The leaders of both US and USSR understood the importance of remaining engaged with each other, especially when it came to the question of avoiding a nuclear conflict. After Nixon’s departure and with Ford’s arrival at the White House, the process of negotiations and détente continued. The two sides agreed to hold the next summit in the far-eastern Russian city of Vladivostok on Arms Control. After mutual consultations, November 23 and 24, 1974 were decided for President Ford to travel to Soviet Union.
The earlier agreement on strategic arms limitation signed in May 1972 (SALT I), limited the number of ballistic missiles by the Soviets to 2,360 and 1,710 for the Americans. The agreement, however, did not restrict the number of heavy bombers and (MIRVs) multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles. Both the sides were cognizant of the fact that SALT-I was to expire in October 1977, and without reaching a more permanent and comprehensive agreement, the bilateral relations would have been held hostage to the arms race. However before Ford’s visit to Vladivostok, it was Henry Kissinger, who made all the home work and his visit to Moscow in October 1974
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Brezhnev then made a passionate appeal to Ford that struck to "the heart of the Cold War dilemma": according to Kissinger, he lamented the amount of money both the Soviet Union and the United States were spending on the arms race, calling it "billions that would be much better spent for the benefit of the people". The train trip from the airport to the Okeanskaya Sanatorium, the site of the summit, took an hour and a half. Ford later reminiscenced later that while he was discussing policy matters with Brezhnev, Kissinger spent that time devouring the cookies, pastries, and mints set out on a table in the dining car, much to the amusement of his Soviet
“The distinct differences in the political systems of the two countries often prevented them from reaching a mutual understanding on key policy issues and even, as in the case of the Cuban missile crisis, brought them to the brink of war” (Library of Congress). The Soviet Union and The United States were complete opposites, The United States was a democracy whereas The Soviet Union was a dictatorship. This only began their differences though, their economies, beliefs, goals, and even their fears, everything about them made them different except for their enemy. The
The major factor that led to the true end of the Cold War was the ongoing personal and diplomatic relationship between Presidents George H. Bush and Mikhail Gorbachev. This resulted in the reduction of the Russian military and favorable arms agreements. Key indicators of the substance behind this relationship were the Soviet troop withdrawals from Czechoslovakia, Afghanistan, and Hungary (lifting the Hungarian/Austrian “Iron Curtain” along the border). Subsequently the opening of the Berl...
After thirteen days of conflict, both superpowers agreed to withdraw their missiles. Although it was a stalemate, in the US this was presented as a major victory. Nuclear war was avoided without any loss of life or destruction. Just as in the Berlin Crisis, Kennedy used diplomacy to resolve conflicts with the Soviet Union. For Kennedy, “his readiness to offer negotiations was in part based on a politician’s belief
“Was Truman Responsible for the Cold War”, well, according to author Arnold A. Offner, his simplistic answer is an obvious “yes.” “Taking Sides” is a controversial aspect of the author’s interpretation for justifying his position and perception of “Truman’s” actions. This political approach is situated around the “Cold War” era in which the author scrutinizes, delineates, and ridicules his opponents by claiming “I have an ace in the hole and one showing” (SoRelle 313). Both authors provide the readers with intuitive perceptions for their argumentative approaches in justifying whether or not “Truman” contributed to the onset of the “Cold War.” Thus far, it would be hard-pressed to blame one single individual, President or not, for the “Cold War” initiation/s. Information presented show the implications centered on the issues leading up to the Cold War”, presents different ideologies of two Presidents involving policy making, and a national relationship strained by uncooperative governments. However, evidence that is presented may indicate otherwise as Joseph Stalin provides adequate counter claims for discrediting the “simplicity” of “yes”.
With the pressure of the Cold War and the rise of tension between the World War II allies, President Ronald Reagan proposed a new defense system, a new missile that was called the (SDI) Strategic Defense Initiative. This made the Soviets more alert and alarmed. President Ronald Reagan was able to meet with the new leadership of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, to come to an agreement.... ... middle of paper ...
Perhaps Khrushchev’s acquiescence can be explained by the political-bargaining model, which predicts that parties involved in a disagreement, where the states are incredibly high, would be motivated to take any necessary steps via a bargaining process to reach a resolution. The movie reveals that the crisis was escalated not just by the Soviet Union, but also the inability of the American presidential unit to work cohesively on the same page.
