Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2024
First exams 2026
The Helsinki Accords, 1975 (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
How Were the Helsinki Accords an Attempt to Reduce Cold War Tensions? - Summary
The Helsinki Accords in 1975 built upon the progress made in SALT 1 in 1972. The Helsinki Accords showed an attempt at collaboration. NATO and the Warsaw Pact had been two rival military alliances. Helsinki marked a significant moment in US-Soviet relations. Since the development of NATO in 1949 and the Warsaw Pact in 1955, there existed no cooperation between these organisations. The Helsinki Accords showed that NATO and the Warsaw Pact could work together to reduce Cold War tension. The treaty symbolised the attitude of détente. The Helsinki Accords were not without limitations. Certain aspects of the agreement frustrated both the USA and the Soviet Union. Many US politicians were unhappy with the acceptance of the Soviet Union's domination of the satellite states of Eastern Europe. The Soviet Union did not want the USA dictating how it should run its country. Historians note that, despite these concerns, the Helsinki Accords were a genuine attempt by both countries to reduce Cold War tensions. |
What Were the Three 'Baskets' of Helsinki?
In 1973, 33 representatives of the Warsaw Pact and NATO nations began discussions
The nations wanted to continue the success of détente shown at SALT 1
In August 1975, the nations met in Helsinki, Finland and signed up to a wide-reaching set of political, social and economic agreements
The organisers arranged these agreements into three topics, which they referred to as 'baskets'
The 'baskets' of the Helsinki Accords
Exam Tip
The term 'basket' allows a visual way for you to remember the political, social and economic agreements in the Helsinki Accords. Adding images, or dual coding, into your revision is an effective method to help memorise events. This skill is important in the Superpower Relations exam. This paper tests your knowledge of the narrative and themes of the course. Try to add more dual coding to your Superpower Relations revision.
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Helsinki Accords
The Helsinki Accords, August 1975 | |
|---|---|
Strengths | Weaknesses |
Both countries embraced some aspects of Basket Two. In the same year, the USA and the Soviet Union launched a joint space mission. This mission was named the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project and was a success | US politicians were unhappy with aspects of Baskets One and Two. The politicians did not want to accept the Soviet Union's borders, especially in Eastern Europe. The US government did not want to provide too much economic help to the Soviet Union. The politicians feared that the Soviet Union would become too powerful |
Historians consider the Helsinki Accords the biggest achievement of détente. It showed the USA and the Soviet Union could work together. The Accords signified hope for better US-Soviet relations in the future | The Soviet Union was unhappy with Basket Three. Soviet politicians did not want to respect their people's human rights in the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union believed that it allowed too much US influence into their country. The Soviets feared that the USA would monitor Soviet policy and force the implementation of human rights |
Worked Example
Explain one consequence of the Helsinki Accords in 1975
4 marks
Answer:
One consequence of the Helsinki Accords was better collaboration between the USA and the Soviet Union. The agreements made in August 1975 were separated into three 'baskets'. Basket Two discussed the need for better cooperation in trade, technology and space missions. As a result, in 1975, the USA and the Soviet Union launched a joint space mission called the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project. Due to the mission's success, the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project allowed the possibility of future collaboration in space. It also made the USA and the Soviet Union consider more areas where the two countries could assist each other.
Exam Tip
This question has previously asked you to explain two consequences. In the Superpower Relations exam paper for 2025, this question will ask you to explain one consequence. However, there will be two different "Explain one consequence of" questions, each worth four marks.
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