Failure of the Détente Between the Superpowers

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. The significance of the

Moscow summit was bolstered by the fact that it went ahead despite the

Communist spring offensive (which was partly carried out to disrupt or

even force the cancellat...

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...y détente left at all by 1979 stalled following the Soviet

invasion of Afghanistan, were suspended. The ‘Carter Doctrine’ which

followed showed the U.S. reverting back to a confrontational stance in

the Cold War and in effect, with both sides now not showing any

commitment to a relaxation in tensions, this was the confirmation of

détente’s failure.

Bibliography

· Cohen, W.I. ed. (1993), The Cambridge History of American Foreign

Relations, Volume Four, America in the Age of Soviet Power, 1945 –

1991, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press

· Froman, M.B. (1991) The Development of the Détente, Coming to Terms,

London, Macmillan Academic and Professional LTD

· Kent, J. and Young, J.W. (2004) International Relations Since 1945,

Oxford, Oxford University Press

· www.oed.com (Oxford English Dictionary online)