After the Korean War, it was believed that the United States’ nuclear build-up had played a key role in achieving armistice. At this time, early in President Eisenhower's term in office, he had announced his policy of nuclear superiority. During this time period of nuclear build up, the Soviet Union began to find ways to overcome deficiencies in their strategic technologies2. Not soon after Eisenhower made his policy known, Russia became the first country to successfully test ICBMs, or Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles. These tactical nuclear weapons are land based rocket propelled vehicles capable of intercontinental range in excess of 4000 nautical miles....
The détente was a period in which the two superpowers, the USSR and the USA had a brief moment in which they could finally freely breathe. Although, this moment was wanted by both sides, it was not meant to last long, since neither side would stop being suspicions about each other or trying to undermine the other part. As Bradley Lightbody suggests; after the resignation of President Nixon in August 1974, as a result of the Watergate scandal, the Cold war started to flourish again. Furthermore, both President Ford and President Carter found it difficult to maintain détente against criticism of the Soviet Union’s continued interventions in the Third World.1
Failure of the Détente Between the Superpowers The French word ‘détente’, which the Oxford English Dictionary describes as “the easing of strained relations, especially in a political situation” (www.oed.com), first appeared in this context when a German newspaper used it to describe the visit of a British monarch at the beginning of the 20th century (Froman, 1991). In this essay, I will attempt to explain the cold war détente between the superpowers of the USA and the USSR in the 1970’s, concentrating first on its positive developments between 1971 and 1973 and then on the events that lead to its ultimate failure, symbolised by the soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. The first real steps of relaxation of tensions were taken with the Moscow summit and the signing of the SALT 1 (Strategic Arms Limitations Talks) agreement in May 1972. The SALT agreement was a staring point for attempts to control nuclear arms, to restrict the impact and spread of nuclear weapons and to secure a balance due to ‘Mutual Assured Destruction’ (the notion that a nuclear attack from one side would lead to a retaliation from the other and therefore both sides would be greatly damaged) between the two superpowers and were to be followed up by further arms limitations talks within the next five years (Kent and Young, 2004). Also, agreements were reached on lowering the risk of accidental confrontation and on cooperation in science, health and environmental issues.
In 1983, from disagreement in the beginning of postwar decades, to détente in the late 1960's and 1970's and back to disagreement in the early 1980's, US-Soviet relations had come full circle. Outbreak of "Cold War II" was declared by the Europeans. This situation was compared to the 1962 Cuban missile crisis and the 1948 face-off Berlin by the French President Francois Mitterrand. George Kennan, (from the doyen of Soviet-spy), exclaimed that the new superpower mess had the "familiar characteristic, the unfailing characteristic of a march toward war, and nothing else". Such fears were overstated; that even during this time of heightened tension, it is impossible in this world were the superpowers squared off in a crisis likely to escalate into full-scale nuclear war.
As the Soviet Union approaches Berlin from the East, the allied forces invade from the west. Hitler’s German war-machine was crumbling. The United States had to make an enormous decision. Should they attack the Red Army of the Soviet Union? Should they keep the increasingly shaky alliance with the Russians and end the war in Europe? America chose to remain allies, resulting in a decision that affected the world for the next 46 years. World War 2 had concluded but now there was a new enemy, the Soviet Communist.
... Cuban attack with all-out nuclear retaliation. In response to the increased Soviet ships coming with weapons, JFK ordered a blockade, which he called quarantine because a blockade is an act of war, around Cuba. For 13 days, the world held its breath as the threat of a nuclear war hung over the world, but the Soviets eventually turned back and Khrushchev agreed to remove weapons from Cuba in exchange for no US invasion of Cuba. Meanwhile in Berlin, the city was in turmoil between the East (Soviet) and the West (US controlled). In order to stop the mass exodus of East Berliners, the construction of the 90-mile Berlin Wall began. Both Kennedy and Khrushchev sought ways to ease the tension between the two groups, establishing a hotline between the White House and the Kremlin, and later this led to the Limited Ban Treaty, which banned nuclear testing in the atmosphere.
Lafeber, W. (2002), America, Russia, and the Cold War, 1945-2000. 9th edn. New-York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
... middle of paper ... ... (Khrushchev, page 11).” Even though they were still in the middle of the Cold War, Russia and America were able to somewhat civilly make an equal agreement.
...isputes, but Reagan refused to concede the right of the United States to intervene militarily if it deemed necessary. Despite this disagreement, Gorbachev and Reagan reached many agreements on issues regarding disarmament and sent a message to the world that the two biggest conflicting powers had ended their near-40 year dispute.