International and Public Affairs

2023; 7(1): 9-13

http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/ipa
doi: 10.11648/j.ipa.20230701.12
ISSN: 2640-4184 (Print); ISSN: 2640-4192 (Online)

Critical Analysis of the Detente Period in the Cold War

Nikita Bansal
Kirit P. Mehta School of Law, NMIMS, Mumbai, India

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To cite this article:

Nikita Bansal. Critical Analysis of the Detente Period in the Cold War. International and Public Affairs. Vol. 7, No. 1, 2023, pp. 9-13.
doi: 10.11648/j.ipa.20230701.12

Received: November 14, 2022; Accepted: November 29, 2022; Published: May 31, 2023

Abstract: The 1970s détente was a significant era in world history after the cold war since it marked the beginning of the
fall of the Soviet bloc and the end of the rise of Soviet communism. Detente is a French term that means "relaxation of
tension”. The actions of the Soviet Union during the era of détente were not part of any coherent policy but rather represented
an expansion of the conservative ideological system instituted by Leonid Brezhnev. However, the Soviet Union was unable to
fully benefit from détente. The overextension of the Soviet Union in the Third World and the increasing dependency on global
trends laid the groundwork for the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union a decade later. This is termed the disintegration of the
USSR in 1991. This paper aims to discuss the reasons for adopting the detente period which was the failure of the USA in the
Vietnam war, the Cuban missile crisis and many more and the forms of cooperation between the two super blocs which are
SALT I and SALT II treaties which talks about the nuclear arms control between the two superpowers. This paper also
highlights the Helsinki Final Act and the ten principles adopted in the act.
Keywords: Communism, Disintegration, Cold War, Detente, Super Blocs, Helsinki Final Act

which attempted to maintain the tension in the central

1. Introduction balance at a high pitch. Detente refers to an endeavour made
Detente is a French term that means "relaxation of tension”. by both superpowers to increase mutual respect,
The period from 1967- 1979 I termed as detente period. As understanding, and cooperation, which may eventually lessen
the superpower rivalry and hostility diminished, a relaxed the severity of the cold war conflict. Detente, however,
mood in international relations began to take hold. The term continues to be a complex notion that can signify different
"detente" was used to describe this quiet environment. [1] things to different individuals. It is in no way comparable to
Detente, in some form, was necessary for survival throughout rapprochement. Detente is more of a political initiative that
the nuclear era. It was decided that the two power blocs has so far demonstrated its effectiveness. In actuality, it was
would not engage in open hostilities. The Cold War was a in 1969 that the detente process became apparent in both
conflict that lasted from 1945 until 1962. [2] The Cold War Sino-American and Soviet-American relations. The detente
had not ended throughout the time of detente. Brezhnev, the process had a profound impact on international relations
head of the Soviet party, used the Russian word "Razryadka," throughout the 1970s. In the following periods, it
which during the Cold War meant "slackened attention." The undoubtedly also went through several ups and downs, which
human issue persuaded a world leader that a Third World will be covered in detail below. In this paper, we will discuss
War would be possible. By then, both superpowers had and understand the causes or the reasons for the Detente
concluded that a nuclear conflict would be fatal. Two which were the Cuban missile crisis, the Vietnam war,
Superpowers understood that by working together, their money problems in the USA and the Soviet Union, fear of
mistrust could be lessened and the severity of the war might war and differences between the USSR and China and many
be lowered. Both parties felt it beneficial to broaden the more. Also, we will come across the treaties or agreements
realms of collaboration because doing so served their shared signed by the USA and Soviet Union such as Partial Test Ban
interests. The detente is an intentional and purposeful effort Treaty (1963), NPT- The Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treat
to drastically lower this stress in contrast to the cold war, (1968) [14], SALT I (1972), SALT II (1979) etc. Here in this
paper, we will read about Helsinki Accords also known as
10 Nikita Bansal: Critical Analysis of the Detente Period in the Cold War

