DEFINITION Dtente: The relaxation of strained relations or
tension, esp. between countries. (Merriam- Webster) DEFINITION
Dtente: The relaxation of strained relations or tension, esp.
between countries. (Merriam- Webster) Many people believe that the
period of dtente was initiated in 1968, but the seeds of dtente
arguably began in the early 60s. 1962 End of the Cuban Missile
Crisis 1963 Nuclear Test Ban Treaty 1966 Willy Brandts
Ostpolitik
Slide 4
Brinksmanship and Mutually Assured Destruction The Cuban
Missile Crisis was the first actual example of brinksmanship that
the superpowers had seen and the theory crumbled under the
possibility of MAD that it revealed. A red telephone (i.e. hotline
to the Kremlin) was installed in the Oval Office on June 20, 1963
Superpowers were also alarmed at the rapidity at which weapons
technologies were progressing. Multiple Independent Re-entry
Vehicles (MIRVs) Anti-ballistic Missile Systems (ABMs)
Slide 5
Nuclear Test Ban Treaty 1963 By 1963 close to 500 nuclear
weapons had been tested, giving rise to concern over its impact to
the environment. The NTBT banned all testing of nuclear weapons,
except underground (Why not underground?) It was signed by the USA,
USSR & Great Britain
Slide 6
Willy Brandt & Ostpolitik In 1955, Konrad Adenauer espoused
the Hallstein Doctrine that stated that the FDR would have no
diplomatic relations with any country recognizing the DDR. The FRG
broke off relations with Yugoslavia (1957) and Cuba (1963) in
adherence to the Hallstein Doctrine In Dec. of 66, Brandt becomes
foreign minister for liberal coalition party. At a NATO foreign
ministers mtg., he outlined his proposal for reducing East-West
tensions. The reasons for Brandts Ostpolitik were: 1. FRG was the
nucleus of East-West tensions 2. Flexible Response called for
development of short range, tactical, small nuclear weapons (likely
usage Germany) 3. To avoid being used as a sacrificial lamb by the
Western powers 4. Increased trade would help both sides.
Slide 7
Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty 1967-8 Like the NTBT, the USA,
USSR & Great Britain all negotiated and signed the
Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty in 1968. (NPT or NNPT)
All 5 nuclear states signed the agreement, as well as 59 other
non-nuclear states signing the treaty. A few states, which were
actively seeking nuclear weaponry, refused to sign: Israel
Argentina Brazil India Pakistan Since going into effect in 1970,
only Israel, India & Pakistan remain as non-signatory, with
North Korea having withdrawn itself as a signatory
Slide 8
Vietnam War: 1965-1973
Slide 9
1968 marked a pivotal year in global politics. For the USA, the
anti-war movement was gaining strength, as LBJ refused to seek
re-election. His Great Society was undermined by the rising costs
of the war. Moreover, by 1968, 300 US soldiers were killed every
week with no prospect for victory. What else happened? Richard M.
Nixon was elected in 1968 and adopted a policy of Vietnamisation.
The gradual transition from US forces to S. Vietnamese forces. As
part of the 1969 Nixon Doctrine, Nixon and his Sec. of State Henry
Kissinger espoused peace with honor. In a classic example of
Realpolitik, Nixon-Kissinger believed that our withdrawal from
Vietnam would require Soviet and Chinese support. In return for
helping the US out of Vietnam, the USA would: 1. Recognize the
USSRs parity 2. Allow the Soviets access to western technology 3.
Avoid interfering in the Soviet empire This linkage brought and end
to the idea of roll back
Slide 10
Prague Spring (1968) Former Czech President, Alexander Dubek
Communism with a human face!
Slide 11
Prague Spring Dashed! Dissidents/playwrights arrested [like
Vaclav Havelfuture president of a free Czech Republic]. Soviet
response comes to be known as the Brezhnev Doctrine.
Slide 12
Sino-Soviet Dispute of 1969 Sino-Soviet Dispute of 1969
RELATIONS HAD SOURED Chinese condemn Kruschev as revisionist in his
attack on Stalins cult of personality Soviets condemn Mao as a
deviationist Chinese criticize USSR in its capitulation in the
Cuban Missile Crisis. Soviets refuse to support Chinese in 1962
Sino-Indian War Countries break diplomatic ties, though try to
restore them in 1964, after Brezhnev deposed Kruschev. In March
1969, Soviet and Chinese forces clash along the border at the
Ussuri River. Chinese recognize that they cant suppress internal
dissent, confront the USA in Vietnam & fight the Soviets in the
North. They determine that the Soviets are the greatest threat. The
Soviets are concerned about improving relations between the US
& China (i.e. Sino-American Rapprochement)
Slide 13
SALT I 1972 1. ABM Treaty limited signees to only 2 sites with
no more than 100 missiles @ each site. 2. Interim Treaty limited
ICBMs and SLBMs 3. Basic Principles Agreement committed signees to
enter into serious discussions in the event that nuclear war
appears immanent. How effective do these agreements seem to you?
The most significant of the post-Cuban Missile Crisis arms control
agreements. It covered three areas:
Slide 14
Helsinki Agreement 1973 As a result of the 1972 Moscow Summit,
President Nixon agreed to participate in a European Security
Conference in Helsinki the following year. As a result, a final
agreement (called The Final Act) was produced in August of 1975.
The tenets were called baskets. 1. The Security Basket strongly
influenced by Brandts Ostpolitik, it recognized the Europes current
borders and stated that they could not be altered by force. 2. The
Cooperation Basket called for greater cooperation and sharing of
economic, scientific and cultural achievements. 3. The Human Rights
Basket called for respect for individual human rights such as,
freedom of thought, conscience/religion, and freedom of travel.
Which of these baskets would likely be the most controversial?
Slide 15
SALT II 1979 1. Limited the numbers of strategic nuclear
delivery vehicles (e.g. ICBMs, SLBMs, heavy bombers, etc.) SALT II
discussions began in 1974 and covered the following: 2. Banned the
testing and deployme nts of NEW ICBMs and rapid deployme nt systems
Carter & Brezhnev signing SALT II
Slide 16
The Arms Race First in RaceSecond in Race USA1945Atom
bomb1949USSR USA1952Hydrogen bomb1953USSR 1957ICBM1958USA
USSR1957First satellite1958USA USSR1958Early warning radar1960USA
1960SLBM1968USSR 1968ABM1972USA 1970MIRV1975USSR 1971Sea Cruise
missile launched1982USA
Slide 17
The Arms Race The build-up of arms after 1945
Bombers195619601965197019751979 USA560550630405330316
USSR60175200190140 ICBMs196019641968197019741979 USA2958356301054
USSR75200800130015871398 SLBMs196219651968197219751979
USA145500656655656 USSR45125130497740989
Warheads19451955196519751985 USA63057312652667522941
USSR020061291944239197