Détente

1. Détente means relaxation of tension in French.

2. USA were focused more on fighting the war in Vietnam which costing $170 bn in total and the lives of 60,000 US troops which was very unpopular. There were also race riots.

3. USSR was struggling economically as well with poor living standards and low growth in the economy.

Strategic Arms Limitations Treaty (SALT 1)

1. Signed May 1972

2. Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty stated that ABMs were only allowed at two sites – 100 missiles max in each.

3. Interim Treaty – USA was allowed 1,054 ICBMs (inter continental ballistic missiles) and 740 SLBMs (submarine-launched ballistic missiles); USSR was allowed 1,618 ICBMs and 740 SLBMs.

4. The Basic Principles Agreement – rules for conducting nuclear war such as banning warheads on seabed. Steps set out for avoiding nuclear war such as exercising restraint when needed.

Consequences:

1. It is unlikely that this signed bit of paper would have actually avoided nuclear war.

2. Despite the imposed restrictions, both sides had enough nuclear weapons to destroy the planet several times over.

3. It did not cover the latest technology such as multiple independent targeted re-entry vehicles (MIRVs).

4. It allowed USA and USSR demonstrate publicly better relations.

5. Nixon visited Brezhnev in Moscow and Brezhnev visited Washington in 1973, setting up negotiations for SALT 2 in 1974.

Helsinki Accords

Date: August 1975

1. Basket 1: European Borders – borders are inviolable and cannot be altered by force.

2. Basket 2: International Cooperation – work for closer relations between East and West which would include trade agreements; technology exchange and joint space mission.

3. Basket 3: Human Rights – we will respect human rights and individual freedoms such as free speech; religion; free movement across Europe.

Consequences:

1. first time the boundaries between East and West Germany were formally accepted

2. Soviet-American Apollo-Soyuz mission of 1975.

3. USA politicians were critical of the concept of accepting Soviet expansion in Europe.

4. The USSR had little intention of genuinely offering human rights, so this section had little impact.

SALT 2 (1979)

1. Signed 18 June 1979 (signed but not ratified)

2. Included restrictions on missile launchers and strategic bombers, and bans on testing and using new types of ICBMs.

Consequences:

1. It was never ratified.

2. The most important reason or that was the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979.

3. Other factors included increased Soviet involvement in Central America and the Islamic militant attack on the US Embassy in Tehran in November 1979.