Helsinki Final Act or Helsinki Declaration along with the to accept the need for a detente in international relations.
principles and agreements laid down in it. All these factors influenced the two superpowers to
adopt detente and suspend the cold war in international
relations.
2. What Were the Reasons or Causes of 2) Differences between the USSR and China: During
Detente China's first Five Year Plan (from 1953–1957), the
Soviet Union significantly increased its economic,
In the 1960s, there was a distinct increase in tension cultural, and technical assistance to the country. The
between the United States of America, the Soviet Union, and Soviet Union's aid programme to China at the time was
some of the Soviet Union's allies. The thawing of relations the most extensive ever offered by a developed nation
between nations has been referred to by a variety of names to a developing one. In 1956 and 1957, there were
during the course of the past decade. The Western world already noticeable disagreements between the Soviet
referred to it as ‘detente’, while the Soviet Union and West and Chinese Communist Parties. They started narrow
Germany referred to it as ‘razryadka’ [7] and ‘Ostpolitik’, and shallow, focusing only on ideological issues, but
respectively. have since expanded to include more substantive topics
Others had the perspective that Détente was nothing more such as the economy, politics, and even foreign policy.
than the normalisation of ties between the superpowers. By Even as Khrushchev attempted detente between the
the late 1960s, the animosity and hostility that had been Soviet Union and the United States, tensions between
maintained between the US and Soviet leaders over a period China and the United States deepened in response to the
of 25 years had become impossible to sustain. Two of the Great Leap Forward's early failure. In 1960,
world's superpowers realised that if they worked together, Khrushchev called for the return of Soviet Union
their mutual mistrust might be reduced, and the intensity of specialists. The USSR was also persuaded in favour of
the conflict could be mitigated. Because expanding the detente by the rise of divisions between China and the
realms of collaboration supported both sides' shared goals, USSR. Additionally, it influenced the United States to
they viewed this move as mutually beneficial and saw it as establish ties with communist countries.
having positive implications. The term "detente" refers to an 3) Cuban Missile Crisis: During the events of the Cuban
effort that was made by both of the world's superpowers to Missile Crisis, which took place from October 15-28,
improve their level of respect, understanding, and 1962, the United States of America and the Soviet
collaboration with one another in the hopes that this may, in Union took opposing sides against one another to
the long run, result in the cold war becoming less intensely further their respective national security interests. This
contentious. was the high point of the [3] Cold War. The Soviet
After maintaining relations during the Cold War from Union made an effort during this period to address the
1945 until 1970, the United States of America and the Soviet issue of its deficit of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles
Union entered a period of detente during the 1970s [4]. The in comparison to those of the United States by
two were pushed in favour of detente by the following factors: stationing shorter-range nuclear missiles within Cuba, a
1) Failure of the USA in the Vietnam war: Between 1 communist nation that is allied with the Soviet Union
November 1955 and 30 April 1975, when Saigon fell, and is located directly off the coast of the United States.
there was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia The United States and the Soviet Union were placed on
known as the Vietnam War. An extended war that a more equal footing in terms of security and status as a
fought the government of South Vietnam and its main result of this step, which permitted the Soviet Union to
ally, the United States, against the communist reach several of the United States' main population
government of North Vietnam and its supporters, the centres with nuclear bombs [5]. The United States was
Viet Cong, in South Vietnam. The primary motivation able to bring an end to the crisis by imposing an
for America's involvement in Vietnam was to stop a embargo on the country in question, but the ever-
communist takeover of the country. For that purpose, it present risk of nuclear annihilation did not go away. The
was a failure, as in July 1976, the two Vietnams merged two superpowers became aware of the necessity to
under a communist banner. Attacks on North curtail the extent of the cold war by establishing
Vietnamese and Viet Cong safe houses in Cambodia and cooperative and amicable relations after the Cuban
Laos were carried out by American and South Missile Crisis of 1962, which had taken them to the
Vietnamese forces. All parties involved in the conflict in verge of war.
Vietnam, including the United States, the Viet Cong, 4) Fear of War: Both the United States of America and the
and North and South Vietnam, signed a peace accord in Soviet Union, two adversarial superpowers, had
January 1973. Soon after, the United States withdrew amassed several nuclear warheads that were possibly
virtually all of its troops from Vietnam. Unfortunately, hazardous, which led them to realise the pointlessness
the war continued. The growing opposition to U.S. of continuing such a ludicrous race. The ever-increasing
involvement in Vietnam and the American realisation costs of a continued arms race ultimately led to the
about the futility of the Vietnam War also influenced it establishment of a period of detente. The desire to
 International and Public Affairs 2023; 7(1): 9-13 11

