Activity 1 - How did detente collapse?

  1. Explore - Read and make notes from Slides 1-17 of the Lesson Presentation on how and why detente collapsed. 
  2. Review - Read pages 177-182 of Rogers, K., & Thomas, J. (2015). Pearson Baccalaureate: History the Cold War and complete Activities 5-7. Record your answers in full sentences.
  3. Select - In groups, choose one of the following events which contributed to the collapse of detente: 
    1. 1973 - Yom Kippur War
    2. 1973 - OPEC Oil Crisis
    3. 1973 - US Coup in Chile
    4. 1975 - Angolan Civil War
    5. 1975 - Fall of Saigon and Indochina
    6. 1977 - Invasion of Somalia
    7. 1977 - Euromissiles Crisis
    8. 1979 - Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
    9. 1979 - Islamic Revolution in Iran
    10. 1980 - Reagan Doctrine and New Right in US
    11. 1983 - Able Archer Crisis
    12. 1983 - Soviets shoot down Korea Airliner 007
  4. Research - For each event, research and produce a short 2-3 mins presentation which explains:
    1. What happened?
    2. What caused this event?
    3. How did the US/USSR react?
    4. What was the impact of the event on detente?
  5. Present - Take turns to present your groups’ information. As you listen, record key details of each event on a mindmap or Padlet as you listen. 

Activity 2 - Why did detente collapse?

  1. Analyse - Now examine the following perspectives on the reasons for why detente failed. For each perspective:
    1. Identify what problem is being highlighted by the source with regard to détente.
    2. How would each of these issues have undermined détente between the USA and the USSR?
  2. Organise - On your mind maps from Activity 1, ensure you have collected details about the impact of each event on superpower detente. Organise and summarise your notes in a mindmap form.
  3. Link - Consider which causes are linked, and draw lines on your diagram showing the connections. On each line, choose one of the following connective words to describe the relationship of the linkage between causes:
    1. ​Contributed/supportedSparked/incited
    2. Consequently/subsequently
    3. Bring about/led to
    4. Motivated/encouraged
    5. Exacerbated/this bred
    6. This compelled
    7. However/in addition
    8. Provoked/allowed
    9. Prevented 
  4. Sort - Examine your finished diagram. In pairs, discuss which of the causes could be described as:
    1. Preconditions/Underlying causes?
    2. Precipitants/Catalysts?
    3. Triggers/Final Straw?
  5. Discuss - Read the following quotation from Olav Njolstad. To what extent do you agree with his assertion that the collapse of detente was a “slow, eroding process”?. How else would you describe the causation?
    1. “The collapse of superpower detente did not happen overnight. Nor was it caused by a single, overwhelming destructive force, like an earthquake or tsunami. Rather it was a slow, eroding process, in which multiple events and forces added strength to one another and gradually tore apart the delicate fabric of lofty ideas, pragmatic assumptions and half sincere obligations associated with detente.”
  6. Write - Finally, write an extended paragraph explaining why detente between the superpowers collapsed. Refer to at least three reasons in your answer.

Activity 3 - Was detente really a failure?

  1. Discuss - Review the historians perspectives about detente on page 179 of Rogers, K., & Thomas, J. (2015). Pearson Baccalaureate: History the Cold War. Which perspectives do you agree with the most?
  2. Summarise - Using this worksheet, summarise the arguments for detente being either a success or failure from pages 101-106 of Frankel, B. (2000). History in Dispute Volume 1 - The Cold War.

Further Reading

OBLIGATORY READING
  1. Rogers, K., & Thomas, J. (2015). Pearson Baccalaureate: History the Cold War, pp. 177-182
RECOMMENDED READING
  1. Frankel, B. (2000). History in Dispute Volume 1 - The Cold War, pp. 101-106
SUPPLEMENTAL READING
  1. Williamson, D.G. (2015). Access to History - The Cold War, pp. 248-257
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