What is Detente?
The relaxing of tensions
What was the Detente period?
International relations between USA, China, & USSR improved; threat of nuclear war reduced (1968-1980)
USSR reasons for Detente
Economic decline & need for nations to buy resources & products to improve living conditions (1960)
Brezhnev wants to work with US to get ahead of China
What were the USSR and China’s relations during the detente period
Enemies
Who was the leader of USSR during the detente period
Leonid Brezhnev
China’s reasons for Detente
Wanted to alienate USSR by working with USA
USSR major threat to Chinese safety & security
Sino-Soviet Border Conflict of Chinese & Soviet soldiers in Zhenbao/Damansky Island reion (1969, 7 months)
Avoided all-out nuclear war & settled dispute
USA reasons for Detente
Nixon & Kissinger wanted to end Vietnam War
Believed closer ties with USSR & China would help
Wanted ‘philosophical deepening’ of US foreign policy relating to monolithic view of communism
Who was Nixon’s National Security Adviser
Henry Kissinger
What was the Realpolitik policy & it’s significance relating to the original monolithic view of communism
Acknowledged the changing of power balances of the world & that communism isn’t monolithic; political system not based on beliefs, ethics, or morals (ideological conflicts don’t determine alliances)
Who named (“coined”) the realpolitik policy
German writer & politician Ludwig von Rochau
Who was the first to use realpolitik poliy
Otto von Bismarck; to secure European peace & unify Germany in 19th century
European reasons for Detente
Events in 1968 (Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia & student riots in France); convinced leaders relaxing tensions was best for continent for moving forward politically & economically
Who was the Willy Brandt?
Chancellor of West Germany, started movement of European Detente & encouraged East & West trade/agreements (Ostpolitik)
What was Ostpolitik
The encouragement of relations between East & West Germany (FRG & GDR) in 1969
What was MAD
Mutually Assured Destruction; major factor to USA & USSR seeking Detente, nuclear capabilities of US & USSR were equal and # of nukes would lead to complete destruction of both nations if all-out war occurred
Technological Advancement: 1945
USA detonates first atomic bomb over Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Technological Advancement: 1949
USSR tests first atomic bomb
Technological Advancement: 1952
USA tests world’s first hydrogen bomb (Mike)
Technological Advancement: 1957
USSR develops world’s first Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM)
Technological Advancement: 1958
USSR develops Early Warning Radar System to counter approaching missiles
Technological Advancement: 1960
USA develops Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM)
Technological Advancement: 1961
USSR tests largest hydrogen bomb ever detonated (Tsar Bomba); Nobaya Zemlya Island in Arctic Ocean (Oct. 30)
Technological Advancement: 1968
USSR develops Anti-Ballistic Missiles (ABM) to counter missiles launched at USSR territory
Technological Advancement: 1970
USA develops Multiple Independently-targeted Reentry Vehicles (MIRV) to bypass Soviet ABMs
What were the events that marked the beginning of Detente
Nixon’s election & USSR acquiring ABMs (1968); Nixon concerned about ABMs creating imbalance of power (MAD), US’s fear of ABMs → seeking Detente & nuclear disarmament
What was SALT
Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (1972), start of nuclear disarmament for USA & USSR (series of treaties); SALT negotiations relaxed tensions & improved relations with USA and USSR leaders
What were the treaties that were part of SALT
ABM Treaty: ABMs allowed at 2 sites for MAD if nuclear war
Interim Treaty: Limited numbers of ICBMs & SLBMs in each nation
Basic Principles Agreement: Established rules of conduct in threat of nuclear war; outlined need for communication to avoid nuclear war
Why was SALT criticized
Lacking reductions of USA & USSR MIRVs
What were the results of SALT
Nixon visited Moscow in 1972 & 1974, Brezhnev visited Washington in 1973, negotiations for SALT II began in 1974
What would SALT II have done
Limit MIRVs of USSR & USA
What was the Moscow Treaty (1970)
Formalized East & West Germany Border, accepted Germany & Poland borderW
What was the Final Quadripartite Protocol (1972)
Confirmed right of West Berlin to access routes with West Germany
What was the Basic Treaty (1972)
Accepted existence of two Germanys & formalized trade between them as countries
What was the Ping-Pong Diplomacy Period
Better relations between USA & China with PRC joining UN and getting Security Council seat (1971); Nixon visiting China in 1972
What was the Helsinki Agreement
Height of Detente, reject usage of intervention between foreign affairs
Moscow Summit (1972)
Brezhnev & Nixon agree to participation of European Security Council
European Security Council in Helsinki (1973)
Created Final Act (Aug. 1, 1975), 3 baskets
What was Basket 1 of Final Act
