Comprehensive Détente Cold War notes AQA A level history
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Course
Breadth study (2R)
Institution
AQA
Follows specification for component 2R with added A* essay plans and colou coded notes backed by statistics and judgements. Includes timeline with codes for increasing and decreasing tensions.
Cooperation: attitudes of Khrushchev and Kennedy
• Hot-line,
• Moscow Test Ban Treaty
• nuclear...
KEY
Purple= judgement/ analysis
Booklet 10 notes- Détente – why and to what extent? Red= limitations
• Cooperation: attitudes of Khrushchev and Kennedy
Green= change
Hot-line,
Moscow Test Ban Treaty Bc= because
nuclear non-proliferation treaty Inc= increased
cut back in materials for nuclear weapons Esp= especially
• The extent of Détente up to 1979: Dev= develop
the SALT talks
Ostpolitik and Helsinki accords
Sig= significant
arms race Btwn= between
relations with China Comm= Communist
1) How did Europe lead the way in improving relations between East and West?
2) Why were both the USA and the USSR interested in a period of Détente?
3) What were the outcomes of Summit Diplomacy in the 1970s?
4) Why did the period of Détente come to an end?
5) How ‘real’ was Détente?
Qoutes:
atti tudes of Khrushchev and Kennedy:
Kissinger: “Détente is a means of controlling the Soviet Union.”
Nixon: “The Soviet Union will always act in its own self-interest, and so will the United
States. Detente cannot change that. All we can hope from détente is that it will minimise
confrontation in marginal areas and provide, at least, alternative possibilities in the major
ones.”
Evidence that there wasn’t a real commitment to end the cold war or make tensions neutral
Kennedy :
-Cut nukes in exchange for countries to sign human rights agreements on freedom of
speech, movement---> goes against comm policies= undermine USSR and gain leverage
-not the leader for détente-
- increasing US involvement in Vietnam AND embarked on the biggest military build-up in
US peacetime history to that point increasing the defence budget in 1961 by 15%
- he replaced the New Look with a policy of ‘flexible response’, = the building up of
conventional forces like the Green Berets and nuclear weapons. The number of ICBMs, for
example, rose massively from 63 in 1961 to 424 in 1963.
- He was determined to ‘win’ the Cold War. Yet the irony of this policy was that the Soviet
Union had to respond and build up her own arsenal, so rather than establish American
superiority, it could be argued that Kennedy exacerbated the arms race making the world
less secure.
But Kennedy, like Eisenhower also pursued negotiation with the Soviets. He and
Khrushchev met at Vienna in June 1961. They discussed a test ban treaty, but the issue of
Berlin dominated the summit and nothing came of it esp cuz abandoned due to u2 spy plane
incident.
, -Both K and K horrified at prospect of nuclear war. In a speech to the UN in September
1963, Kennedy made a plea for arms control and a re-examination of Cold War attitudes
saying: ‘I believe, that the Soviet Union and the United States, together with their allies, can
achieve further agreements-agreements which spring from our mutual interest in avoiding
mutual destruction.’ This was straight after a report by National Security Council- ‘Neither
the US nor the USSR can emerge from a full-scale nuclear exchange without suffering very
severe damage and high casualties.’ (combined 93million casualties)
= strategic thinking now to reduced tension to avoid possibility of MAD- no longer viable as
a deterrent to prevent use of nukes bc no guarantee of rational actors.
Strategic thinking: Both sides needed to try and prevent nuclear proliferation (rapid
increase) of weapons and prevent the spread of nuclear weapons to potentially volatile
countries= Nuclear non-proliferation treaty 1968-
S.T affected by CBM, Hiroshima an Nagasaki (long term destruction)
-Khrushchev enthusiastic about talks w USA
-Berlin + Cuba Test Ban Treaty in 1963- policy of improved relations had gone further
than Peaceful Co-existence producing a solid achievement. It showed that the two
superpowers could commit to easing tensions. Though it is important to remember there
was as of yet no attempt to reduce arms or a specific policy of détente.
The slight and short improvement in relation in 1963 was mainly to do with the shock of
how close the world had come to nuclear war. And by the time détente became a real
policy the number and capability of the nuclear arsenals possessed by each side was far
more destructive than in 1963.
WHY DÉTENTE : To avoid nuclear war/ annihilation and stabilise arms race!!! Not to accept
ideologies- As Brezhnev wrote in 1976: ‘The class struggle of the two systems … will be
continued … But we shall ensure that this does not threaten an uncontrollable arms race.’
