The extent of Détente up to 1979: the SALT talks; Ostpolitik and Helsinki accords; arms race; relations with China
Détente was a deliberate effort by the superpowers to reduce Cold War tensions through treaties and diplomacy. Between the mid-1960s and 1979, the USA and USSR signed arms control deals, opened new diplomatic channels, and set limits on their nuclear arsenals.
Real World
Nixon's 1972 visit to Beijing — the first by a sitting US president — marked the most dramatic symbol of détente: America publicly shaking hands with a communist China it had refused to recognise for over two decades.
Exam Focus
For 'how far' questions on détente, balance genuine arms agreements (SALT I) against its clear limits — SALT II never ratified, arms race continued.
Essay Framework
Use PEEL to structure every paragraph. Tap each step for guidance and an example.
How well did you know this?