Simply put, détente refers to a reduction in the tensions between the two superpowers and it occurred primarily in the later years of the Cold War. The main events that historians focus on when discussing détente during the Cold War are the series of agreements and treaties that the two superpowers agreed to throughout the 1960s and 1970s.
What was detente in the 1970s?
What evidence is there that tensions between East and West were easing in the 1970s?
- The arms race was expensive: both sides began to realise that money for nuclear weapons would be better spent on helping their people. ...
- The American President, Richard Nixon, knew the war in Vietnam had to be brought to an end. ...
- The relationship between the USSR and China, the world’s most important communist nations, had soured. ...
What were the lasting effects of the Cold War?
Effects of the Cold War
- Radiation legacies. Due to the military and non-military exploitation of nuclear fission, the Cold War brought forth some significant involuntary exposures to high-level radiation.
- Security legacies. ...
- Military legacies. ...
- Institutional legacies. ...
- Economic legacies. ...
What was the Cold War and why did it happen?
The Cold War was a major part of the second half of the 20th century, as tensions arose between two of the world's biggest superpowers over differences in both ideology and philosophy. Given the name because there was no large-scale fighting directly between the two, the USA and USSR, they instead supported major regional conflicts in various proxy wars.
What are some interesting facts about the Cold War?
- We all are familiar with NATO. ...
- In the same year (1949), the Soviets exploded their first atomic warhead ending the American monopoly on the atomic bomb.
- In response, the United States announced that it would build an even more destructive atomic weapon. ...
- The Cold War intensified more when the Chinese communists came to power in mainland China. ...
What was the purpose of détente?
The goal of détente (the easing of tensions between nations) was to continue to resist and deter Soviet adventurism while striving for "more constructive relations" with the Communist world.
When was détente in the Cold War?
Between the late 1960s and the late 1970s, there was a thawing of the ongoing Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. This détente took several forms, including increased discussion on arms control.
What is détente Cold War quizlet?
The easing of hostility or strained relations, especially between countries.
What was détente and why did it end?
Détente ended after the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan, which led to the United States boycott of the 1980 Olympics, held in Moscow. Ronald Reagan's election as president in 1980, based in large part on an anti-détente campaign, marked the close of détente and a return to Cold War tensions.
How did détente impact the Cold War?
While Détente did not end the Cold War, it produced some significant achievements. The willingness of both superpowers to communicate led to arms reduction summits, the signing of anti-nuclear proliferation agreements and a reduction in nuclear arms stockpiles.
How did détente effect the US?
While the period of détente resulted in productive negotiations and treaties on nuclear arms control and improved diplomatic relations, events at the end of the decade would bring the superpowers back to the brink of war.
What is détente and how did it affect the Cold War quizlet?
Detente benefitted authoritarian regimes by giving them eased relations to enable them to develop, new lease of life. Only when Raegan and Thatcher come to power that the Nixon approach is undone and massive pressure put on East to reform. The END of detente causes the end of the Cold War.
What are some examples of détente?
The best examples of détente during the Cold War are SALT I, SALT II, the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and the Helsinki Accords.
What result did détente have on the Cold War quizlet?
What result did détente have on the Cold War? It substantially reduced the chances of nuclear war.
Who Started Cold War détente?
Détente was a period in which Cold War tensions eased between the Soviet Union and the United States from the late 1960s to 1979. Détente was characterized by warm personal relationships between US president Richard Nixon (1969–1974) and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev (1964–1982).
When did détente start and end?
détente, period of the easing of Cold War tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union from 1967 to 1979. The era was a time of increased trade and cooperation with the Soviet Union and the signing of the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) treaties.
Why was there a thaw in the Cold War after 1953?
The Thaw became possible after the death of Joseph Stalin in 1953. First Secretary Khrushchev denounced former General Secretary Stalin in the "Secret Speech" at the 20th Congress of the Communist Party, then ousted the Stalinists during his power struggle in the Kremlin.
When did the détente end?
January 2, 1980On January 2, 1980, in a strong reaction to the December 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, President Jimmy Carter asks the Senate to postpone action on the SALT II nuclear weapons treaty and recalls the U.S. ambassador to Moscow.
Why did the USSR want détente?
Détente was a propaganda opportunity for both sides. They each could portray themselves as peacemakers who were concerned with the safety of the world. Détente helped the superpowers save money as they were able to reduce the amount spent on the arms race and focus on problems in their own countries.
