Nuclear proliferation
Nuclear proliferation is the increase in the amount of nuclear weapons a country has, or the spread of nuclear capabilities to non-nuclear countries.
The superpowers feared nuclear weaponry could fall into the hands of ‘rogue’ governments or terrorist groups. This would have disastrous results for all.
Each side saw themselves as ‘responsible’. But if more countries had nuclear capability, the superpowers would have less power to control events.
The impact of China
The USSR and China had major political disagreements despite both sides being communist.
Khrushchev and Mao had different views on how a communist country should be governed. Khrushchev was determined to wipe out hardliner Stalinist policies, while Mao adopted many of them.
The USA and USSR agreed a policy of Peaceful Co-Existence. This frustrated Mao. He believed the USSR should be doing more to spread communism.
China became a much more serious threat to both sides when it successfully created its first atomic bomb in 1964.
Ostpolitik
In the late 1960s European countries took a role in promoting the idea of détente. West Germany under Willy Brandt developed Ostpolitik (Eastern Policy). This encouraged greater cooperation and communication through the Iron Curtain. Ostpolitik led to warmer relations between many Eastern and Western countries.
There was a great deal of cooperation and good will between the superpowers during the period of détente.
| Year | Event | Details |
| 1972 | President Nixon visited Moscow | Nixon met Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. The first time a US President had been in the USSR since 1945. |
| 1973 | Brezhnev visited Washington | This emphasised the commitment to work together. |
| 1974 | President Nixon visited Moscow | This showed continued commitment. |
| 1975 | Apollo-Soyuz Test Project | Joint space flight by Soviet and American astronauts. |
| 1970s | Increase in trade | The Soviet economy was in trouble and had to accept grain shipments from the USA. |
| Year | 1972 |
|---|---|
| Event | President Nixon visited Moscow |
| Details | Nixon met Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. The first time a US President had been in the USSR since 1945. |
| Year | 1973 |
|---|---|
| Event | Brezhnev visited Washington |
| Details | This emphasised the commitment to work together. |
| Year | 1974 |
|---|---|
| Event | President Nixon visited Moscow |
| Details | This showed continued commitment. |
| Year | 1975 |
|---|---|
| Event | Apollo-Soyuz Test Project |
| Details | Joint space flight by Soviet and American astronauts. |
| Year | 1970s |
|---|---|
| Event | Increase in trade |
| Details | The Soviet economy was in trouble and had to accept grain shipments from the USA. |
A number of political agreements were made during the détente period.
| Year | Agreement | Effect |
| 1963 | Nuclear Test Ban Treaty | Signed by the USSR, USA and UK. This banned the testing of nuclear weapons on the ground and in the atmosphere but not underground. |
| 1967 | Outer-Space Treaty | Signed by the USSR, USA and UK. Banned the placement and testing of nuclear weapons in space and on the moon. |
| 1968 | Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty | An agreement to stop or limit the spread of nuclear capability to non-nuclear countries. The five recognised nuclear countries were USA, USSR, UK, China and France. |
| 1971 | Seabed Treaty | Signed by the USSR, USA and UK. Banned the placement of nuclear weapons anywhere on the seabed. |
| 1972 | SALT I | Signed by Nixon and Brezhnev in 1972. The first superpower agreement which put limits on nuclear missile numbers. However, proliferation continued as the limits were so high. |
| 1975 | Helsinki Agreement | Three ‘baskets’ of agreements. Both sides agreed to recognise the current borders of European countries, respect human rights and freedoms in their respective countries and help each other economically and technologically. |
| 1979 | SALT II | There was agreement over limiting the production of long-range missiles. However, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979 and the Cold War began to heat up once more. |
| Year | 1963 |
|---|---|
| Agreement | Nuclear Test Ban Treaty |
| Effect | Signed by the USSR, USA and UK. This banned the testing of nuclear weapons on the ground and in the atmosphere but not underground. |
| Year | 1967 |
|---|---|
| Agreement | Outer-Space Treaty |
| Effect | Signed by the USSR, USA and UK. Banned the placement and testing of nuclear weapons in space and on the moon. |
| Year | 1968 |
|---|---|
| Agreement | Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty |
| Effect | An agreement to stop or limit the spread of nuclear capability to non-nuclear countries. The five recognised nuclear countries were USA, USSR, UK, China and France. |
| Year | 1971 |
|---|---|
| Agreement | Seabed Treaty |
| Effect | Signed by the USSR, USA and UK. Banned the placement of nuclear weapons anywhere on the seabed. |
| Year | 1972 |
|---|---|
| Agreement | SALT I |
| Effect | Signed by Nixon and Brezhnev in 1972. The first superpower agreement which put limits on nuclear missile numbers. However, proliferation continued as the limits were so high. |
| Year | 1975 |
|---|---|
| Agreement | Helsinki Agreement |
| Effect | Three ‘baskets’ of agreements. Both sides agreed to recognise the current borders of European countries, respect human rights and freedoms in their respective countries and help each other economically and technologically. |
| Year | 1979 |
|---|---|
| Agreement | SALT II |
| Effect | There was agreement over limiting the production of long-range missiles. However, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979 and the Cold War began to heat up once more. |