?
It has support from USA and reparations from Germany
Why did the Americans believe that Soviet disengagement in the Middle East was key to beginning the peace process there?
The soviet supply the Arab countries with weapons
What did Egyptian President Anwar Sadat do at a Moscow summit in 1972?
He wanted to engage the west.
Much to surprise of the USA, what did Sadat do with Syria in 1973? Who was not involved in this action?
They attack Israel, the USSR was not involved
How did the conflict resolve?
What did Egypt agree to in 1979?
Peace with Israel
Note that Brezhnev became very ill after 1975. What effectively made foreign policy decisions in the USSR after this point?
The military made decisions
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