Two+Germanies+(1972)+&+Helsinki+Accords+(1975)

=The Two Germanies Treaty (1972)= = =

__ **The Background** __


 * ==== Germany was divided in two; West and East Germany. In 1955, when East-West relations were cold, the West German government issued the Hallstein Doctrine . By the Hallstein Doctrine, East Germany would not be recognized and diplomatic ties with any country who did recognize it would be severed. In the 1960's, the tension in Europe began to change with General Charles de Gaulle's attempts to introduce flexibility to international politics. [[image:http://www.n24.de/media/_fotos/bildergalerien/2008_4/spdkanzlerkandidaten/03_willy_brandt_ap.jpg width="248" height="130" align="right"]]====
 * ==== However, it was not until 1969 when Willy Brandt, the new West German Chancellor issued the policy of Ostpolitik that tension really began to decrease between the East and Western countries. Influenced by de Gaulle, and realizing the existing status quo could not be altered, Brandt introduced a program of action that, as Bell concludes, "would have been impossible ten or fifteen years earlier." ====
 * This is in reference to the fact that 10-15 years ago the superpowers were mistrusting of each other (monolithic entity, zero-sum mentality, domino theory, etc) and had no real reason to cooperate to work towards peace; the Cuban missile crisis changed this, it was the first time the two nations had actually realised how close they had come to total devastation. The reason the superpowers are brought in is because for a long time, the European states were heavily influenced by either American or Soviet politics. Hence, the tension cooling between the USA & USSR led to tension cooling in Europe, Brandt took a step forward to improve relations.


 * (NOTE: ALL OF THE //ABOVE// IS UNNECESSARY IN AN ESSAY. IT'S JUST BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE COOLING OF RELATIONS WERE ALSO PRESENT IN EUROPE AND STARTED AFTER CUBA. THE ONLY BITS THAT MATTER ARE THE ONES IN PURPLE) **

__ The Objectives of Ostpolitik __

 * ==== The key goals of Ostpolitik were to improve relations with Moscow and accept the existing status quo between East and West Germany. ====

__The Consequences of Ostpolitik__

 * ====The result of Ostpolitik was the signature of the Two Germanies Treaty in 1972 by East and West Germany. The outcome was simple, the two nations formally recognized each other. Bell states the consequences of Ostpolitik had "the paradoxical effect of enshrining the existing order and yet starting changes which were ultimately to undermine it." The relations between East and West Germany became better, as both recognized each other and trade increased between them, they also agreed to increase diplomatic ties. Hence the agreements to keep the status quo actually paved the way for change.====

=The Helsinki Accords (1975) =

__The Background of the Agreements__

 * ====In 1966 the Warsaw Pact countries proposed that a conference about Europe's security should be held with every European state attending. The objective was to formally accept the existing status quo in Europe. Two years later, the NATO powers issued a reply: they had changed the subject, wanting to discuss the reduction of military forces in Europe.====
 * ====Until 1972 "half-hearted" and slow meetings had taken place; only in 1972 a preparatory meeting took place in Helsinki that was to last a year. By it, the world leaders would meet in Helsinki in 1975 to discuss the recommendations made to them by a group of international experts.====

__**The Agreements**__

 * ==== The United States formally accepted the existing status quo in Europe, under which Eastern Europe was part of the soviet bloc. The USSR, in return, agreed to the implementation of human rights. ====

__**The Outcome**__

 * ====Both of the superpowers gained what they wanted from each other in the Helsinki Accords, a first time such an event has occurred in a meeting between them. The USA, though initially skeptical about the whole summit, managed to secure an agreement to respect human rights from the Soviets. The Soviets, for their part, managed to finally get the USA to accept the status quo in Europe. ====
 * ====However, the Accords was only moderately well received in both countries: the Americans felt that they had abandoned the people of Eastern Europe to the clutches of communism; the USSR realized it now had a reputation to maintain and it began to have a problem of people using the agreement on human rights to denounce the Soviet Union. Hence, the Helsinki accords had the long-term of effect of destabilizing communism, eventually helping in the collapse of it in 1991.====