1. What were the key features of détente?

2. Learning objective – to be able to explain the key features and the impact of the era of détente between 1963 and 1979.
I can describe the key features détente on the Cold War.
Grade D
I can explain the impact of détente on the Cold War.
Grade B
I can evaluate the impact of détente on the Cold War.
Grade A

3. Starter – What do you think détente means?

4. What is détente?
Détente is a French word which literally means a relaxing of tensions.
The word is used to describe a relaxing of tensions between the superpowers which lasted from 1964 to 1979.
The Soviets called this period razryaka.

5. What were the stages of détente?
– East-West relations generally improved in the aftermath of the Cuban Missile Crisis and détente was discussed.
1968 – The USSR invasion of Czechoslovakia threatened improving relations.
– The high point of détente under the US President Richard Nixon. SALT Treaty slowed down the arms race and general East-West links were being cultivated.
– Détente increasingly threatened by the issue of human rights, especially during the Helsinki Conference in 1975.
1979 – Détente ended with the USSR invasion of Afghanistan.

6. Why did both sides want détente?
The USA
USA was concerned with the spiralling costs of containing communism. The arms race and the Vietnam War were costing USA billions and the value of the US dollar was declining with inflation.
USA feared MAD [Mutually Assured Destruction] as both sides had enough weapons to destroy the world.
Nixon thought that easing world tension would make him popular for re-election in 1972.
The USSR
The USSR could not keep paying for its Cold War commitments. Living standards were declining and Brezhnev saw that trade with the West could increase wealth in the USSR.
Growing tension with China since 1969, meant that USSR could not afford to be the enemy of China and USA at the same time.

7. What were the key features of the arms race after the Cuban Missile Crisis?
MAD – With a more equal footing in the arms race, the idea of MAD – Mutually Assured Destruction - emerged which could be defined as that both sides had so many weapons a nuclear war would likely to lead to the destruction of both. A real deterrent to use nuclear weapons.
Test Ban Treaty – Signed in 1963, the Test Ban Treaty saw the USA and USSR agree to ban the testing of all nuclear weapons in the earth’s atmosphere and only test weapons underground. This was the first step to control nuclear weapons.
Kennedy’s ‘common interests’ speech – Kennedy followed up signing the test Ban Treaty in June 1963 with a speech outlining both sides needed to focus on ‘common interests’. This was seen as the start of détente.
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty – Signed in 1968 and agreed that no superpower would supply or help develop other states having nuclear weapons. This stopped nuclear conflict in other areas of the world.

8. Impact of the Vietnam War - 1969
Why?
To stop the spread of Communism in South East Asia, America had embarked on a war over control in Vietnam in 1964.
What?
America had a huge military presence in Vietnam, but despite this the war was going badly for the Americans.
The Americans were unable to combat the effective guerrilla tactics of the Viet Cong.
By 1968, the war was unpopular with the American public and casualty rates were soaring.
Significant?
Richard Nixon increased efforts to seek peace terms with the North Vietnamese hoping this would encourage deals with the Soviet Union.

9. How did Richard Nixon encourage détente?
Why?
Richard Nixon wanted to be seen as a world statesman.
Nixon feared MAD and found defence spending too high in times of depression.
What?
Nixon conducted a series of official visits to China and USSR to improve relations.
In 1972, Nixon made a state visit to China, where the USA now formally diplomatically recognised Communist China.
In 1972, Nixon was the first US President to visit USSR and made a return visit in 1974.
In 1973, Brezhnev visited USA at Nixon’s invitation.
Significant?
These visits were seen as a success and gave the impression that closer relations and co-operation were possible in the early 1970s.

10. Yom Kippur War
Why?
Supported by the Soviet Union – Syria and Egypt – launched a surprise attack on Israel – supported by the USA.
Syria and Egypt felt that Israel had taken their territory and should not exist.
What?
The surprise attacks, launched on a Jewish holy celebration, were soon repulsed by Israel.
Brezhnev proposed a joint US-USSR plan to support Egypt should they be invaded by Israel. This was rejected.
Nixon proposed a UN force should intervene instead and this was accepted.
Significant?
The war ended in October 1973 in a ceasefire and stalemate as the region remained unstable.

11. How did détente impact upon the space race?
Why?
The space race continued to be very expensive and particularly the USSR, both sides found it difficult to maintain spending on space programmes.
The 1967 Outer Space Treaty was successful and both sides, in the growing spirit of détente, wanted to find other ways of co-operation.
What?
In 1975, a joint space mission was launched which involved an American Apollo spacecraft and a Russian Soyuz spacecraft docking at a Soviet space station.
This was called the Apollo-Soyuz mission.
Significant?
This was the first significant joint space mission and marked the beginning of a period of superpower co-operation in space.

12. What was the SALT I agreement?
Why?
Richard Nixon wanted to be seen as a world statesman.
Both superpowers feared MAD and had the desire to limit nuclear capability in order to limit the chance of nuclear war.
What?
SALT stood for Strategic Arms Limitation Talks and imposed limits on USA and USSR nuclear capability.
Agreement of no further production of strategic ballistic missiles [short range missiles].
Submarine based missiles only introduced when ICBM became obsolete.
The Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty agreed to shoot down incoming nuclear missiles.
Significant?
Signed in Moscow in 1972, it was the first agreement to limit nuclear capability – although temporary as it was intended to last five years.
Seen as the high point of détente.
Although this agreement did not affect existing nuclear stocks.

13. The Helsinki Agreements - 1975
Why?
An international conference, held at Helsinki, was convened in which most of the European nations plus USA, USSR and Canada met to sign an agreement over security, co-operation and human rights.
What?
Security agreements included the recognition of all European borders and the settling of disputes by peaceful means.
Co-operation though trade and industrial agreements and scientific projects.
Human rights – all signatories signed an accordance to respect freedom of speech, movement, religion and information.
Significant?
The Helsinki Agreements was important in establishing a Declaration of Human Rights but sowed the seeds for the end of détente.

14. How did the Helsinki Agreements help end détente?
Why?
Although the Helsinki Agreements were signed by all nations who attended, the USSR never intended to keep to this agreement.
What?
In 1977, a group in Eastern Europe called Charter 77 was formed to check on human rights in communist Europe.
USSR imprisoned a number of its organisers. This action broke the Helsinki Agreement.
Significant?
This was an important stepping stone to the end of détente in 1979 and increased tensions between USSR and the USA.

15. What was the SALT II agreement?
Why?
Because SALT I was only ever temporary, negotiations for a longer term deal – SALT II – began in 1972.
Further nuclear reductions was an objective of US President, Jimmy Carter.
What?
Part of the SALT II negotiations involved the Vladivostok Agreement in 1974 in which both sides committed to reduce nuclear stocks to 2250 warheads.
The negotiations were opposed by the West German government, who feared that further arms reductions would leave them vulnerable to attack from the east.
American right-wingers thought détente had gone too far with SALT I and did not want further agreements.
SALT II was signed in June 1979.
However, US Congress refused to ratify SALT II after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan at the end of 1979, and it never became law.
Significant?
SALT II highlighted the growing opposition to détente in US and was a victim of the end of détente.

16. Task – use a copy of the comic strip and annotate it to explain the key features of détente.

17. Task Using the Détente events, create one of the following –
A significance pyramid.
A mind map.
A cause, event and consequences table.
A spider diagram.
Notes using the cards as subheading titles.

18. Plenary
This collection of images of events surrounding détente. Can you identify how each image represents a feature of détente?