Q) Why did relations between the Soviet Union and the USA change in the years 1970-1985? You may use the following to help you with your answer:
- The 1979 soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
- The ‘Zero Option’
- Deployment of missiles in Europe
- Strategic Defence initiative
Between the years 1979 – 1985, relations between the Soviet Union and the USA, changed, and we can look at many reasons as to why this was the case.
For example up until 1979, the superpowers were in a period of ‘Detente’. Detente was simply a period of extended Co-operation and agreement. So relations had slightly improved up until 1979. Sadly this improvement of relations came to a Holt, as the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. The Soviets saw Fundamentalism as a great threat to the soviet system, and so the PDPA who were a communist party overthrew Afghan government. Before the invasion, Afghanistan seeked to improve relations with the USA, so by invading Afghanistan this would have, perhaps annoyed the USA. The USA however did heavily criticise the invasion, which only put more strain on relations. The way, in which the USA showed their annoyance and disapproval of the War, was to boycott the1980 Moscow Olympic Games. In reply to the USA boycott the Soviet Union were not present at the 1984 Los Angeles games. Clearly unrest between both Super Powers was emerging, and they showed this by their boycott of each Olympic Games. Had the Soviets not invaded Afghanistan you wonder whether the USA would have boycotted the games.
