Détente in Europe
63-69
Distractions??
Sino-Soviet relations deteriorated. The Chinese were critical of Khrushchev’s
failure on Cuba and his concept of peaceful coexistence. Russia refused to provide
China with nuclear weapons as Khrushchev felt they could not be trusted with them.
In 1966, all ties were broken and the Russians even aimed some missiles on China.
1969 saw several border clashes between the two!
America became embroiled in Vietnam.
The Americans wanted to stabilize relations and restrain the USSR through détente,
partly because of her heavy involvement in Vietnam
The Russians wanted America to recognize the post war European borders and agree
to nuclear parity partly because they now had to deal with a growing challenge from
China and therefore wanted stability in their relations with the US
France saw détente as a chance to undermine the influence of both superpowers in
Europe
For West Germans it was a way to help their brethren in the GDR. (ostpolitik)
NATO looks East
Did the Western European States push the US into détente?
1963 Partial test ban treaty – No tests on land, under water or in outer space, and the
1968 Nuclear Non-proliferation treaty = major achievements of early détente.
The treaties underscored the diminished role of Europe in the Bipolar world, but they
were welcomed because = safety.
However, Vietnam undermined US role as moral and military leader of the west.
Europeans rejected containment throughout the world and focused on easing tensions
in Europe. The increasingly erratic Khrushchev was replaced by Brezhnev and
Kosygin who seemed more conciliatory at first.
As the Europeans became more assertive, NATO was threatened. In 63 De Gaulle
had vetoed Britain’s EEC application because Britain was too pro American. In
1966, French forces were withdrawn from NATO and the headquarters were
removed from Paris. De Gaulle visited Moscow and announced that the Europeans
should end the “bloc mentality” of the Cold War. He also tried to weaken the dollar
to exacerbate the strains of Vietnam were affecting the US economy.
In 1966 Willy Brandt built upon earlier German efforts to ‘look eastwards’ and
developed ostpolitik which aimed to achieve German reunification through détente.
1967, Congress discussed a total withdrawal from Europe. President Johnson was
forced to commit himself to negotiating balanced force reductions with the Russians.
In December, NATO redefined its role as not only defending Western Europe, but
also working “in the interests of détente”
The Hamel report redefined NATO’s role in the age of détente and prevented the
Vietnam war splitting apart the Western alliance.
The Warsaw Pact looks West
The embarrassment of Cuba, the emergence of China and the atmosphere of détente =
Soviet control over Eastern Europe weakened.
Poland called for expanded trade with the West. Romania wanted to normalize
relations with the FRG.
The Soviet response came as the Bucharest declaration of 1966 which attempted to
stop individual initiatives by defining what the Warsaw Pact wanted from détente. It
called for:
 Recognition of post war frontiers
 A new European security system
 A veto on Nuclear weapons for the FRG
 A programme of scientific, technological and economic cooperation.
Soviet attempts to unify the East’s position fell apart in 1968 with Alexander
Dubcek’s attempt to create a socialist system in Czechoslovakia based on democracy
and modernisation. The Prague Spring even included an end to censorship, which led
to a flood of anti Soviet propaganda. Although Dubcek restored censorship under
pressure from Moscow, Brezhnev was not convinced and in August, the Warsaw Pact
invaded Czechoslovakia and removed Dubcek from power. Brezhnev defended the
invasion by stressing that any threat to Socialism in a Warsaw Pact country was a
threat to the whole alliance. To counter this threat, collective intervention by the
Warsaw Pact was justified.
The Brezhnev doctrine undermines economies in the Eastern Bloc
The invasion of Czechoslovakia and Brezhnev doctrine brought an end to the
experiments in economics that had increased productivity and competitiveness behind
the iron curtain. The Soviet bloc countries returned to Stalinist, centralized economic
principles. This emphasis on Heavy industry was propped up by Western loans
during the détente era. In 1973, the oil crisis hurt the West, but led to a restructuring
of their economies which shifted to modern, high tech, light industries. The inertia in
the Communist economies prevented this modernisation. Consequently by the early
80s, inflation, rising oil prices and a global depression had hit the USSR and her
satellites hard. Soviet economic growth collapsed just as Afghanistan and increasing
interest rates put even more pressure on the economy.
Ostpolitik – Selfish Altruism?
Ostpolitik involved a complicated set of interlocking treaties which marked a turning
point in the Cold War.
On one level, Brandt’s policy was aimed at simply coming to terms with the post war
world by accepting the existence of the GDR. However, by ending tensions it was
aimed at the possibility of future reunification.
Brandt needed the support of the US and NATO for his policies, so he promised that
the FRG would not quit NATO or the EEC. Between 1970 and 1972, treaties were
signed with:
 The USSR
 Poland
 Czechoslovakia
 GDR
And the Four Power Treaty over Berlin in 1971 which was to deal with access to
West Berlin. The Russians did not want to annoy the West just as Nixon was
preparing a visit to China. The Soviets conceded 3 vital points:



Unimpeded traffic between West Berlin and the FRG.
Recognition of West Berlin’s ties to the FRG
The right for West Berliners to visit East Berlin
Britain, France and the USA recognised that West Berlin was not legally part of the
Federal Republic (even though in reality, West Berlin adopted West Germany’s
constitution in 1950!)
Both West and East Germany joined the United Nations in 1973 after formally
recognising each other. Don’t forget though that the West’s goal was reunification
(evidenced by the ‘letter to German Unity’ which it sent to the people of the GDR in
73) and the East was worried that Brandt wanted to ‘Social Democratise’ East
German communism (i.e. dilute it) Brezhnev told Honicker (GDR leader) that détente,
“must not come to a process of rapprochement between the
FRG and the GDR… Concentrate everything on the all-sided
strengthening of the GDR”
Both Germanies played an increasing role within their blocs, however the GDR was
still essentially a colony of the USSR propped up by Russian bayonets as the events
of 89-90 showed.
The Helsinki Accord – Western Capitulation, or Time Bomb?
This marked the high point of détente and was signed by 33 European States, the USA
and Canada in 1975. Essentially it put down on paper the ideals of détente
guaranteeing borders, cooperation, and promoting security.
At first glance, it seems as if the Russians gained most since the West had finally
recognised the Soviet Empire. Thatcher and Reagan dubbed it the ‘New Yalta’ as it
was a liberal capitulation giving Western approval to Soviet expansionism. However,
historian Martin Walker dubbed Helsinki “a time-bomb planted in the heart of the
Soviet Empire” since the Russian recognition of Human rights and fundamental
freedoms as well as the increased contact between East and West helped to sow the
seeds of discontent in Eastern Europe, undermining the unpopular Soviet regime.