S3 - Matu 12 - The Cold War - Lesson 6

Lesson 6 - 1970s Détente

Détente is a French term, meaning a relaxing or easing; the term has been used in international politics since the early 1970s. Generally, it may be applied to any international situation where previously hostile nations not involved in an open war "warm up" to each other and threats de-escalate. However, it is primarily used in reference to the general reduction in the tension between the Soviet Union and the United States and a thawing of the Cold War, occurring from the mid 1960s until the start of the 1980s.

Causes
 
Both sides had pressing reasons to seek relaxation in tensions. The Cuban Missile crisis might be considered a trigger. Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) focused the strategist’s minds. In addition, political events in the late 1960s (Czechoslovakia and Vietnam) undermined the superpowers on the home front and with their relationships with allies.  The superpowers lacked confidence.

USSR
 
Leonid Brezhnev and the rest of the Soviet leadership felt that the economic burden of the nuclear arms race was unsustainable. (20% going on defence) The Soviets also hoped that with Détente more trade with Western Europe would be possible. They hoped for greater access to western technology. Worsening relations with the People's Republic of China, leading to the Sino-Soviet Split, had caused great concern in the Soviet Union. The leadership was terrified of the potential of a Sino-American alliance against them and thus felt improving relations with the United States would be necessary. Soviet thinkers also felt that a less aggressive policy could potentially detach the Western Europeans from their American ally. More independent minded policies appeared in Germany (Brandt) and France (de Gaulle). But on the other hand the Prague Spring (1968) had undermined the USSR’s relationship with the Eastern bloc

USA
 
The American economy was also in financial trouble as the Vietnam War drained government finances at the same time as Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society (and to a lesser extent, Richard Nixon) sought to expand the government welfare state. Vietnam also weakened the US psychologically. In Europe, Willy Brandt was decreasing tensions through Ostpolitik (see below). This was an effort to break with the policies of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which was the elected government of West Germany from 1949 until 1969. The Christian Democrats under Konrad Adenauer and his successors tried to combat the Communist regime of East Germany, while Brandt's Social Democrats tried to achieve a certain degree of cooperation with East Germany. Improved relations with China (see below) also helped thaw the American view of communism in general.  

1972

1972 is a key date in the history of Détente. Nixon and his Secretary of State Henry Kissinger set up a series of ground breaking meetings that resulted in unprecedented visits by Nixon to both China and the USSR. Kissinger remains a controversial figure because of policies that promoted US interests at the expense of local democracy or human rights. (There is even a website dedicated to predicting his death)

Detente - Achievements

China – Nixon’s visit in 1972, pandas and ‘ping-pong- diplomacy’ were important but largely symbolic. The decision to allow Communist China to take their place at the UN Security Council was more significant.
 
Europe – Ostpolitik and the ‘basic treaty’ improved relations between East and West Germany with each side accepting the existence of the other.

​Arms Limitation - The Political Consultative Committee of the Warsaw Pact sent an offer to the West, urging to hold a summit on "security and cooperation in Europe". The West agreed and talks began towards actual limits in the nuclear capabilities of the two superpowers. SALT I in 1972 limited each power's nuclear arsenals, though it was quickly rendered out-of-date as a result of the development of MIRVs (multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle). In the same year that SALT I was signed, the Biological Weapons Convention and the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty were also concluded.
 
International Agreement - In 1975, the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe met and produced the Helsinki Accords, a wide ranging series of agreements on economic, political, and human rights issues.
 
Trade - Trade relations between the two blocks increased substantially during the era of detente. Most significant were the vast shipments of grain that were sent from the West to the Soviet Union each year, which helped make up for the failure of kolkhoz, Soviet collectivised agriculture. 

Détente - Limitations

​Despite the growing amicability of the two superpowers heated competition continued between the two, especially in the Third World and the wars of decolonisation. Wars in South Asia in 1971, Middle East in 1973 and Africa (See Decolonisation) saw the superpowers back their sides with materiel and diplomatic support. In Latin America the Soviet Union continued efforts to foment revolutions, while the United States continued to block any leftward shift in the region with CIA funded military coups, for example in Chile in 1973. (See optional films below)

Neither side trusted the other fully and the potential for nuclear war remained. Each side continued to have thousands of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) pointed at the other’s cities, submarines in the oceans of the world, and forces guarding disputed borders in Korea and Europe. The espionage war continued unabated as defectors, reconnaissance satellites, and signal interceptions were still a priority for both sides.

The end of Détente

​​Détente began to unravel in 1979 due to a series of events. The Iranian Revolution and the subsequent hostage crisis embarrassed the United States and led much of the American public to believe their nation had lost its international power and prestige.

​The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan to support a struggling allied regime led to harsh criticisms in the West and a boycott of the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics. The 1980 American presidential election saw Ronald Reagan elected on a platform opposed to the concessions of Détente. Negotiations on SALT II were abandoned and the 'Second Cold War' began. 

Activity

​​1.     Explain what Detente means then outline the main reasons why a) USA and b) USSR were keen on pursuing the policy.
2.     What evidence is there that relations between the superpowers improved in the 1970s?
3.     What evidence is there that superpower relations were largely unchanged in the 1970s? (See presentation above)