How did the détente period change US-Soviet relations?

Détente eased Cold War tensions, leading to improved diplomatic relations and several arms control agreements between the US and USSR.

During the détente period, which spanned from the late 1960s to the late 1970s, the United States and the Soviet Union made significant strides in reducing the hostilities that had characterised the Cold War. This era saw both superpowers engaging in more open dialogue and cooperation, which was a marked shift from the previous decades of intense rivalry and suspicion.

One of the key achievements of détente was the signing of the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) agreements. SALT I, signed in 1972, and SALT II, signed in 1979, were pivotal in curbing the arms race by limiting the number of nuclear weapons and delivery systems each side could possess. These agreements helped to stabilise the superpower relationship and reduce the risk of a nuclear confrontation.

Additionally, the Helsinki Accords of 1975 were another significant outcome of détente. This agreement, signed by 35 nations including the US and the USSR, aimed to improve relations between the Communist bloc and the West. It included commitments to respect human rights, increase economic cooperation, and promote peaceful coexistence. The Helsinki Accords were a major step towards reducing the ideological divide that had fuelled much of the Cold War animosity.

Détente also saw increased cultural and scientific exchanges between the two nations. For example, the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975 was a joint space mission that symbolised the thawing relations and the potential for collaboration in areas beyond military and political spheres.

However, it is important to note that détente did not end the Cold War. Tensions remained, and the period eventually came to an end with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, which led to a renewed phase of Cold War hostilities. Nonetheless, détente was a crucial period that demonstrated the possibility of reducing tensions through diplomacy and mutual agreements.