Trade and Scientific-Technical Cooperation with the USSR on the U.S. Leadership’s Agenda During the Era of Détente (1969–1980)

: Trade and scientific-technical cooperation were integral components of U.S.-Soviet relations during the détente of the 1970s. By the late 1960s, strategic parity had been achieved between the two superpowers, marking a turning point in their confrontation. The arms race came to be regarded as both costly and unsustainable. While the temporary balance of military capabilities reduced the immediate threat of war and eased direct confrontation, it also fostered the belief that strengthening commercial ties and advancing scientifictechnical programs and exchanges could provide a material foundation for lasting peace. In Moscow, this notion evolved into a programmatic directive, whereas Washington adopted a more pragmatic stance.Drawing on a broad historiographical foundation, archival documents from Russian repositories (RGANI, RGAE), published materials from the U.S. Department of State, and electronic collections of American intelligence and scientific communities, this article examines the evolving U.S. policy toward the Soviet Union in the 1970s. It focuses on the role assigned to trade, economic relations, and scientific-technical cooperation in the broader framework of superpower relations.The study concludes that the unraveling of détente in trade and scientific-technical cooperation occurred in three distinct stages. The first stage began with the passage of the JacksonVanik Amendment in 1974, which disrupted the principle of equality in bilateral relations and inflicted considerable economic losses on the Soviet side. The second stage was marked by the Carter administration's emphasis on human rights beginning in January 1977. This introduced the threat of sanctions and escalated tensions in U.S.-Soviet relations. The third stage, initiated in December 1979 and solidified by January 1980, witnessed the dismantling of the infrastructure supporting bilateral scientific and technical cooperation. These developments underscored the shifting priorities and eventual decline of détente as a defining feature of U.S.-Soviet relations during this period.