The USA and Global Trends: Notes

USA

  • In 1945 the USA had a monopoly on nuclear weapons - until the USSR tested their first nuclear weapon in 1949
  • The USSR had more arms than the USA - this started an arms race between the two powers
  • 1957 - the Soviet union successfully tested an intercontinental ballistic missile
  • Oct, 4, 1957 - Sputnik I, was launched - next month the USSR launched a test animal into space
  • US launched first satellite in February 1958
  • 1960 - USSR sent 2 dogs into space and successfully retrieved them
  • 12 April 1961 - Yuri Gagarin was the first human to travel in space
  • US lagged behind in the space race but was the leader in the long range strategic weapons.

SALT I and SALT II

  • Strategic Arms Limitation Talks Agreement I - limited both sides to two anti-ballistic missiles (ABM) sites. The ABM was built to intercept and destroy incoming missiles before they reached their targets. Limits were also placed on offensive weapons (I.E. ICBM’s and submarines)
  • SALT I left many weapons unregulated (i.e. MIRVs) so it did not stop the arms race.
  • SALT II controlled weapons technology - President Ford and Brezhnev agreed in principle to limit strategic missiles. Limited number of weapons both sides could build.
  • SALT II criticized by the US senate, and with the Soviet invasion at the time of Afghanistan - the treaty wasn’t ratified.
  • MAD - Mutually Assured Destruction - was a situation created by the US and USSR, as both sides raced to develop new technologically superior nuclear and conventional weapons.
  • Between 1980 - 1985 US defense budget rose 51%
  • President Regan put all arms control negotiations on hold for first year and a half of his presidency and concentrated on nuclear defense strategy
  • Regan’s proposal was for the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) - the Star Wars project - which would be a defensive shield which would hit and destroy incoming enemy missiles
  • Proposed in 1983 - wasn’t given much attention until 1984/85
  • US devoted 5.5% of GNP to defense, while the USSR was between 13-17%.
  • Nov 1981 - START - Strategic Arms Reduction Talks - replaced SALT - in an effort to reduce the number of ballistic missiles and nuclear warheads. This agreement would require the USSR to destroy two-thirds of their missiles.
  • In late 1986 Gorbachev presented Regan with sweeping proposals for arms reductions that would eliminate 50% of the strategic missiles that both countries held. Regan rejected - because this proposal also called for the limited testing of SDI’s, which he wanted to continue.
  • 1987 - Washington summit - Gorbachev and Regan signed the first Soviet-American disarmament treaty. The Intermediate-range Nuclear Force (INF) treaty called for the destruction of 1600 Soviet missiles and 400 American - and had site verification to make cheating impossible.

Helsinki Accord

  • During Détente, negotiations between the USA and USSR was mostly on arms control, but the issue of human rights and security frontiers was also discussed.
  • Aug 1, 1975 - 33 European nations, the USA, and Canada signed the Final Act on the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe - this represented 10 years of diplomatic negotiations, focusing on recognition of post-war Central European borders.
  • The frontiers of Eastern Europe were recognized as they were - this made the USSR happy.
  • There were two other sections to this agreement - "Co-operation in the Fields of Economics, Science, Technology and the Environment" and "Co-operation in Humanitarian and other fields). - all countries had to respect human rights. This gave hope to the oppressed people.
  • By 1980 - détente seemed to have deteriorated to the Cold War again because the USSR invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, the US as a result, boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics and refused to ratify SALT II.
  • Ronald Regan elected to presidency in USA in 1980
  • US had an energy crisis in 1973 (tied to outcome of Yom Kippur War).
  • Jan 1, 1979 - US recognized China - increased trade - US exports to China doubled.
  • EU = European Union - powerful economic unit in the world - Includes 15 countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, The UK, Greece, The Republic of Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. They Form a single economic market.
  • NAFTA - The North American Free Trade Agreement - established in 1994 - includes USA, Canada and Mexico.