Detente

Definition

Detente refers to a period of relaxation and easing of tensions between two countries, specifically referring to the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. It involved diplomatic negotiations, arms control agreements, and increased cultural exchanges.

Related terms

SALT (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks): These were bilateral negotiations between the U.S. and U.S.S.R. aimed at limiting the number of nuclear weapons each country possessed.

Helsinki Accords: This agreement was signed by 35 nations, including the U.S. and U.S.S.R., which committed them to respect human rights and improve relations between East and West during the Cold War.

Nixon's visit to China: When President Richard Nixon visited Communist China in 1972, it marked an important step towards detente by normalizing relations between these two superpowers that had previously been adversaries during the Cold War.