Security agreement following Ospolitik, recognized Europe’s frontiers ensuring inability to alter them by force
What was Basket 2 of Final Act
Co-operation agreement for closer ties & collaboration in economic, scientific, & cultural fields
What was Basket 3 of Final Act
Human rights basket; agree to respect human rights & individual freedoms (including thought, religion, & travel)
Why did the West & USSR agree to Basket 3
West believed it would undermine Soviet control of Satellite States; USSR wanted Basket 1 & 2
What was the Yom Kippur War
Egypt & Isreal, 1973; USSR had knowledge of Egypt’s attack before it occurred damaging trust between USA and USSR leaders
What happened in the Angola Civil War
USSR provided military assistance to communists
What happened in the Ogaden War
Ethiopia against Somalia; USSR got involved
How did Antisemitism impact the Detente period
Increase in Antisemitism in USSR w/Brezhnev as leader, human rights violations in USSR & USSR sphere of influence (Jews denied right to emigrate in USSR)
What was Jimmy Carter’s nickname
Good Guy Jimmy Carter; attempted to secure Soviet Jews rights to emigrate through trade w/USSR
When was Carter elected & who did he replace
1976; Gerald Ford
What ended the Detente period
USSR invading Afghanistan 1979, Jimmy Carter condemned invasion & refused to approve SALT II, stopped electronic exports to USSR, forbade US athletes participating in 1980 Moscow Olympic games, increased US defense spending
What was the Carter Doctrine
Committed USA to defense of interests in Persian Gulf in case of Soviet attack
When did the Second Cold War End
Collapse of Soviet Union in 1980s
Reasons for Detente end
Increasing tensions between US & USSR from global conflicts (Civil War in Angola, Ogaden War)
Disagreements between Carter & Brezhnev over human rights violations of Jews in USSR
Invasion of Afghanistan
Election of Ronald Reagan
When was Ronald Reagan elected
1980, became president 1981; was an actor
What were Ronald Reagan’s beliefs that influenced the start of the Second Cold War
Detente only benefitted USSR & was a trick to relax tensions for Soviet expansion of influence and power; wanted to take an aggressive approach to undermining USSR operations, adopted foreign policy tough on communism (started aid w/USSR enemies in Afghanistan), increased nuclear & armed forces spending
Who was the Prime Minister of UK during Second Cold War
Margaret Thatcher, “Iron Lady”, first female PM of UK; conservative, rule in UK led to extended Conservative gov. policies & anti-communism
What occurred at the end of Brezhnev’s rule
Decline in Soviet politics 1970s (Brezhnev’s poor health), held responsible for contributions to Detente & influence over political matters in USSR that led to worsening of relations between USA & USSR
Who were Brezhnev’s successors
Yuri Andropov 1982-1984, Konstantin Chernenko 1984-1985; didn’t want to coexist with West → aggressions with USA mutually increased, denounced accusations of support for communist global expansion, needed to deal with Soviet economical decline & aggressive US foreign policy
What was Reagan’s Rhetoric
Reagan’s speech in Britain (1982) announcing abandonment of Marxism-Leninism; Reagan addressing Christian leaders in Florida of USA plans to increase nuclear power of US (1983), stated belief USSR deserving entire elimination
What was USSR response to Reagan’s Rhetoric
Condemned it as too confrontational & “lunatic anti-communism”
Why did USA gov. increase spending on defence in 1985
Fear missile gap with USSR
What occurred relating to the missile gap in 1984 (USSR)
Deployment of medium-range SS-20 Nuclear Ballistic Missiles in East Germany & Czechoslovakia
What was the USA’s response to missile deployment 1984
Pershing II missiles in West Germany
What was the Strategic Defense Initiative (1983)
USA plan to use missiles or lasers from space to counter Soviet Ballistic missiles; named “Star Wars” from American public
What were the benefits of the Strategic Defense Initiative
Billions spent on extensive space research
What was the War on Drugs
One of Reagan’s operations in Central & South America; increase of CIA, FBI, & DEA operations in Southern American to limit drug supply in USA, increase law enforcement funding to stop drug possession & sales
What were the effects of the War on Drugs
Intense increase in arresting & imprisoning minorities in US during 1980s & worsened drug problem
What was the incident with the Korean passenger flight (Sept. 1983)
Plane entered Soviet air space & was destroyed by Soviet jets; passengers killed including Larry McDonald (member of US Congress)
What was the false US nuke incident
USSR nuclear warning computers detected ballistic missile from US (1983), discovered no attack of occurance
Who is the “Man Who Saved The World”
Named by American public, Soviet officer Stanislav Petrov who prevented nuclear retaliation after detecting false warning on USSR computers, USSR fired him
When did Mikhail Gorbachev become leader of USSR
1985, relaxed tensions between USA & USSR, would lead to collapse of USSR & end of Cold War