What was the importance of detente in the Cold War?
Détente was a period of understanding and mutual acceptance by both Cold War superpowers. While their ideological and economic systems rendered them incompatible, both acknowledged the need for negotiation, compromise and working together.
What was Détente?
While Détente did not end the Cold War, it produced some significant achievements. The willingness of both superpowers to communicate led to arms reduction summits, the signing of anti-nuclear proliferation agreements and a reduction in nuclear arms stockpiles. There was political recognition of communist nations by the West, the most significant being Richard Nixon ‘s 1972 visit to communist China.
What was the decade-long thaw in international relations?
This decade-long thaw in international relations is known by various names. In the West it was called Détente , in Soviet Russia razryadka and in West Germany Ostpolitik. The period of Détente saw better communications and a greater level of respect between the nuclear superpowers.
What were the challenges of the Détente era?
Détente -era leaders had to wrestle with domestic issues as well as Cold War struggles. Economic changes and conditions rendered arms spending and direct confrontation costly, dangerous and unpopular. Governments had to find new, more sophisticated and subtle ways of waging the Cold War.
What was the name of the thaw between the Soviet Union and the United States in the 1960s?
Détente. Richard Nixon (right) meets with Leonid Brezhnev during detente. During the 1960s, there was a noticeable easing of tensions between the United States, the Soviet Union and some of their allies. This decade-long thaw in international relations is known by various names. In the West it was called Détente, ...
What was the significance of Détente?
To some, Détente simply marked a normalisation in superpower relations. By the late 1960s, it had become impossible for US and Soviet leaders to maintain the hostility and belligerence they had maintained for a quarter-century.
When did the Soviet Union increase its imports of Western goods?
Soviet imports of Western consumer goods also increased sharply, doubling by 1979. A historian’s view: “In the early 1970s, the Nixon administration claimed that the era ‘of confrontation’ with the Soviet Union was at an end and that the era ‘of negotiation’ was beginning.
How many years did Nixon serve in the shadow of Eisenhower?
In his inaugural address Nixon proclaimed, “We are entering an era of negotiation,” and he went on to say: After eight years in the shadow of Eisenhower and eight more years out of office, Richard Nixon brought to the presidency in 1969 rich experience...
Where did Nixon meet with the Soviet Union?
In May 1972, some three months after his visit to China, Nixon traveled to Moscow, where he met with Premier Aleksey N. Kosygin and Communist Party leader Leonid Brezhnev. They discussed matters such as arms limitation, prevention of nuclear war, and increased trade between the United States and the Soviet Union.
What were the two major international relations of the 20th century?
20th-century international relations: Nixon, Kissinger, and the détente experiment
How long was Nixon in office?
After eight years in the shadow of Eisenhower and eight more years out of office, Richard Nixon brought to the presidency in 1969 rich experience as an observer of foreign affairs and shrewd notions about how to prevent the American….
What is détente in the Cold War?
To prevent this nuclear Armageddon, détente required both the United States and the Soviet Union to make concessions to each other in the form of arms-control pacts that continue to be negotiated today. In other words, détente was a two-way-street.
What was the Cold War known as?
Robert Longley. Updated February 03, 2020. From the late 1960s to the late 1970s, the Cold War was highlighted by a period known as “détente” – a welcome easing of tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union. While the period of détente resulted in productive negotiations and treaties on nuclear arms control ...
What happened to the Soviet Union and the U.S. during the Cold War?
As détente broke down, progress on nuclear arms control stalled completely. As their relationship continued to erode, it became clear that both the U.S. and the Soviet Union had overestimated the extent to which détente would contribute to an agreeable and peaceful end of the Cold War.
What did Nixon and Ford call détente?
In the context of the Cold War, U.S. presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford called détente a “thawing out” of U.S.-Soviet nuclear diplomacy essential to avoiding a nuclear confrontation.
What happened at the end of the 1970s?
Unfortunately, not all, but most good things must end. By the end of the 1970s, the warm glow of U.S.-Soviet détente began to fade away. While diplomats of both nations agreed on a second SALT agreement (SALT II), neither government ratified it.
What was the most productive period of détente?
With both sides willing to at least explore the idea of arms control, the late 1960s and early 1970s would see the most productive period of détente.
What was the impact of the Vietnam War on the United States?
