To what extent was detente a successful method of conducting Cold War conflict?

To what extent was detente a successful method of conducting Cold War conflict?

1. Europe Detente

   • Brandt established links between East and West as a method of reducing barriers.
     • Result included several treaties that recognised realities of the situation
       • Poland and Soviet Union accepted Oder-Niesse line as a Polish-German border.
       • Also recognised border between East and West Germany
       • Basic Treaty 1972 accepted existence of East Germany
         • This helped to increase trade links between two countries
       • USA, France, Britain gained legal basis for access routes to West Berlin
     • It was not an abandonment of reunification
   • Ospolotik abandoned, Hallstein Doctrine
     • Designed to snub Germany by refusing to recognise its existence as an imperial state
   • Ostopolitik
     • Reduced tension in Europe - Contributing to Detente
     • Had to accept Soviet control over Eastern Europe
       • This gave legal recognition to Soviet Union
         • Reinforced division of Cold War Europe

2. An Assessment od Detente

   • Achievement of detente meant superpower relations were stabilised and risks minimalised
   • Armanents increased in this period, signed agreements were ignored
     • E.G SALT 2 and Helsinki
   • Detente did not reduce tensions in all areas of international relations
     • USSR + China tension remained high
     • Third world conflicts, Afghanistan showed USSR extended its influence during detente
       • This situation produced suspicion and mistrust and let to the brekdown of detente in december 1979.
   • Collapse of Detente showed its fragility

3. Interpretations of Detente

   • Left and central spectrum American historians viewed detente as a positive step that had a stabilising effect on relations
     • This was the standard view during 1970s being optimistic that detente would limit the arms race
       • Kissinger and Nixon the architects of detente give a positive view on their own attempts
   • Post historians think that detente was beneficial for both sides
     • E.g Alexander George in 'Force and statecraft 1983' suggested detente created a less dangerous and more useful international relationship.
   • Right wing Americans were delusional towards it
     • This more critical approach dominates historical thinking
       • Detente was seen as a sign of weakness and being 'soft' on communism allowed the soviets to catch up in arms development and continue the war
     • Right wing views on detente however tend to neglect the advantages detente held for the USA during a period when self-confidence was under threat
   • Collapse of soviet union in 1980s was viewed as a result of the pressure in matching the USA in the arms race
     • Therefore detente was seen as prolonging the war rather than realistic steps towards bringing it to an end