USA- economy, V war, European détente, SS split, USSR- reputation, SS split, domestic factors
LTM benefits
A new strategy, not a new objective Wanted parity with USA to prove equal after humiliation
• Need to end the war in Vietnam- showed of CBM. Brezhnev had increased the military spending
limitations of containment and NSC68. Also straight after and had reached approximate nuclear parity
costing $30bn per year- expensive war by the end of the 1960s which forced both sides to
- Talks with USSR and China necessary to acknowledge that they each had enough weapons of mass
get peace agreement destruction to destroy the others economy
• Fear of growth of Soviet nuclear weapons- had • Concerned about unrest in Eastern Europe:
achieved nuclear parity. Need to AVOID MAD - Prague Spring 1968
esp post Cuba - Bilateral talks with Eastern Europe
• Fear of reduced influence in Western Europe -Effects of the Sino-Soviet split:
• Nixon’s new Presidency: - USSR would risk exclusion, felt encircled by hostile nations
- Wanted to try a new approach so sought better relations w west as a result. China begins
- “blessed is the peacemaker”-inaugural to work with USA At height of Sino-Soviet tension. Wanted
address= shows genuine belief in to ensure dominance as global communist power and claim
detente status quo esp as China develop nuclear bomb 1964
, - Saw it as a necessity to get out of Domestic pressures:
Vietnam and be re-elected(due to - Struggling economy and need for domestic reforms
public criticism) and help economy especially as they had faced challenges (Czech
• To capitalise on Sino-Soviet split: emerged by Prague Spring, food shortages and riots in Poland)
mid-60s. Better relations would allow cuts in military
-Nixon for a long time claimed China needed spending
to be “reintegrated to the global system”- - Arms race is killing USSR economy- redirect to
ended isolation of china 1971= admitted to technology gap and agriculture
UN - Economic problems- average growth rate slowed
- Use China to force concessions from (6.7% on 1950s, 4.2% by early 1970s, by 1982 0%)
USSR-didn’t want to lose influence to - Space race
China - Agreements might open up possibility of improved
• Kissinger’s ideas (national security advisor): and increased trade deals with the West.- For
- tie the USSR into binding linked example, the USA was developing a computer
agreements which are difficult to break industry, one area in which the Soviets lagged far
- Interdependence/linkage- make some behind and USSR begin to buy wheat from America
allowances and show good faith in (under Johnson) CUZ Crisis in food production –
some areas to hopefully force Soviet relied on imports- wanted western technology and
concessions on other issues agreements to help alleviate these problems
- Concerned that European détente meant improved without changing fundamentally- DET A MEANS TO
relations between East and West; US did not want to DO THIS
be excluded or for this to come between her and her - Brezhnev wanted to maintain support of Politburo,
European allies (especially considering De Gaulle’s Soviet Union and EE
actions re: NATO) - Helsinki Accords allowed Brezhnev to gain formal
- Domestic issues- civil rights recognition to post-war borders e.g. for East G.=
- Détente was a strategy/management tool to ensure DÉTENTE WAS BENEFICIAL. And it gave B
long term victory of US “international prestige and status”- Mark Sandle
Why détente- global factors:
1) S-S SPLIT by mid 60s: Emergence of China signalled arrival of a new independent
player;. Encouraged relations to unfreeze as USSR agreed to a summit
2) World economy: The changing world economy (increased ‘interdependence’) meant
that lines of conflict were less clear than during the ‘high cold war.’
-Value of dollar fell due to inflation and a trade deficit. US economy more vulnerable to
outside forces (‘interdependence’)
- By late 60s, Japanese and European economies growing, but US economy experiencing
recession (partly due to Vietnam).
- Independent actions of France and West Germany made US afraid Europeans might move
to their own detente which would exclude America.
- De Gaulle (President of France 1959-69) was strongly nationalist; resented America’s
dominant influence over Europe- 1966- withdrew French troops from NATO and visited
USSR.
3) Divisions within the blocs:
- 1961- Albania aligned with China and Romania weakened ties to Soviet bloc by establishing
independent military role within Warsaw Pact.
- 1966- West Germany -a new coalition government sent a ‘Peace Note’ to USSR and eastern
bloc, signalling a move away from Adenauer’s pro-US, anti-Eastern policies.
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