In the United States, the soaring costs and political fallout of the Vietnam War caused policymakers to see improved relations with the Soviet Union as a helpful step in avoiding similar wars in the future. With both sides willing to at least explore the idea of arms control, the late 1960s and early 1970s would see the most productive period ...
What was the Cold War?
The Cold War unfolded as a series of major events from just after World War II in 1945 until the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. It was a significant period of time in the 20th century and involved a clash of ideologies between the two superpowers of the United States and Soviet Union.
What were the most important events during the Cold War?
The most significant of these treaties are collectively known as the disarmament agreements.
What is the term for a period of decreased tensions between the two superpowers?
This period of decreased tensions is known to historians as détente. Simply put, détente refers to a reduction in the tensions between the two superpowers and it occurred primarily in the later years of the Cold War.
What were the major events that increased tensions between the two countries?
Many of the major events of the Cold War increased the tensions between the two nations, including: Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam War, Korean War and the nuclear arms race . However, some of these events or periods of time helped to decrease tensions between the two. This period of decreased tensions is known to historians as détente.
What is the purpose of the disarmament agreement?
The disarmament agreements were treaties in which the two superpowers agreed to limit or reduce the creation of new warheads and weapons of mass destruction. This is considered to be an example of détente because it involved the two countries discussing and working together to meet a common goal.
What was the purpose of the Détente?
It was designed to relax tensions with the Soviet Union, reduce nuclear arsenals, and limit military commitments. Create an account.
What was Nixon's policy of détente?
Nixon's policy of détente - a French word meaning 'release from tensions' - marked a crossroads in American foreign policy and a timely commitment to reduce U.S.-Soviet tensions. The policy of détente was rooted both in world events and in a new ideological orientation by the Nixon White House.
What was Nixon's foreign policy?
Nixon recognized the need for a new foreign policy without abandoning the logic of containment (preventing hostile influences from expanding). This new policy proscription can be seen in two primary ways. First, Nixon recognized that the world could not be easily divided into democratic and communist blocs. Several newly independent nations, such as India, had adopted a policy of non-alignment; also, the China-Soviet feud further illustrated the diversity even within the communist world. Second, the Soviet Union had reached nuclear parity, or equality, with the U.S. in nuclear weapons, and it became too dangerous to continue this rigid standoff.
What did Nixon do to the Soviet Union?
Second, the Soviet Union had reached nuclear parity, or equality, with the U.S. in nuclear weapons, and it became too dangerous to continue this rigid standoff. To remedy this situation, Nixon announced the Nixon Doctrine, whereby the U.S. would scale back its military commitments and pass more responsibility onto its allies.
What did Nixon want from Europe?
Fourth, Nixon wanted Europe to assume a larger role in its own defense. Lastly, Nixon sought to replace American military commitments with financial and military aid.
What was the policy of Kennedy when he took office?
In response, Kennedy created Special Forces units for small-scale ground operations. However, this policy enabled the escalation of the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam conflict, which President Johnson plunged the U.S. into, vastly overextending America's reach. This was the situation Nixon inherited when he was elected.
Why did President Carter want to hold the Salt II talks?
Another reason for détente was the growing industrial and economic might of countries in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Over time, the distinction between the 'First World' and 'Third World' began to fade.
What was the Cold War?
The Cold War was a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc, which began following World War II.
When was the Cold War first used?
Main article: Cold war (general term) At the end of World War II, English writer George Orwell used cold war, as a general term, in his essay "You and the Atomic Bomb", published 19 October 1945 in the British newspaper Tribune.
What are some examples of containment?
One of the more significant examples of the implementation of containment was US intervention in the Korean War. In June 1950, after years of mutual hostilities, Kim Il-sung 's North Korean People's Army invaded South Korea at the 38th parallel. Stalin had been reluctant to support the invasion but ultimately sent advisers. To Stalin's surprise, the United Nations Security Council Resolution 82 and 83 backed the defense of South Korea, although the Soviets were then boycotting meetings in protest of the fact that Taiwan, not the People's Republic of China, held a permanent seat on the council. A UN force of sixteen countries faced North Korea, although 40 percent of troops were South Korean, and about 50 percent were from the United States.
How did the US help Vietnam?
