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The Brezhnev Era 1972-85 - Coggle Diagram
The Brezhnev Era 1972-85
Ostpolitik
New approach to East-West German relations
Willy Brandt appointed chancellor of West Germany in October 1969
Strategy to negotiate with USSR, settle polish border and negotiate with GDR
Abandoned Hallesteine doctrine (september 1955) and recgonised East Germany - had been huge barrier to European detente
Non-Aggression Pact
: August 1970 between West Germany and USSR. Easing of tensions
Warsaw Treaty
December 1970: Recognised post war Polish border and allowed ethnic germans in Poland to emigrate in West Germany.
Walter Ulbricht replaced by Honnecker in May 1971 - shift in relations as Ulbricht 'last stalinist'. Allowed possibility of 'two states within one german nation'
Basic Treaty, 21 December 1972
Two germanies signed agreements formally recognising each other. Settled relations and provided a route for other nations to establish relations with GDR. By end of 1973 both were in the UN. Critical for European detente
Helsinki Accords
Convening of European security conference of Eastern and Western and USA. Discussion began in 1972, final meeting in 1975
Signed 30 July - 1 August 1975: 35 nations which could all veto. Divided into baskets
Basket I
Security in Europe: No use of threat of force, cooperation and peaceful settlement to be used. Respect current borders
Basket II
Cooperation in science, technology and environment: Addressed trade, individual cooperation, transport, science, technology, tourism, labour and entertainment
Basket III
Cooperation in humanitarian and other fields: Free movement of people, ideas and allowed human rights
Soviet position: more concerned with relations, security, borders and not with human rights basket. Accepted conditions due to commitment to detente
US position: Not fully committed to political status quo but accepted as didn't want NATO power reduced
Arms race still continued
Kissinger saw SALT as a guarantee of nuclear race not reviving, but Schlesinger urged that US must ensure technological superiority
Mid 1978 USSR refused to end deployment of SS-20 missiles
December 1979 - Carter convinced NATO allied to increase military spending by 3%
USSR invasion of Afghanistan on 25 December 1979 impacted detente
The extent of Detente by 1979
Reasons for detente: USSR- Reduce arms expenditure, access to greater technology.
USA- Reduce military spending
By 1969, USSR had reached US capability for MAD
Strategic Arms Limitations Talks (SALT)
: Talks from 1969, signed 26 May 1972.
Limited ABMs - could use in capital cities and restricted ABM value.
Showed both recognises strength of other and of nuclear capacities.
450 strategic bombs for US and 140 for USSR
1054 ICBMs for US, 1618 for USSR
Agreement to only last 5 years
Significance: Foundation that allowed detente. Open negotiations from which both could gain
Limitations: Treaty on offensive weapons, no limitations on cruise missile systems or new tech such as MIRVs. Ran out in 1979
Moscow Summit 1972
May 1972
Set out guidelines for relations and basic principles outlined
1st principle to conduct mutual relations with no interference in internal affairs
2nd principle to avoid military confrontation
3rd principle to prevent conflict leading to international tenion
SALT I signed at Moscow Summit May 1972. Anti-ballistic missile treaty signed and showed cooperation between nations
Vladivostock Summit
November 1974
Visit to Moscow by Kissinger
Agreed on framework for 10 year plan - preliminary SALT II
Reduced strategic systems to 2400, Ban on ICBM launchers. Limited deployment of arms
Cooperation and detente
Jan 1977- Carter proposed changes to Vladivostock, rejected by Brezhnev
Showed SALT would be lengthy
Vienna Summit
June 18 1979
SALT II finalised and signed (talks began in 1972)
Allowed Soviet and US governments to communicate directly with each other, rather than through intermediates
Established numerical equality in nuclear arms
SALT II
Numerical equality in nuclear arms
18 June 1979
Allowed spike in Soviet-US trade to $2.8 billion
Detente seen, although had been tension over no of ICBMS - Soviets 3, US 2
Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, 25 December 1979
In April 1978 a coup in Afghanistan by PDPA, which became factionalised- feared Amin may align with USA, causing a threat on Soviet border
Soviets intervened for 'security purposes'. Sent in troops to install a pro-soviet government in December 1979
27 December, Anim killed and replaced by kamal. Many afghans deserted and joined Mujahideen
US condemned in Jan 1980 and withdrawal of US forces vetoed on UN by soviets!! US supported Mujahideen ($30 billion), who controlled 75% by 1982.
