Learning aims:
- Explain the impact of the growth of nuclear weapons on relations between East and West
- Explain why both the Soviet Union and the USA wanted to limit hte growth of nuclear weapons
- Explain details of various agreements in the 1960s
Key events
- 1963 Hotline established: limited test ban treaty
- 1964 China detonated first atomic bomb
- 1967 Outer Space Treaty
- 1968 Nixon elected president of the USA; Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
- 1969 Willy Brandt (former mayor West Berlin) elected chancellor of West Germany
- 1971 American table tennis team visited China; Kissinger visited Beijing;
- 1972 Nixon visited Beijing; Shanghai Communique signed; Nixon visited Moscow; SALT 1
- The Thaw Begins
Read- N. Kelly, Edexcel International GCSE (9-1) History A World Divided: Superpower Relations, 1943-72, pp. 81-83.
- Watch the episode of the CNN series on the Cold War entitled ‘Détente’. from about 11 minutes in.
Activities
- What is meant by Mutually Assured Destruction?
- Why did people think MAD would keep world peace?
- Which of the agreements signed in the 1960s do you think was the most important? Explain why you made this choice.
- Exam style question: Explain two effects of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, 1968 (8 marks)
- Détente
Read- N. Kelly, Edexcel International GCSE (9-1) History A World Divided: Superpower Relations, 1943-72, pp. 83-89.
- Watch the episode of the CNN series on the Cold War entitled ‘Détente’.
Activities
- Read pages 83-89 and complete the Ven diagram about the motives behind detente in the years 1963-1972
- Why do you think Mao invited the American table tennis team to China?
- How did relations between China and the Soviet Union change in the years 1949-72?
- How did relations between the Soviet Union and the USA change in the years 1949-72?
- Imagine that you are Richard Nixon and that have been accused of betraying the USA’s democratic principles. Write a speech defending your visit to Mao in China and Brezhnev in Moscow.
- Write a paragraph explaining why the USA and the Soviet Union decided to follow a policy of détente in the 1970s
- What do you think was the most important step in reducing tension between the Soviet Union and the USA in the years 1949-72? Explain your choice.
- What event do you think was the great threat to detente in these years (1949-72)? Explain your choice?
- Salt 1 had more weaknesses than strengths’. Explain whether or not you agree with this statement.
- Complete the Exam style question on page 90 of Kelly.
- Conduct a parliamentary style debate on the motion: This House Believes that SALT 1 had too many weakness to be considered a valuable agreement
RGS History 