Download Cold War PPT 3

“The Nixon, Ford and
Carter Years”
1968 to 1980
We’ve already covered
Nixon’s role in Vietnam…
Remember??
The Slow Thaw
•Most film/TV villains were Soviets or
communists; Indiana Jones and the
Temple of the Crystal Skull, which is set in
the 1950s, pays homage to the use of
Soviets as villains.
A magazine
cover about ping
pong diplomacy,
so called
because better
relations between
the US and China
came after the
two countries’
ping pong teams
played each
other.
Cate Blanchette as
Col. Dr. Irina Spalko in
Indiana Jones and the
Temple of the Crystal
Skull
2
Détente
(the easing of hostility or strained relations, especially between countries)
•Better relations between communists countries and the
US began with one of the most hard-lined anticommunist presidents, Richard Nixon. I
•In his “only Nixon could go to China” trip, Nixon was the
first US president to visit that communist country.
Richard and Pat
Nixon (in an
appropriately red
coat) at the Great
Wall of China
The Slow Thaw…
(SALT Treaties)
•In 1969 Nixon (Sec. of State Henry Kissinger) began negotiations with USSR on SALT I,
common name for the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty Agreement.
• It was the first effort between US/USSR to stop increase nuclear weapons.
• SALT II was a second round of US/USSR talks (1972-1979), which sought to reduce
manufacture of nuclear weapons.
•SALT II was the first nuclear treaty seeking real reductions in strategic forces to 2,250
of all categories on both sides.
4
Nixon and Brezhnev toast the SALT I treaty.
Carter and Brezhnev sign the SALT II treaty.
Gerald Ford
Foreign Policy:
1. Henry Kissinger remains secretary of state
2. Détente: negotiates with China & Soviet Union
3. Helsinki Accords: 35 nations agree to cooperation
Outcome: Ford’s greatest accomplishment
4. South Vietnam surrenders; Congress sends no aid
Jimmy Carter
Establishing Human Rights Foreign Policy:
1. 1977 U.S. & Panama Treaty
(U.S. give up ownership of Panama Canal Dec. 31.
1999)
Outcome: improves U.S.-Latin American
relations
2. Carter’s human rights policies end
Détente & raise Cold War tensions
1. Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
2. SALT II signed by Carter/Brezhnev
but not ratified by Senate
Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan Interrupts Thaw
• In 1978, the USSR invaded Afghanistan and tried to set up a
friendly government.
• It became the USSR’s Vietnam, a long war with no clear victory
possible and many casualties and high costs.
•The US supported the Afghani rebels known as the mujahideen.
• In 1989 the Soviets finally withdrew. Islamic extremists used the
opportunity to take over the country.
• The defeat weakened the Soviet’s economy and morale.
Movie poster for
Charlie Wilson’s War
about US efforts to
support the
mujahideen
Muhahideen celebrate the downing of
a Soviet helicopter
7
Camp David Accords:
1. 1977: peace negotiations begin
between Israel
(Menachem Begin) and Egypt (Anwar el-Sadat)
2. 1978: Carter, Sadat, & Begin meet
at Camp David & agree to agreement
-
Israel withdraws from Sinai
& Egypt recognizes Israel
Iran Hostage Crisis:
1. Jan. 1979: revolution in Iran
overthrows the shah of Iran with
Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini
2. Nov. 4, 1979: 52 Americans taken
hostage from U.S. embassy in Tehran
3. Outcome: negotiations for 444 days
result in release Jan. 20, 1981