Assessing the Impact of Nuclear Arms Control on US-Soviet Relations
TITLE
Evaluate how far attempts to control nuclear weapons improved US– Soviet relations.
ESSAY
Attempts to control nuclear weapons played a significant role in shaping US-Soviet relations throughout the Cold War period. While the nuclear arms race initially heightened tensions between the two superpowers, various agreements and treaties aimed at controlling nuclear weapons also helped to improve relations at certain points.
One of the early signs of improvement came in 1963 with the signing of the Limited Test Ban Treaty, which prohibited nuclear testing in the atmosphere, outer space, and underwater. This marked a step towards de-escalation and signaled a willingness from both sides to work towards nuclear disarmament.
The establishment of a hotline between the leaders of the United States and the Soviet Union also helped to prevent misunderstandings and mitigate potential crises by enabling direct communication during times of heightened tension. This was exemplified during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, where the hotline played a crucial role in preventing the situation from escalating into a full-scale nuclear conflict.
The Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) initiated by President Johnson in 1967 and continued by subsequent administrations also played a key role in controlling the arms race. The signing of the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty and the interim SALT agreement in 1972 marked a significant milestone, as both countries agreed to limit the number of nuclear missiles in their arsenals for the first time.
However, the relationship between the US and the Soviet Union faced challenges, including the failure to gain Senate approval for the SALT II Treaty signed by Carter and Brezhnev in 1979. Additionally, conflicts in other regions such as the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 strained relations and led to setbacks in nuclear arms control efforts.
The arrival of Mikhail Gorbachev as the leader of the Soviet Union ushered in a new era of cooperation with the United States. The signing of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 1987 marked a significant breakthrough in nuclear disarmament efforts, as both sides agreed to eliminate an entire category of nuclear weapons.
In conclusion, while attempts to control nuclear weapons did play a role in improving US-Soviet relations by promoting dialogue and cooperation on arms control, challenges and setbacks persisted throughout the Cold War. It was through a combination of diplomatic efforts, crisis management, and changing leadership that significant progress in nuclear arms control and detente was achieved between the two superpowers.
SUBJECT
HISTORY
PAPER
A LEVEL
NOTES
Evaluate how far attempts to control nuclear weapons improved US–Soviet relations.
The nuclear arms race occurred because neither side wanted the other to gain the upper hand. However, Khrushchev had spoken of peaceful coexistence and both Eisenhower and Dulles realised the need for a dialogue with the Soviet Union. In 1959, Khrushchev visited the United States and met Eisenhower at Camp David indicating both superpowers were willing to talk.
However, in 1962 the Cuban Missile Crisis further fuelled the tensions between them; many believed that the world was on the brink of a nuclear war. Following the Cuban Crisis, the Limited Test Ban Treaty was signed in 1963 by the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union. A hotline was also set up connecting the leaders of the United States and Soviet Union. In 1967, Johnson initiated the SALT talks and met Kosygin in New Jersey.
Robert McNamara, Secretary of Defense, argued that limiting the development of both offensive and defensive strategic systems would make relations between the two countries more stable. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty was signed on 1 July 1968. Richard Nixon also believed in SALT and on November 17, 1969, the formal SALT talks began in Helsinki. Nixon and Brezhnev signed the ABM Treaty and interim SALT agreement on 26 May 1972 in Moscow. For the first time during the Cold War, the United States and Soviet Union had agreed to limit the number of nuclear missiles in their arsenals. The two superpowers had entered the era of détente. Negotiations for a second round of SALT began in late 1972. At the Vladivostok Summit in 1974, Ford and Brezhnev agreed on the basic framework of a SALT II agreement. On 17 June 1979, Carter and Brezhnev signed the SALT II Treaty in Vienna but Carter withdrew it from the Senate.
Relations between the United States and the Soviet Union did not improve until Gorbachev came to power. He was willing to negotiate a reduction in nuclear weapons with Reagan and in December 1987, they signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty calling for the elimination of intermediate-range missiles. In July 1991, the Strategic Arms Reduction Act was signed by which time the Cold War was over. Both powers continued to build up arms in the 1960s.
During the late 1960s, the United States was concerned that the Soviet Union was aiming to achieve parity with the United States by building up ICBMs. In January 1967, President Johnson announced that the Soviet Union had begun to construct a limited ABM defence system around Moscow. Even after the Vladivostok agreements, the two nations could not resolve the two other outstanding issues from SALT I, the number of strategic bombers and the total number of warheads in each nation’s arsenal.
There were also rising tensions in different areas of the world. Conflicting alliances during the 1973 Yom Kippur War drew the two powers to the brink of confrontation. Sino–US relations were improving while the Sino–Soviet split continued. Following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, President Carter withdrew the SALT II treaty from the Senate.
The United States boycotted the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, and the Soviet Union retaliated by boycotting the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. When President Reagan assumed office, he referred to the Soviet Union as an 'evil empire' and he felt that he should negotiate from a position of strength. It seemed once again that US–Soviet relations had deteriorated. In 1983, President Ronald Reagan announced the Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI). The intent of this program was to develop a sophisticated anti-ballistic missile system to prevent missile attacks from other countries, specifically the Soviet Union.