prevent conflicts between two superpowers that could around which the Non-Aligned Movement was founded.
escalate to thermonuclear war as well as the fear of During the time of the Cold War, the NAM campaigned
nuclear war, which could annihilate both parties for the abolition of colonialism and aimed to prevent
involved in the battle. The first factor in the tension's countries from becoming embroiled in the conflict on
reduction was the realisation that the threat posed by the either side. A significant goal of nonalignment was to
superpowers would, in the long run, hinder the ability of achieve a state of detente. Achieving a state of detente
the target countries to flourish economically without was one of the goals that the non-aligned movement
increasing their level of safety. diligently strived for during its existence. Nonalignment
5) USSR and its bloc are playing a larger role in world was all about detente, relaxing tensions, returning
politics: Even though both the USSR and China adhered relationships to normal, maintaining peace, and
to the communist ideology, the two countries had coexisting with one another. Jawaharlal had suggested
significant political differences. The Soviet Union as early as 1958 that the Soviet Union and the United
viewed China as a potential adversary and prioritised States should directly speak to each other rather than at
improving relations with the United States. The onset of each other, as they had gotten into the habit of doing.
détente presented a chance for propaganda on both sides. Jawaharlal was a member of the Indian National
They might individually present themselves to the Congress. the development of the non-aligned
public as pacifists who were concerned with the well- movement and the success with which non-aligned
being of the global community. The Soviet Union and countries, like India, were able to establish friendly ties
the Socialist bloc's growing influence in world affairs with both communist and non-communist states also
also affected the United States of America in favour of forced the USSR and USA to acknowledge the
detente. likelihood of friendship and cooperation between
6) Peaceful Co-Existence: [10] The Soviet theory of communist and democratic nations. It inspired them to
peaceful coexistence proposed that the United States work to advance amicable cooperation.
and the Soviet Union, as well as their respective
political ideologies, could coexist rather than fight one
another. Khrushchev made an effort to demonstrate his 3. What Were the Forms of Cooperation
commitment to peaceful coexistence by participating in Between the USA and the USSR
international peace conferences such as the Geneva
Conference. Initiated by Russia under Malenkov's During the 1970s, there were efforts made by both the
presidency was the peaceful coexistence strategy. United States and the Soviet Union to forge closer ties with
During the time of the cold war, China and the Soviet one another. After the Cuban missile crisis, which came
Union came up with the idea of peaceful coexistence as dangerously close to igniting a nuclear war, both the United
a way for communist states to coexist with capitalist States of America and the Soviet Union were keen to relieve
states and, in the case of China, with regional powers. the tension. The rising costs of competing in the arms race
This concept was developed as a mechanism for were a contributing factor to falling living standards. Both
communist states to coexist with capitalist states. One sides reached an agreement that a new strategy was necessary
factor that contributed to the Sino-Soviet split in the because increasing military strength had not been successful
1950s and 1960s was disagreements over the various in reducing tensions in the conflict.
interpretations of peaceful coexistence and how they Even though detente did not result at the end of the Cold
should be applied. This disagreement was caused by the War, it was still responsible for several significant
fact that the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of advancements. The willingness of both superpowers to
China applied it in different ways. During the communicate has resulted in several positive outcomes,
Khrushchev and later Brezhnev Kosygin eras at the including the decrease of nuclear weapons stockpiles, the
20th Congress of the Communist Party in February adoption of anti-nuclear proliferation agreements, and arms
1956 Stalin, it became more obvious. His actions drew reduction summits. Richard Nixon's visit to communist
criticism, and the Leninist idea that war with capitalist China in 1972 is often regarded as the most significant
nations was unavoidable was changed. The Soviet example of political recognition of communist countries
Union accepted the principle of peaceful coexistence as extended by the West.
the basis of its foreign policy. The Soviet Union started In 1972, then-President Nixon [8] made a trip to Moscow,
to restructure its foreign policy, Hartmann said. The where he met with then-Soviet Leader Brezhnev. This event
new strategy highlighted the Soviet willingness to signalled the beginning of a new, friendlier relationship
diplomatically address unresolved Bash-West issues. between the world's superpowers.
The detente process continued to gain momentum as a After that, the United States and the Soviet Union signed a
result of the US's slow response to the policy of series of deals that were as follows:
peaceful coexistence. 1) Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT I) [9]
7) Role of Non-Aligned Movement: Cooperation, The United States of America and the Soviet Union,
neutrality, and self-determination were the three pillars which were the two superpowers at the time of the Cold
12 Nikita Bansal: Critical Analysis of the Detente Period in the Cold War

