EAST/WEST RELATIONS, 1963-1979 Resources: Lowe, pp.157-160; Vadney, pp.415-426 Detente: permanent relaxation of tensions; accommodation between the superpowers (in the areas of arms control, Europe, ending the Vietnam War, the Middle East during the late 1960s and 1970s) Russian motives: arms race too expensive; new policy to divert more money to consumer goods production rapprochement between USA and China, and Sino-Soviet split created insecurity in the Far East [strategies: "renting 3rd World" - buying friends in 1960s and 70s (not permanent or assured) egs. India, Syria, Ghana, North Vietnam, Egypt accept Soviet aid (Angola - Soviets and Cubans back Marxists versus USA backed UNITA)] USA motives: interest in pragmatic (non-ideological) foreign policy; Vietnam War revealed limits of US power; attempts in US to limit presidential power, and the role of the CIA, and desire to end Vietnam War (new isolationism) [strategies: USA capitalizes on Sino-Soviet split] Arms Control

(Cuban Missile Crisis scared superpowers into seeking a way to manage crises and to reduce the threat of nuclear war)

Glossary of terms: ABM = anti-ballistic missile ICBM = intercontinental ballistic missile SLBM = submarine-launched ballistic missile MIRV = multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle (a single missile with several warheads each of which could have different targets) 1963 - Nuclear Test Ban Treaty - USA, UK, USSR (plus many other nations - NOT France or China) ban atmospheric and oceanic nuclear tests 1967 - Ban on testing nuclear weapons in space 1968 - Nuclear Non-Proliferation - ban transfer of nuclear arms technology to other countries (India explodes first nuclear bomb in 1974) Despite treaties, control is limited and stockpiling of weapons continues

1972 - SALT I (Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty negotiated by American President Nixon & Soviet leader Brezhnev)parity in ABMs; Soviets keep lead in ICBMs and SLBMs (no agreement about MIRVs); outlaw biological warfare; other areas of cooperation: trade (USA sells surplus wheat to Soviets), space, science, cultural exchanges USA maintains technological advantage as Soviets are achieving parity 1974 - Threshold Nuclear Test Ban - no tests above 150 kilotons without on-site inspection 1979 - SALT II (Carter- Brezhnev) Never ratified by US Senate Estimated number of nuclear explosions each year from 1963 to 1979 was between 16 and 67, mostly by USA and USSR (a few by UK, France, China, and India) Detente under Nixon: Rapprochement with China, 1972 visit to Beijing (1971 US table tennis team visit to China had been a great success) result: USA ends veto of PRC admission to the UN (Taiwan leaves UN) 1972 - Nixon visits Moscow 1980s - end of Detente with Ronald Reagan's election in 1980, Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 (fear of Islamic militancy from Iran (1979 revolution),USA frustration over Soviet and Eastern European lack of compliance with Helsinki Accords, renewed arms race Trends in Europe -Ostpolitik: West German Chancellor Willy Brandt's eastern policy (late 1960s through 1970s) goals: accept division of Europe and Germany in order to improve relations with East (through trade), and to ensure European security -Russians motivated to conciliate due to fear of a resurgent Germany [initial response in 1968 = turmoil Prague Spring, French May strikes] 1969 - Brandt signs nuclear non-proliferation treaty - Germany will not develop nuclear weapons 1970 - Non-Aggression Pacts between West Germany and Poland, and Russia 1971 - Treaty recognizing status quo in Berlin

1973 - Treaty recognizing return of Sudetenland between West Germany and Czechoslovakia 1973 - East and West Germanys join the UN 1975 - Helsinki Accords - recognition of post-WWII European borders; Eastern Europe and Russia agree to guarantee human rights (eg, freedom of expression, thought, press, emigration)

Middle East:

(Resource: Vadney, pp.427-436)

Most intense superpower rivalry in the 3rd World eg. late 1950s, USSR supports Egypt (refer to 1956 Suez Crisis)/ USA Eisenhower Doctrine: make allies with Arab states to contain expansion of communist influence in the region, and to defend Israel Russian strategy: build Arab coalition (Egypt and Syria by exploiting fear/hatred of common enemy Zionism (Israel) supported by Western imperialism - Yet, both superpowers sought to avoid entanglements in intra-regional conflicts - But, rivalry increases - 1967 (Six Day War) Soviets support Egyptian leader Nasser against Israel leading to escalation of tensions; In 1970 Palestinian Question (Syria invades Jordan in support of PLO who are engaging in terrorism using Jordan as a base of operations. King Hussein eventually expels PLO from Jordan) nearly leads to direct conflict between US and USSR -1972 - Nixon's Moscow visit: agreement to prevent military confrontation in the Middle East (detente) -1972 - Egyptian President Sadat expels Soviet advisors to try to win favor with USA; fails to do so; Sadat buys Soviet weapons to prepare for 1973 war with Israel USA and USSR are on opposing sides (selling arms to their allies), but, at same time, seek to end conflicts by engaging in cease-fire negotiations. Their priority is stability and the continued flow of OIL