1. The COLD WAR:
Tension & Uncertainty

2. From MAD to Crisis
The early Cold War was defined by brinksmanship, and superpowers depended on the deterrence of “MAD” (Mutually Assured Destruction)
Khrushchev’s policy of “Peaceful Co-existence” was an early attempt to reduce tension, but it was overshadowed by the U2 incident & The Cuban Missile Crisis

3. Cracks In the East: Prague Spring 1968
New leader in Czechoslovakia, Alexander Dubcek.
He wanted liberalization including freedom of assembly, legalize unions, limited democracy, some privately owned business and less central planning
He called it, “Socialism with a Human Face”, influenced by Tito in Yugoslavia.
He reassured Moscow that Czechoslovakia would not leave the Warsaw Pact.

4. Cracks In the East: Prague Spring 1968
By July Soviet tanks had encircled Czechoslovakia, but Dubcek did not back down.
Aug 21, Soviet troops invaded Czechoslovakia; over 100 protesters were killed.
Dubcek was arrested, and eventually replaced in early 1969 by a pro-soviet hardliner, Gustav Husak.

5. Cracks In the East: Prague Spring 1968
“The News In Pictures, Aug. 21, 2008

6. Cracks In the East: Prague Spring 1968

7. Cracks In the East: Prague Spring 1968

8. Cracks In the East: Prague Spring 1968

9. Cracks In the East: Prague Spring 1968

10. Cracks In the East: Prague Spring 1968

11. No Joy: The Brezhnev Doctrine
The Prague Spring did not bring about a new face for socialism.
Communism quickly reasserted itself
Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev ( ), declared the USSR would intervene if any country tried to leave the Warsaw Pact.
This was a reverse justification for intervention in Hungary (1956) and Poland (1968).
The Cold War remained tense

12. What is Détente? Détente (French: relaxation)
Détente is an easing of tensions between rivals, especially nations.
There were encouraging signs of Détente as the cold war progressed, often from leaders one would not suspect.

13. Nixon in the White House
Nixon, a strong anti-communist, came to power in the US on a platform of seeking “Peace with Honor” in Vietnam.
Strategic Arms Limitations Talks (SALT) began in 1969 between the US & USSR.
SALT 1 came into effect in 1972 and resulted in minor reductions in ICBM’s and improved relations.
The SALT talks (yes, I know it is redundant), were very encouraging to those who hoped for détente.

14. Nixon goes to China
Ping-Pong Diplomacy: In 1971 the US Table Tennis team was invited to China, paving the way for improved relations.
In 1972, Nixon visited China, in an attempt to normalize relations between the two. (the US would recognize Com. China in 1979)

15. Détente on a roll In 1975 the Helsinki Accords were signed.
They were a multilateral declaration designed to improve relations between the western and eastern blocs.
SALT II, (further arms reductions), was set to come into effect in 1979, but were never ratified because of… (next slide)

16. Détente: Full Stop
In December 1979 the USSR deployed troops to Afghanistan.
This act ended Détente, and led to a boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics by most western countries.