The Cold War Thaws
Essential Idea
The superpowers confront Cold War
tensions with efforts to de-escalate
the arms race but still uphold their
philosophical differences.
Stalin’s Successors
Who: Nikita Krushchev
When: 1958-64
Policy: Destalinization
 Purging the country
of Stalin’s memory
 Called for “peaceful
cooperation” with
capitalist states
Stalin’s Successors
Who: Lenid Brezhnev
When: 1964-82
Policies:
 Repressive
 Limits on basic rights
(speech and
worship)
 Government censors
 Secret police
arrested dissidents
Prague Spring
Changes in
Czechoslovakia:
Loosened government
control allows for a
period of reform and
new ideas
Reaction: Warsaw Pact
nations invade
Brezhnev Doctrine:
Soviet Union had the
right to prevent its
satellites from
rejecting communism
Soviet-Chinese Spilt
The Problem:
Soviets expected
China to follow
their lead, China
didn’t
Soviet Response:
Refuses to share
nuclear secrets
and ends economic
aid
Changing U.S. Policy
President: Richard Nixon
Policy: Détente
 U.S. would continue
to contain the spread
of communism while
working with the
Soviets to reduce
tensions
Becomes first U.S.
President to visit
Communist China (1972)
and three months later
the Soviet Union
Détente Successes
The Treaty : Strategic Arms
Limitation Treaty (SALT 1) (1972)
What it stated: A 5 year
agreement to limit to 1972 levels
the number of missiles each
country could have
The Agreement: Helsinki Accords
(1975)
What it stated: 33 nations joined
the U.S. and Soviet Union in
commitment to détente and
cooperation
Collapse of Détente
SALT II: (1979) Signed
by Carter and
Brezhnev
The Problem: Soviets
invaded Afghanistan
later that year
Result: U.S. Congress
refused to ratify the
treaty
Cold War Continues
RONALD REGAN takes office in 1981 and
continues to move away from Détente.
Tensions between the superpowers INCREASE
until a CHANGE IN SOVIET LEADERSHIP in
1985.