Detente

Question 1

Detente

Answer 1

French for “relaxation,” is “a process of managing relations with a potentially hostile country in order to preserve peace while maintaining our vital interests” (Henry Kissinger, USA Secretary of state 1974

Question 2

Definition of the Cold War

Answer 2

a period of Geopolitical tension between the US, the USSR, and their allies that started in 1947 and ended in 1991 with the fall of the Soviet Union

Question 3

Perestroika

Answer 3

Gorbachev’s policy of political and economic reform that was designed to introduce some aspects of a market economy to socialism and allowed for private ownership of businesses (with heavy regulation by the state)

Question 4

Glasnost

Answer 4

Gorbachev’s policy of increased transparency with the people, allowing people to openly discuss the problems with the government

Question 5

Death of Stalin

Answer 5

1953- event that allowed for new leadership to begin a movement to improve relations with other countries and allowed for the beginning of detente

Question 6

Geneva Conference of 1956

Answer 6

1956 conference where Khrushchev, Bulganin, and Western allies met to talk about the reuinification of Germany, European security, disarmament, etc. Didn’t do much in terms of actual policy, but did set the stage for later movements in detente

Question 7

Polish Crisis

Answer 7

Riots in June 1956 led to Gomutka being placed president, despite Soviet wishes, and the Red Army almost marched into Poland but was stopped by a last-minute compromise

Question 8

Hungarian Uprising

Answer 8

23 October 1956, protestors in Budapest demanded Soviet troops withdraw from Hungary and Imre Nagy (independent communist) to be leader. Nagy was placed as Prime Minister and immediately tried to withdraw from the Warsaw Pact, despite the USSR trying to regain further control. The US encouraged the rebels under Nagy, but they were eventually crushed by the Soviets, leading to tension

Question 9

Suez Crisis

Answer 9

Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal to use the taxes to pay for a dam, and Britain, France, and Israel created a joint plan to invade Egypt. Khrushchev used this to try and split the US and the rest of NATO (weakened NATO), and also strengthen his position in the Middle East

Question 10

Khrushchev’s Nuclear Diplomacy

Answer 10

1957
Khrushchev’s policy of using threat of nuclear weapons to force negotiations and concessions with NATO with Berlin

Question 11

Berlin Crisis

Answer 11

1958
Khrushchev tried to use nuclear diplomacy to force the West to make concessions w/ Berlin & the GDR, withdraw from West Berlin, and recognize the GDR. Ultimately leads to Berlin Wall and the crumbling of detente

Question 12

Sino-Soviet Split

Answer 12

failing of the alliance between USSR and China meant that USSR pursued detente more heavily because they had no allies to back them up. Also allowed for the US to make more agreements with the PRC

Question 13

Cuban Missle Crisis

Answer 13

USSR decides to place nuclear missles in 1962 in response to failed Bay of Pigs invasion of communist Cuba, and an American spy plane spots them on 14 October. A quarantine zone is placed around Cuba, and Kennedy warns that if a missile launches from Cuba, the US would launch theirs on the USSR. Eventually on 25 October, compromise was suggested tha the USSR would withdraw missiles and the US would not invade. USSR accepts this. Leads to both sides realizing how close they were to war and moved closer to cooperation

Question 14

Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

Answer 14

1963
banned nuclear tests in the atmosphere, underwater, and outerspace, but did allow for underground tests. Direct response to the Cuban Missle Crisis and started movements to reduce nuclear arms

Question 15

US Entrance into Vietnam

Answer 15

1965`
US’s policy of anti-communism made it difficult for the USSR to continue detente, since they were under pressure from China to support the northern Vietnam communists

Question 16

Soviet Invasion of Czechslovakia

Answer 16

1968
created delay in detente negotiations, because the US was opposed to the Soviet expansion and warned against further intervention

Question 17

Nixon Becomes President

Answer 17

1968
restarted detente after a period of inactivity, committed to withdrawing forces from Vietnam and continuing work on SALT

Question 18

Ostpolitik

Answer 18

improvement of relations between Western Germany (FRG) and Eastern Europe

Question 19

Moscow Treaty

Answer 19

1970
foundation of Ostpolitik”, where USSR and the FRG declared they had no territorial claims against any other state and agreed to negotiate treaties with Poland, GDR, and Czechslovakia

Question 20

Four-Power Treaty

Answer 20

1971
negotiations between Britain, France, US, and USSR about the future of West Berlin. USSR conceded to acknowledging ties and free traffic between West Berlin and the FRG, while the West agreed that West Berlin was not legally part of the FRG, despite their ties

Question 21

SALT 1 Treaty

Answer 21

1972
massive treaty for disarmament, created a five year freeze on construction of missile launchers and freeze on construction of multiple types of ballistic missles

Question 22

Vladivostok Summit/SALT II Negotiations

Answer 22

1974
attempts to further disarmament started by the SALT I Treaty, but US Senate was skeptical and believed that the USSR was taking advantage of disarmament and refused to ratify the treaty in its negotiated state, killing it

Question 23

Helsinki Accords

Answer 23

1975
a high point for detente, where European states, Canada, and US agreed to continue settling disputes peacefully and not interfering in other states, promote cooperation in economics, science, and tech, and ensure all states agreed to human rights and humanitarianism

Question 24

Soviet Missles in Europe

Answer 24

1976
USSR placed SS-20 medium-range nuclear missiles in central Europe. Threatened NATO, and both sides were unable to find a compromise and the US placed their own missiles in Europe

Question 25

Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan

Answer 25

1979
USSR wanted to prevent Afghanistan from falling under the control of a traditional Islamic government and preserve communism in the region, despite it technically being a non-aligned state. Soviet troops were moved to the area in late December 1979

Question 26

Reagan Becomes President

Answer 26

1981
Reagan was openly hostile towards the USSR and detente, essentially killing it during his presidency due to distrust of the Soviets

Question 27

Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)

Answer 27

1983
also known as “Star Wars”, SDI was Reagan’s plan to create an anti-ballistic missile shield with nuclear missiles and satellites in space to protect against Soviet attack. Never came to fruition

Question 28

Gorbachev comes to power

Answer 28

1985
Gorbachev believed that the Cold War must end if the Soviets ever want to survive long term, so he aggressively pursued detente to further that goal

Question 28

USSR recognizes human rights

Answer 28

1986
USSR follows the Helsinki accords to some extent, in hopes of improving relations

Question 29

Removal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan

Answer 29

1988
another attempt to improve international relations by stopping a very unpopular war and withdrawing whatever the cost

Question 30

End of Sino Soviet Dispute

Answer 30

1989
removal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan, the PRC border, and Cambodia cleared tension with the PRC, and new leaders of PRC agreed to peace

Question 31

Fall of the Soviet Union

Answer 31

1991, ended detente because detente relied upon negotiations between the US and USSR and since the USSR no longer existed, detente couldn’t either