Under President John F. Kennedy, US troop levels in Vietnam grew under the Military Assistance Advisory Group program from just under a thousand in 1959 to 16,000 in 1963. South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem's heavy-handed crackdown on Buddhist monks in 1963 led the US to endorse a deadly military coup against Diem. The war escalated further in 1964 following the controversial Gulf of Tonkin incident, in which a US destroyer was alleged to have clashed with North Vietnamese fast attack craft. The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution gave President Lyndon B. Johnson broad authorization to increase US military presence, deploying ground combat units for the first time and increasing troop levels to 184,000. Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev responded by reversing Khrushchev's policy of disengagement and increasing aid to the North Vietnamese, hoping to entice the North from its pro-Chinese position. The USSR discouraged further escalation of the war, however, providing just enough military assistance to tie up American forces. From this point, the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN), also known as the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) engaged in more conventional warfare with US and South Vietnamese forces.
What countries did the Soviet Union force to invade?
After signing the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact and German–Soviet Frontier Treaty, the Soviet Union forced the Baltic countries —Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania —to allow it to station Soviet troops in their countries. Finland rejected territorial demands, prompting a Soviet invasion in November 1939. The resulting Winter War ended in March 1940 with Finnish concessions. Britain and France, treating the Soviet attack on Finland as tantamount to its entering the war on the side of the Germans, responded to the Soviet invasion by supporting the USSR's expulsion from the League of Nations.
How did the US influence the Korean War?
The US initially seemed to follow containment when it first entered the war. This directed the US's action to only push back North Korea across the 38th Parallel and restore South Korea's sovereignty while allowing North Korea's survival as a state. However, the success of the Inchon landing inspired the US/UN forces to pursue a rollback strategy instead and to overthrow communist North Korea, thereby allowing nationwide elections under U.N. auspices. General Douglas MacArthur then advanced across the 38th Parallel into North Korea. The Chinese, fearful of a possible US invasion, sent in a large army and defeated the U.N. forces, pushing them back below the 38th parallel. Truman publicly hinted that he might use his "ace in the hole" of the atomic bomb, but Mao was unmoved. The episode was used to support the wisdom of the containment doctrine as opposed to rollback. The Communists were later pushed to roughly around the original border, with minimal changes. Among other effects, the Korean War galvanised NATO to develop a military structure. Public opinion in countries involved, such as Great Britain, was divided for and against the war.
What were the three worlds of the Cold War?
Second World: Eastern Bloc led by the USSR, China, and their allies. Third World: Non-Aligned and neutral countries.
What Was Détente?
Domestic Crises
- To some, Détentesimply marked a normalisation in superpower relations. By the late 1960s, it had become impossible for US and Soviet leaders to maintain the hostility and belligerence they had maintained for a quarter-century. Détente-era leaders had to wrestle with domestic issues as well as Cold War struggles. Economic changes and conditions rendered arms spending and direct co…
Causes of Détente
- Some of the factors that contributed to the rise of Détenteincluded: Fears about nuclear weapons The Cuban missile crisis of 1962triggered paranoia and public concern about the dangers of nuclear war. Over time, nuclear powers came under international pressure to reduce stockpiles of nuclear warheads and missile systems. Pressure groups like the Campaign for Nuclear Disarma…
The Sino-Soviet Split
- Through the 1960s, ideological differences and domestic political events caused the Soviet Union and the People’s Republic of China to drift apart. By 1967, Moscow and Beijing were barely on speaking terms. Two years later, border clashes between Russian and Chinese soldiers threatened to plunge the two nuclear powers into a full-scale war. It was later revealed that Sovi…
Ostpolitik
- In West Germany, the 1969 election of Willy Brandt as chancellor heralded a new approach to the Cold War there. Brandt was more left-wing than previous West German leaders, though far from a communist. He favoured rapprochement, or the restoration of friendly relations, with East Germanyand other Soviet bloc nations. Brandt’s foreign policy, dubbed Ostpolitik (German for ‘ea…
Nixon Acknowledges China
- The onset of Détente produced several international visits and bilateral conferences. In 1972, with the Vietnam War still raging, US president Richard Nixon visited communist China, where he met the ailing Chinese dictator Mao Zedong. Nixon’s trip surprised the world and led to the restoration of diplomatic relations between Washington and Beijing. Some thought the anti-communist Nixo…
Nuclear Agreements
- Détente yielded more advances during the 1970s. In August 1975, the US, USSR and 33 other nations signed the Helsinki Accords, a non-binding agreement aimed at enhancing relations between communist nations and the West. There were also several Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) in the 1970s that produced two weapons-reduction agreements: SALT I (1972) an…