Do Now In the early 1970s,

towards the end of the Vietnam War, President Nixon began to reshape American foreign policy towards the communists.

Based on what we have discussed about the Cold War, why do you think this change in foreign policy came about?

US Foreign Policy 1972-1990

Nixon visited the Soviet Union & China in 1972

Purpose Détente Ease tensions

between US and communist countries

Why? to limit the chance of nuclear war;

Better relationship with China & Soviet Union

“Ping Pong Diplomacy” China invited

Americans players to a ping pong tournament in 1971

Purpose was to begin process of better relations for Nixon’s visit

Détente During the 1970s The US and

Soviet Union agreed to treaties limiting the # of nuclear weapons

Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT I & SALT II)

Why do you think the US and Soviets wanted to limit nukes?

The End of Detente 1979—

Détente ends when the Soviets invade Afghanistan

Why? The US thought this might lead to more Soviet aggression

The End of the Cold War 1980s During the 1980s, 2

major factors led to the fall of the Soviet Union

1. Soviet policies glasnost and perestroika

2. The US reignited the arms race

Soviets could not keep up with US arms spending, and their economy faltered

The End of the Cold War President Ronald

Reagan called for a “Star Wars” missile defense

This, combined with the policies of Soviet leader Gorbachev, led to the fall of communism in Eastern Europe

1989Berlin Wall falls (symbolic end of Cold War)

1990-91The Soviet Union breaks apart

Closure Why do you

think the change in US foreign policy away from containment helped lead to the end of the Cold War in the late 1980s-early 1990s?