Carter Doctrine January 1980 - US to prevent soviet advance in persian gulf and SE Asia. Presidential directive 59: July 1980: Increased military and nuclear spending
Afghans supported by China - Sino soviet conflict. Military assistance stepped up to defend Afghanistan
The US and South-East Asia
Paris Peace Talks, October 1972
Talks over Vietnam war - issue of who represented
Terms agreed:
Ceasefire to being in January 1973
US to withdraw force within 60 days, POWs exchanges
Commission to consider free elections
South Vietnam not involved in talks - Thieu demanded 69 changes, rejected by North
Nixon offered military support if north broke terms - hoped Thieu would sign
Northern Victory
US forces left Vietnam by end of March 1973
Following withdrawal, Northern guerilla tactics intensified - demoralised south. US promised $1 billion in armaments
Watergate scandal 1973- Nixon resigns 194. Nixon had failed to keep promise if North attacked or to provide $75 billion for reconstruction
1973- War Powers Act - US would not intervene, limited presidential actions. North escalated forces in 1974 and advance was not stopped. Peace talks not observed
21st April 1975: Thieu resigned and fled
30th April 1985: South Vietnam surrendered
Vietnam was unified under communism and Nixon policy of 'peace with honour' was not achieved
Ceasefire not observed
Continuing problems in Cambodia
Operation Menu: March 1969: 50k to 150k deaths reported. Severred Ho Chi Minh trail
Cambodia and Laos also became communist states. Congress condemned bombing and air strikes
Khmer Rouge took control of Cambodia in April 1975 - aided by USSR
Khmer Rouge followed revolution with people forced into the countryside, 1,000,000 died - 'killing fields' with over 30k graves
Khmer Rouge took control in April 1975 - wanted to create a fully agricultural country and forced people into countryside. 1 million killed with 20k mass grave sites. Half population became refugees. 25th December 1978 Vietnam invaded to prevent and captured in january 1979. Invasion stopped kymer rouge and Pol Pot denounced
Impact of Vietnam War
Cost
: Nixons reputation damaged. $167 billion cost by the US- led to internal inflation
Death
: Vietnamese death toll - 4.6 million (12% of population). US death toll 58k (4th highest death toll in war). 700k cambodians. Agent Orange and napalm causing high cancer casess
Public Attitudes
: Caused deep divisions in US public. Suicide, addiction, depression in soldiers. Domino theory flawed as singapore, malaysia and indonesia were not communist. War Powers Act 1973. Kent State: 4th May 1970
Interventions in Africas and Americas - CUBAN
US remained fearful of further communist expansion in the Americas, 'back yard'. Cuba wanted to export revolution ad provided support to developing socialist parties. Governments saw USSR as source of aid and assistance, prospect of soviet military bases in region
Ethiopia
Ogaden given to Ethiopia by Britain. Somalia invaded Ogaden in July 1977
War between nations became plausible and Castro assisted revolutionaries in November 1977 as felt somalia had abandoned socialism. USSR agreed with Cuban actions
By February 1978 - 15k Cuban troops. March 1978- Somalia retreated and truce announced
Western reaction: rebuffed request fro assistance and accused moscow of using cuba as agent to extend its own power in africa
International security and development act, 1985: prohibited assistance to ethiopia. Ultimately decreased US influence
Outcome
Any form of cuban-us rapproachment was damaged and undermined detente
Soviet arms in January 1977, ended 20 years of US being main supplier to ethiopia ($1 billion)
Ethiopian socialism established - land reform in 1975. Soviets and Cubans worked together and US-Cuban relations failed
Angola
Civil war following withdrawal of portugese in November 1975. MPLA: Largest, left wing group based in capital- received soviet and cuban training and arms.
FNLA: Operated in North, anti-communist, used outdated US arms, supported by US and China.
UNITA wanted total independence
War was a power struggle: Periods of fighting: 1975-91, 1992-94, 1998-2002
Cuba supported the MPLA. with 52k troops in 1988 - aided offensive against UNITA to defend capital.
MPLA proclaimed Peoples republic of angola in November 1975.
Cuba did Operation Carlotta military offensive
Humanitarian effort - Mostly cuban doctors, march 1978 732 cuban teachers, educated 2.4 million. 2000 houses and 50 bridges built
Outcome:
December 1988: Three Powers Accord: Angola, South Africa and Cuba. Withdrawal of troops, all cubans left by 1991. Ended 13 years of cuban assistance
Impact
Cuban support to MPLA greatly aided. MPLA claimed victory in 2002. 800k deaths, 1 million fled. Humanitarian support, Undermined detente- almost direct between US/China +Soviets
Interventions in Africas and Americas - US
Chile
US businesses had interests in Chile's copper and silver miles. Telecommunication systems
September 1970 - Allende topped polls and elected
Allende seized millions of hectares of land and redistributed, bringing copper under state control
40 committee used extensive funds to undermine Allende
US convinced the world bank to not lend Chile money and withdrew all US economic aid
Inflation spiked, industry decreased and unemployment rose. Soviets provided $50k to Allende, but economy still poor
Augusto Pinochet led coup in September 1973, overthrew and killed Allende.
Major civil rights abuses under Pinochet in 25 year dictatorship
Grenanda
Independence in February 1974, under Gairy
Gairy overthrown in March 1979 - Bishops communist government in place. Over 1k Americans in Grenada at the time
Bishop assassinated in 1983 by Coard
Reagan ordered 2000 troops to overthrow coards government.. US invasion on 25 October 1983. 'Operation urgent fury' ordered more troops and 7600 combined with Jamaica
Coards government collapsed and replaced with US accepted government. Invasion criticised by Canada and UK
Reaction: US accused of violating international law and treaties
Outcome: Restored consitutional government and rollbacked communism. Succeeded in under a week. 1984: free elections. Viewed as US imperialism
Nicaragua
In June 1979, Sandanistas seized power from the somozas. Carter supported sandanistas and provided assistance to keep them away from moscow
Reagan didnt support Sandanistas, supported Contras, as thought sandanistas would lead to mexican guerillas
US provided funds and training to contras
March 1982, sandanistas imposed press censorship and military conscription, which is image reagan wanted. this followed contras attack
US support for Contras was contraversial. iran contra affair in 1980s - congress stipped money to nicaragua. US sold weapons to Iran and gave money to contras. Questionable activites
Summary of impact
Cuban interventions in Ethiopia and Angola undermined detente. Cuba seen as agent of soviet interests, USSR perceived as expansionist
US intervention in Chile, Grenada and Nicaragua - undermined detente. Damaged GB relations, increased distrust and soviet antagonism in south america