9.30.3 Weapons and Detente

Weapons  Nuclear Weapons key factor in the Cold War.  the United States dropped atomic bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan ended World War II but began a nuclear arms race. The U.S.S.R. soon began to test their atomic bombs. 1960s six nations with nuclear capabilities the United States, the Soviet Union, China, England, France, and India. the United States Trying to stay ahead in the arms race, developed the hydrogen bomb resulting the Soviet Union developing a hydrogen bomb. Cuban Missile Crisis struck fear in the world there was great concern that the warheads in Cuba were nuclear and could destroy a large portion of the United States However, both sides were hesitant to strike with their nuclear weapons The United States and Soviet Union each felt the other side would be deterred in launching a first strike by the fact that both countries would suffer ultimate destruction by a nuclear war Detente policy of détente (the easing of hostilities) With the concern over the nuclear arms race the West pursued a the Communists to reduce tension between the nations First, The United States began to slowly open relations with China when Richard Nixon visited in 1972 on a “goodwill tour.” 1978, the United States began to recognize Communist China as the only legal government of China 1975 the Soviet Union and the members of the free world signed the Helsinki Agreement under the leadership of Leonid Brezhnev promised economic cooperation and cultural exchanges between the East and West concern of this agreement exchange of technology that allowed the Soviets to build better weapons. the recognition of the Eastern European nations under Soviet control The Soviets agreed in return to allow the Eastern Europeans “human rights,” but they must remain a Soviet nation