Political Policies Between The United States And The Soviet Union During The 1970s

Political Policies Between The United States and The Soviet Union During the 1970s

Darryl Fagan

One can not effectively interpret world political policies of the 1970's without the inclusion of the relationship known as détente, and the breakdown there of. The breakdown of the 1970's détente can be attributed to many different issues and events. In researching these events the varying opinions from both world superpowers which would establish the failure of détente in history, as a breakdown in communication and talks between the United State's White House and the Soviet Union's Kremlin with the collapse of détente marking the end of the 1970's.

During the 1976 presidential campaign, the tension between the objective of transformation and the importance of coexistence became crucial. Conservatives criticized détente for not moderating the Soviets involvement in the Third World transformation to communism. In the United States, many saw accumulative series of Soviet interventions which involved military means; Angola, Ethiopia, Kampuchea, Afghanistan, as a pattern of Soviet expansion, which was not consistent with détente. Many actually believed that these expansionist moves were encouraged by détente. Ultimately, the expectations that détente would achieve more were held by both powers. It was the failure to satisfy these expectations which led to its demise. Kissinger suggested that "détente, with all its weaknesses, should be judged not against some ideal but against wh...

Political Policies Between The United States And The Soviet Union During The 1970s

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