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Détente

Détente. In the late 1960’s and through most of the 1970’s, the word ‘ détente was used to mean a relaxing of tension between East and West. The USA and the Soviet Union became less hostile towards each other. People talked of a thaw in the Cold War. The background to Détente.

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Détente

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  1. Détente In the late 1960’s and through most of the 1970’s, the word ‘ détente was used to mean a relaxing of tension between East and West. The USA and the Soviet Union became less hostile towards each other. People talked of a thaw in the Cold War

  2. The background to Détente The Cuban Missile Crisis of1962 had shown how dangerous the Cold War was. Attempts to improve relations between the superpowers had started in the 1960’s. But relations had remained difficult because of continuing fears and suspicions both generally and over specific issues.

  3. During the 1960’s the USA had become increasingly involved in Vietnam.

  4. Events in Czechoslovakia in 1968 had seemed to put an end to all hope of better relations.

  5. However, both the USA and the Soviet Union had come to accept each other’s area of influence in the world. Both felt the need to improve relations with their ‘enemies’ for a variety of reasons. What were the reasons for Détente ? • Economic problems • Weapons • Oil • China • President Nixon

  6. Economic problems for the USA and the USSR over inflation By the early 1970’s there was rising inflation in the USA. This, together with huge expenditure on the war in Vietnam was crippling the US economy. The Soviet Union had low living standards and needed to trade more with the West.

  7. Weapons Both sides were spending vast sums of money on defence. In the case of the Soviet Union it was 20 per cent of total spending by the government. Both sides had stockpiles of weapons with a capacity to destroy the earth many times over.

  8. Oil Both the USA and the Soviet Union were worried about conflict in the Middle East. Oil supplies from that area were vital for both countries. Both sides had become involved in the conflict between Arabs and Israelis.

  9. Contacts with China Both the USA and the Soviet Union were worried about the growing power of China. Although China and the Soviet Union were co-operating over Vietnam, they were quarrelling over other issues. The USA was afraid of the possibility of the two countries reaching agreements which might threaten the USA.

  10. The initiatives of President Nixon In the USA, President Nixon, and his Secretary of State, HenryKissinger, were keen to establish better working relations with the Soviet Union and with China. Nixon

  11. In the Soviet Union , President Brezhnev was keen to extend Kruschev’s policy of peaceful co-existence. He wanted to persuade the West to accept Soviet control in Eastern Europe. He also wanted to increase the Soviet Union’s trade with the West in order to improve Soviet living standards.

  12. Throughout the late 1960’s and 1970’s, US and Soviet leaders tried hard to reduce tensions.

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