Dtente

What is Dtente?

The easing of strained relations, especially in a

political situation.
The term is often used in reference to the general
easing of the geo-political tensions between
the Soviet Union and the United States which
began in 1969
A "thawing out" or "un-freezing" at a period roughly
in the middle of the Cold War

Why Dtente?

The events of the Cuban Missile Crisis lead the

two superpowers to agree to install a direct
hotline between Washington DC and Moscow

Became known as the Red Telephone

Allowed the leaders of the two countries to

quickly interact in a time of emergency

Affects of Dtente?

Dtente lead to the signings of treaties such as

SALT I and Helsinki Accords

SALT I
Strategic

Arms Limitation Talks (May 26, 1972)

Froze

the number of Strategic Ballistic Missile

launchers at existing levels

Limited

land based Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles

Helsinki Accords
Final

act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe

Accords

attempt to improve relations between the

Communist bloc and the West

Not

binding as they do not have a treaty status

US President Gerald Ford

and USSR Premier Leonid
Brezhnev at the signing of
the Helsinki Accords

Why did Dtente end?

Dtente ended after the Soviet Intervention in

Afghanistan (Soviet-Afghan War)
USA, in protest to their involvement, boycotted the
1980 Olympics in Moscow.
Reagans election as president in 1980, after a
campaign heavy with anti-dtente sentiments,
marked the end of Dtente and the re-emergence
of Cold War tensions.

"Dtente's

been a one-way street

that the Soviet Union has used to
pursue its aims.
Ronald

Reagan, 1980 (his first press conference)