The Search for Detente

1963-1975

Why?

• The end of the Cuban Missile Crisis: The Test- ban Treaty, 1963:both sides feared for a nuclear war which neither would win

• By 1970's both superpowers were suffering from economic difficulties and were ready to reduce military spending

• Relations between China and the US began to improve in 1971: The SU Determined to improve relations with The US

• Western European leaders favored détente: willy Brand from BRD for Ost –politic ( the end of the Hallstein doctrine)

• Changes in leadership : Khrushchev dismissed, Bresnev became president of The SU in 1964, Kennedy assassinated in 1963

• Some satellite states like Romania and Albania calling for the communist independence: a more independent foreign policy ( West- China): made The SU cautious and lenient towards the US

How?

• SALT 1 signed in 1972: Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty to limited the number of long range missiles each side could have

• A Ceasefire in the Vietnam War in 1973 (other problems in the US: The Oil Crisis of 1973, Watergate Scandal in 1974: Nixon forced to resign in 1974)

• The Helsinki Accord in 1975

• Two Germanies recognized each other in 1972

Set backs of the détente

• The Prague Spring of 1968

• The Vietnam War : 1964-75

The Vietnam War: 1964 -75

1) The Background

• The Indochina War 1945-54, Kennedy´s military solutions, 1961-62• The Cold war context and the Indochina situation, Containment and the

Domino Theory ( Eisenhower- Kennedy- Johnson). Eisenhower´s New Look: Ho Chi Minh was seen as an instrument of international communism

• The Impact of the Korean war: the implementation of NSC 68: more money for the military and more money to the French in Vietnam ( The US were funding almost 80 % of the French military budget)

• Search for new alliances ; SEATO South East Asia Treaty ( Australia, New Zealand, Thaland, Philippines, Pakistan, US, FR, Britain) against the threat of communism

• The Indochina War ; the French were finally defeated in Diem Bien Phu

- the Geneva Agreement of 1954-55: Vietnam divided into two along the 17th parallel ( Communists still controlled 2/3 country) and national

elections coming up in two years..

- The US refused to sign the agreement, but promised not to break it by force, elections not be held: communists would have won any elections

- the Growth of US involvement; catholic Diem appointed as prime minister, Kennedy´s military solutions

Kennedy’s Flexible Response

• Attacked ” the loss of China”

• Had supported McCarthy’s campaigns

• ” Vietnam was a cornerstone of the free world in Southeast Asia” ( K, 1956, p. 126)

• Dean Rusk and Robert MC Namara as advisors

• Increase in the US conventional military forces: The US should be ready to fight limited wasr in Asia and in Europe ( if needed)

Kennedyś military solutions, 1961-62

• Increased economic aid and sent extra military advisors to South Vietnam: Search and Destroy- missions