War, participated in two rounds of bilateral discussions and States still maintains its most critical programmes,
related international accords on the subject of weapons including those. However, on the first try, they were
control. SALT I is the abbreviation for the agreement ineffective.
reached on May 26, 1972, regarding the negotiations for the
limiting of strategic weapons. They sought to put a halt to a
developing rivalry in defensive systems that threatened to 4. What Was the Helsinki Final Act
drive offensive competition to even higher levels through a About
Treaty on the Limitation of Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems.
The two countries took the first steps to tamp down It was thought that the iconic summit that took place in
competition over their most potent land- and submarine- Helsinki in 1975 with representatives from 35 countries and
based offensive nuclear weapons in an Interim Agreement the signing of its final act had put an end to the Cold War for
on Certain Measures Concerning the Limitation of Strategic the time being. When it came to matters of national security
Offensive Arms. After two and a half years of negotiation, in the 1970s, the primary preoccupation of West European
the first round of SALT was brought to a conclusion when nations was to strengthen their ties with the United States
President Nixon and General Secretary Brezhnev signed the while also strengthening their ties with the Soviet Union.
ABM Treaty and the Interim Agreement on strategic Improved ties were reflected in several ways, including a less
offensive arms during a summit meeting in Moscow. This tense climate; more cultural, business, and personal
marked the end of the first round of SALT. In addition to exchanges; and a reduction in the number of forces utilised
these imbalances in their strategic capabilities, the by both sides. [12] These were goals that were also held by
countries' respective defence requirements and pledges the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union proposed holding a
diverged significantly from one another. The United States conference to discuss the state of security in Europe. The
of America had commitments for the protection of friends purpose of the meeting was to discuss various matters
located overseas, such as Western Europe and Japan, but concerning safety. Despite the West's and non-aligned
the allies of the Soviet Union were located near it. Because countries' insistence that the borders could not be considered
of all of these factors, it was impossible to determine if final, the gathering concluded that they should not be altered
specific weapons or types of weaponry were equivalent The using force and made this decision. The key last act of the
number of strategic ballistic missile launchers was frozen at Helsinki Declaration, which was signed by all 35 nations in
current levels, and new submarine-launched ballistic 1975, is formal and normative, even though it does not have
missile launchers could only be added when an equivalent any legal force. The concluding act had ten guiding
number of older intercontinental ballistic missile and principles, which were as follows:
submarine-launched ballistic missile launchers were 1) Sovereign equality of all nations
decommissioned. 2) Respect for the right of all
2) Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT II) [6] 3) Neither to use nor threaten the use of force
The term "SALT" refers to two rounds of talks on nuclear 4) Inviolability of frontiers and territorial integrity of
arms control that were held between the United States and states
the Soviet Union. The duration of SALT II was from 1972 5) Peaceful settlement of international disputes
until 1979. Carter and Brezhnev signed the SALT-II 6) Non- interference in the internal affairs of each other
agreement at a meeting that took place in Vienna in June of 7) Freedom of expression and faith and worship and
1979. The deal, in essence, brought the two countries up to respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms
the same level in terms of the number of nuclear weapons 8) Equality and people’s right to self-determination
delivery systems that they each possessed. Additionally, it 9) Cooperation among states
restricted the total quantity of MIRV missiles -missiles with 10)Observance of responsibilities implied in international
multiple, independent nuclear warheads. The discussions law
for SALT II, which took place between 1972 and 1979, had The final act outlines several principles for cultural and
as their primary objective the slowing or stopping of the economic collaboration going forward. Participants made a
manufacturing of strategic nuclear weapons. It was a solemn commitment to work toward the promotion of
continuation of the conversations that had taken place fundamental human rights in all of their contacts that take
during SALT I, which were presided over by place across international borders. The detractors emphasized
representatives from both countries. The initial nuclear how challenging it was for the USSR and the states of East
arms reduction treaty, known as SALT II, expected that Europe to keep their promises. The leaders of both countries
both parties would cut their strategic forces. As a result of reaffirm their dedication to respecting and honouring the
the proliferation of new missile programmes, both camps terms of the final act reached in Helsinki. They hope that the
felt they had no choice but to place restrictions on the Cold War will soon come to an end and that good relations
development of new types of strategic missiles. Even will be restored between the East and the West [13]. The
though they were too sluggish to be effective on the first try, heads of state of the world's most powerful nations have
President Jimmy Carter planned to use Trident and cruise promised to respect and honour the terms of the Helsinki
missiles as his primary defensive weapon, and the United Final Act. They believe that the Cold War will be forgotten
 International and Public Affairs 2023; 7(1): 9-13 13

as a result of the East's and West's growing relationship. The

former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Harold
Wilson, addressed the concept of the Helsinki spirit. When
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