Cold war: Crisis + détente

What were the dates of the Czechoslovakia crisis?

1968

Key Statistics on - Czechoslovakia

Dubcek - became leader in 1968

• PRAGUE SPRING FEFORMS - april 1968

50,000 Warsaw troops enter Czechoslovakia

consequence of Czechoslovakia

• Brezhnev doctrine created

• Gustav Husak takes over dubeck

• USA didn’t get involved

What were USA reasons for détente

Expense of Vietnam war $170 billion + 60,000 soldiers died

Nixon wanted to gain popularity

Nixon needed to focus of the urban riots (1968)

What were USSR reasons for détente

After USA defeat in the vietnam war - USSR felt USA would be more likely to discuss ending war

USSR were falling behind on tech

• if relations got better then USA could shar tech

How did china’s role impact détente

+ examples of good Sino-USA relations

China showed USA they could have good relations with a communist country

Eg:

• 1969-72 Ping pong diplomacy

• both USA and China were mutually suspicious of USSR

How did Sino-soviet relations change from 1949-1960s

1949 GOOD - Sino-soviet treaty of friendship

However:

• Khrushchev’s Destalinization - seen as a betrayal of communism by China

• Mao accused Khrushchev of cowardice in Cuba+ criticised Prague invasion

• Mao was worried that the USSR might invade China

Examples of Détente/treaties created for détente

1963:

• test ban treaty - concerns abt environment

• Hotline- between white house + Kremlin

• meant there was communication before major events

1967:

• outer space treaty - prevent arms race reaching space

1968:

• Nuclear non proliferation treaty - USA+USSR couldn’t share nuclear technology to other countries

1972:

• SALT 1

  • Limited number of nuclear weapons each country could have

    ICBM: USSR (1,618) - USA (1,054)

  • Basic principles agreement - no warheads on seabed