Lecture 8: Why did Detente end in a Second Cold War? Why was there a relaxation of tensions at all? USSR: · They needed to use resources for consumer goods to raise the standard of living instead of producing weapons. · They were focused on keeping China isolated from the West US: · Nixon hoped that the USSR could put pressure on North Vietnam to end the war · Kissinger thought that too much concentration on Vietnam had allowed America's standing in the rest of the world to slip · Like the USSR, the American economy was faltering, so it diverted its economy from the manufacturing of armaments to resources for the public good. Achievements of Détente · SALT 1 - limited anti-ballistic missiles, intercontinental ballistic missiles and established the Basic Principles Agreement, 1972. · SALT 2 - limited numbers of strategic nuclear delivery vehicles and banned the testing or deployment of new types of ICBMs or rapid reload systems, 1979. · Soviet agreements with East and West Germany · Agreements between the USA and China · The Helsinki Agreement. 1973 What Went Wrong? · Many in the USA felt the arms agreements gave the USSR an advantage. · The USA suspected the USSR knew in advance about Egypt's invasion of Israel in 1973 but failed to warn them. · Soviet involvement in the Angolan Civil War. · The Soviets+Cubans supported Ethiopia against Somalia in 1977, seemed as though the USSR was pursuing expansionism in key world areas.
The Collapse · Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan 1989; Carter thought this showed real Soviet intentions. · Lead to a refusal to approve SALT 2 and the US boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. · Carter promised to increase real terms defence spending in next 5 years and commit USA to intervention in the Persian Gulf if required. The Second Cold War US: · Reagan was elected on a strong anti-Communist platform, belief that the USA needed to re-assert its power. · Developed new nuclear weapons, Trident submarines, 'Star Wars.' · Reagan Doctrine gave assistance to anti-Communist insurgencies. · Aggressive language - "The Evil Empire." USSR: · Soviet shooting down of a Korean airliner that had entered their airspace killed all 269 on board. · Similarly aggressive language; Andropov called US policies 'a militarist course which poses a grave threat to peace.'