The Cold War Thaws The Cold War began to thaw as the superpowers of the US and the USSR entered an era of uneasy diplomacy.

After WWII, USSR had many satellite countries in Eastern Europe -- Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, and East Germany: not allowed develop their own economies only developed industries to meet Soviet needs

Stalin dies -- moderate leaders come to power in the USSR New moderate leaders allowed satellite countries more freedom, but had to promise to stay allied with the USSR

Just taking out the trash! Nikita Khrushchev Just taking out the trash! became the dominant Soviet leader denounced Stalin for jailing/killing Soviet citizens started policy of ‘destalinization’ -- purging the country of Stalin’s memory called for “peaceful competition” with capitalist states

“no one wants communism” Satellite countries were still not happy with communist rule In 1956, the Hungarian army joined protesters to overthrow Hungary’s Soviet-controlled government “no one wants communism”

I’ve been thinking about a “New Course” for Hungary Imre Nagy Hungarian Communist leader Formed a new anti-Soviet government Promised free elections and end of secret police Demanded Soviet troops leave Hungary

As a response to Nagy’s demands… Soviet tanks and infantry entered Hungary Hungarians armed themselves and were ready to fight but were overwhelmed A pro-Soviet government was installed Nagy was eventually executed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY7_vSDPr6M

Leonid Brezhnev: adopted repressive policies Khrushchev was eventually removed from power (Cuban Missile Crisis made the USSR appear weak) and he was replaced by… Leonid Brezhnev: adopted repressive policies enforced laws to limit rights (freedom of speech & religion) Censorship Secret police -- arrested many dissidents

After Brezhnev took office, a similar revolt occurred in Czechoslovakia following the Hungarian Uprising: Czech Communist leader Alexander Dubcek loosened controls on censorship ‘Prague Spring’ -- period of reform in Czechoslovakia Military forces from Warsaw Pact nations invade Brezhnev believed USSR could prevent satellites from rejecting communism under the Brezhnev Doctrine

Soviet - Chinese Split China was committed to communism: Mao and Stalin had signed a 30-year treaty of friendship USSR assumed the Chinese would just always follow them China began to spread their own brand of communism in Africa and other parts of Asia so Khrushchev punished the Chinese by: refusing to share nuclear secrets ending technical economic aid Fighting even broke out along their common border. Today the two neighbors maintain a fragile peace.

Under brinkmanship, nuclear war seemed very possible. In the 1970s, the USA and the USSR finally backed away from brinkmanship and moved towards a period of lower tensions -- called détente.

Afterwards, tensions remained high. Under JFK, the Cuban Missile Crisis made the superpowers’ use of nuclear weapons a real possibility -- until Soviet ships turned back to avoid a confrontation with the US at sea. "We're eyeball to eyeball, and I think the other fellow just blinked." Afterwards, tensions remained high.

Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) - Assumed the presidency after assassination of JFK - Committed to stopping the spread of communism - Escalated U.S. involvement in the war in Vietnam “Our purpose in Vietnam is to prevent the success of aggression. It is not conquest, it is not empire, it is not foreign bases, it is not domination. It is, simply put, just to prevent the forceful conquest of South Vietnam by North Vietnam.” - LBJ

The United States Turns to Détente US slowly backed away from its policy of direct confrontation with the USSR Détente -- a policy of lessening Cold War tensions replaced brinkmanship under Richard Nixon “The Cold War isn't thawing; it is burning with a deadly heat. Communism isn't sleeping; it is, as always, plotting, scheming, working, fighting.” - R. Nixon

Nixon’s move toward détente grew out of a philosophy known as realpolitik -- comes from the German word meaning “realistic politics”: dealing with other nations in a practical and flexible manner Let’s ‘keep it real,’ Brezhnev.

“We want the Chinese with us Ironically, Nixon’s rise in politics was largely due to his strong anti-Communist position. 20 years later, he became the first U.S. president to visit Communist China. “We want the Chinese with us when we sit down and negotiate with the Russians”

After going to China, Nixon visited the USSR for a series of meetings called the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT). Nixon and Brezhnev signed the SALT I Treaty: 5-year agreement Limited the number of missiles each country could have 33 nations joined the US & the USSR in signing a commitment to détente -- called the Helsinki Accords. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neVsSxuJ17w

The Collapse of Détente Under presidents Nixon & Ford, the US improved relations with China and the USSR. Despite President Jimmy Carter’s concern over harsh treatment of protesters in the USSR, Carter and Brezhnev signed the SALT II agreement.

When the Soviets invaded Afghanistan later that year the U. S When the Soviets invaded Afghanistan later that year the U.S. Congress refused to ratify SALT II. Concerns mounted as more nations, including China and India, began building up their nuclear arsenals.

Ronald Reagan fiercely anti-Communist president of US -- took office in 1981 Continued to move away from détente Increased defense spending -- putting pressure on the Soviets to do the same Announced the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI or Star Wars), a program to protect against enemy missiles -- was never put into effect https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLDK0G4Wktc

A change in Soviet leadership (Gorbachev in 1985) brought a new policy toward the US and the beginnings of a final thaw in the Cold War.

Let’s look at some political cartoons from the Cold War period… Can you identify the main idea?