1. The Cold war thaws
Section 17.5

2. Destalinization
Stalin dies in 1953 causing Khrushchev to take over leadership
Khrushchev denounced Stalin and started the process of destalinization: purging the country of Stalin’s memory
The USSR still controlled its satellite nations in Eastern Europe even though many started to reject communism
Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, East Germany

3. Revolt in Czechoslovakia
Due to his failure in the Cuban Missile Crisis, Khrushchev was replaced by Leonid Brezhnev
Brezhnev instituted many repressive policies
Limits on free speech, religion
Secret police
When Czechoslovakia tried to loosen controls, members of the Warsaw Pact invaded in order to reinstate communism

4. The Soviet-Chinese split
The Chinese remained committed to communism but began to resent being in the shadow of the USSR
The Soviets grew upset when the Chinese refused to share nuclear secrets and ended economic aid
Fighting broke out briefly between the 2 countries but eventually they agreed to maintain peace

5. Brinkmanship turns to detente
After the Cuban Missile Crisis and repeated protests of the Vietnam war, the policy of brinkmanship slowly changed to a policy of détente
Détente: a lessening of cold war tensions
Both Superpowers agreed to adopt the policy of detente

6. Nixon visits communist powers
In 1972 Nixon became the first U.S. President to visit communist China and the Soviet Union
Nixon & Brezhnev sign the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT): a 5 year agreement that limited the amount of nuclear weapons each country could have
By 1975, 33 countries had agreed to working toward détente and cooperation

7. The collapse of detente
In 1981 Ronald Reagan became president and moved foreign policy away from détente
He increased defense spending and introduced the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI): a program to protect against enemy missiles

8. Review Question #3
What effects did destalinization have on Soviet satellite countries?
Destalinization did not change life in satellite nations. Their resentment of the Soviet Union often turned to active protest

9. Review question #4
What changes did Alexander Dubcek seek to make in Czechoslovakia in 1968, and what happened?
Dubcek loosened controls on censorship and offered a period of reform. On August 20th, armed forces from the Warsaw Pact nations invaded Czechoslovakia in order to keep the country from rejecting communism

10. Review Question #5 Why was the policy of brinkmanship replaced?
A series of crises (Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam War etc.) caused widespread popular protests.
Presidents Kennedy and Johnson sought to lessen tensions so as to avoid nuclear war