SALT 1

what does SALT stand for?

Strategic Arms Limitation Talks

Detente within the Cold War refers to the…

improvement or ‘thaw’ in relations between the superpowers which developed after the Cuban Missile Crisis.

A key feature of detente was…

the attempt by the superpowers to reduce the risk of nuclear war by beginning negotiations to reduce their nuclear weapons

Two treaties were signed by the US & USSR…

SALT 1 (1972) and SALT 2 (1979)

A key feature connected to arms reduction was the wish to…

reduce the nuclear threat generally, especially through improved communications

the wish to reduce the nuclear threat generally, especially through improved communications was shown by…

the creation of a hotline between Moscow and Washington to be used in times of crisis, and the Test Ban Treaty (1963) & Non-Proliferation Treaty (1968) which tried to reduce the harmful testing and spread of nuclear weapons

Another key feature of detente was improving…

human rights generally through cooperation

issues of …became part of the detente process, for example, in 1975, the Helsinki Talks.

human rights in the Soviet Union & Vietnam war

issues of human rights in the Soviet Union & Vietnam war became part of the detente process, for example, …

in 1975 the Helsinki Talks

what made up SALT 1?

The Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, The Interim Agreement on the Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms & The Moscow Summit

when was the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty?

26 May 1972

The ABM treaty limited …

both the USSR & the USA to constructing two fields of Anti-Ballistic Missiles (ABMs), each with no more than 100 missiles. One of these could be set up around a capital city and the other was to protect Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBMs) sites. 

why was the AMB treaty significant?

restricted the strategic value of ABMs & meant that there would be no significant competition to further develop ABM technology. It also made the race to develop offensive strategic nuclear weapons less critical

The ABM treaty showed that both of the superpowers…

recognised the other’s destructive power & therefore meant each side had an interest in preventing what would be a mutually destructive conflict

The ABM agreement was seen as a…

crucial component in curbing the race in strategic offensive weapons

The ABM treaty was regarded by both the USA & the USSR as a…

fundamental contribution in preventing the possibility of a nuclear war

When was the Interim Agreement on the Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms?

26 May 1972

what did the Interim Agreement on the Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms do?

linked strategic offensive & defensive arms agreements & established a freeze on strategic missiles which meant that

The Interim Agreement on the Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms was to remain valid for…

5 years (would expire in 1977)

The Interim Agreement on the Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms made no provision for…

limitations on newly developing technology, particularly the Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicles (MIRVs) & there were no defined limits on cruise missile systems

why were the SALT talks politically beneficial for Nixon & Brezhev?

it reinforced the political advantages to be gained by national leaders if they backed policies that created greater stability & the prospect of international peace

SALT produced the foundation of a…

political achievement that made detente possible as it opened the way for an era of negotiation rather than confrontation

By accepting the SALT agreements, the US accepted …

nuclear equality between itself & the USSR - US nuclear dominance had faded and the two nuclear superpowers were of equal status

The Interim Agreement on the Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms was a fundamentally important step in international relations because it meant that…

both sides had something to gain from detente; a balance of power had been acknowledged & this necessitated the construction of a new non-confrontational relationship: detente

when was the Moscow Summit

May 1972

what happened at the Moscow Summit?

Finalised the SALT agreements & set out the guidelines of American-Soviet relations in ‘The Basic Principles of Relations between the United States and the Soviet Union’

‘The Basic Principles of Relations between the United States and the Soviet Union’ acted as a…

code of behaviour in terms of relations between the powers

The Basic Principles stated that the USA & USSR will proceed…

according to the principle of peaceful co-existence & would commit to develop normal relations based on the principles of sovereignty, equality & non-interference in internal affairs

The Basic Principles stated the determination to avoid…

situations developing that could damage commitment to peaceful co-existence. This led to an agreement to avoid military confrontation & prevent the outbreak of nuclear war - each power rejected the idea that it should be free to gain at the expense of the other & peaceful relations were to be based on the recognition of the right of each state to protect its enquiry interests based on the rejection of the use of force.

The Basic Principles stated that there was an acceptance of…

responsibility to do everything in their power to prevent conflicts/situations which would increase international tension & to promote peace and security in all countries through a lack of outside interference to internal affairs

The Basic Principles had no…

legal status

How did the US regard the basic principles?

as representing a set of aspirations rather than a solid basis for future detente

How did the USSR regard the basic principles?

to be of fundamental importance as the foundation of detente