What were Gorbachev’s beliefs relating to the USSR
Focus on military & technological advancement is damaging to economy & unsustainable; authoritarian rule & military use needed to be abandoned (Stalin’s legacy); feared USSR can’t compete with Ronald Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative, peace w/West only solution
What were Gorbachev’s reforms
Perestroika (Restructuring): restructure economy & shift away from military usage towards manufacturing and housing to improve living conditions; Glasnost (Openness): opening political affairs to public & subjecting it to opposition & criticism, ensure more democracy in politics
What was the Chernobyl Disaster
Nuclear power plant explosion in Ukraine (1986), radiation spread & infected the ground & animals, caused increased cancer and death rates in city; reactor almost melted into groundwater
What was the impact of Chernobyl on Gorbachev
Acknowledged dangers of nuclear tech
What were Gorbachev’s beliefs relating to the nations of the world
Need to work together to achieve goals to avoid war & improve societal and economic situations; “climbers roped together on the mountainside”
What was Zero Option
Reagan wanted disarmament; nuclear and arms control proposal eliminating IRBMs in Europe
What was USSR response to Zero Option
Gorbachev agreed to discuss, 4 international summits
Geneva Summit
Nov. 1985; minimal progress, agreement over need to avoid war
Reykavik Summit
Oct. 1986; no agreements from Gorbachev’s wish for USA to end SDI, Reagan refused, extensive nuclear control initiatives proposed
Washington Summit
Dec. 1987; Intermediate-Range Nuclear Force Treaty signed abolishing land-based IRBMs, established inspection of destruction of missiles for USSR & USA
Moscow Summit
May 1988; no agreement on SDIs, agreement about nuclear disarmament cont., Reagan declared no longer believes in Soviets being evil
What occurred relating to Afghanistan 1988
Gorbachev announced plans to remove Soviet troops
Malta Summit 1989
Bush met Shevardnadze, declared Cold War “buried at bottom of Mediterranean”
Who was the US president following Ronald Reagan and when did he serve
George Bush, 1989-1993
What was the significance of 1989
End of USSR control over most of its satellite states in East. Europe (revolutions)
Which countries at revolutions during 1989 (ended with democratic elections and formation of democratic governments)
Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Romania
Poland Revolution 1989
First free elections since WWII in 1989, Solidarity won majority gov. → fall of communist party, Gorbachev didn’t help the communist party or denounce Solidarity; Poland was first nation in Eastern Bloc to abandon communism
Hungarian Revolution 1989
Within communist party, Party leader Kadar removed from power & party reformed → creation of Third Hungarian Republic with Matya Szuros as leader; free & democratic elections in 1990
Czechoslovkia Velvet Revolution
(1989) minimal violence due to mass protests pressuring communist gov. to recognize other parties; Civic Forum led revolution to election of Vaclav Havel (playwright); condemning of 1968 Invasion of Czechoslovakia & interference w/nation’s democratic process made illegal after election
Romanian Revolution
President Ceausescu ordered Romanian army to kill protestors in Timisoara (Dec. 1989); army refused & arrested and executed Ceausescu & wife Dec. 25, 1989 after trying to flee
Eastern Germany Revolution
Erich Honecker was pressured by other revolutions in Eastern Europe & fleeing of people to Hungary & Austria (migration to West & Gorbachev’s policies of travel → Berlin Wall is useless); Honecker loosened travel restrictions between East & West Berlin, East Berliners went to checkpoints & forced border guards to open barriers, East & West Berliners started tearing down wall
Who was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 1990 and why
Gorbachev for his policies & how they led to the Eastern European revolutions
Which republics part of the USSR claimed independence Aug. 1991
Estonia, Latvia, & Lithuania (Baltic states), Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldora, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, & Uzbekistan
How did Gorbachev influence the end of the Soviet Empire
Failed to save USSR from economic ruin (& revolutions)
How did the end of the USSR impact Gorbachev & his career
Hostility towards Gorbachev, Soviet extremists wanted coup against him, lost support & authority in Russian gov.; resigned Dec. 25, 1991; Commonwealth of Independent States formed
Who stopped the attempted coup against Gorbachev
Boris Yeltsin
What did the end of the Cold War mean for the USA
Believed Capitalism won over Communism
What did the end of the Cold War mean for Russia
Forced to start social & economic reform
What did the end of the Cold War mean for the nations of the world
Social & economic reform in nations supported by USSR, US & USSR pulled support from nations (mainly South America, Africa, and Asia) due to lack of need to compete through proxy wars & conflicts