(a) Meaning of detente: Detente refers to efforts to bring about a reduction in tensions between the USA and the USSR. This was an attempt by the two ‘superpowers’ themselves. The Cuban Missile Crises brought in a realization of a possible nuclear confrontation and the need to deescalate the tensions.

(b) Initiatives taken by the superpowers to reduce tensions: After the Cuban Missile Crisis, both the USA and USSR made several efforts at reducing bilateral tensions (detente).

This included:

• a hotline was set up between the main leaders of the two nations
• the signing of agreements such as NNPT, LTBT to reduce nuclear weapons
• 1972, Moscow Summit between President Nixon (USA) and Brezhnev (USSR).

Other initiatives were-

• Conference at Paris (1973) to bring the Vietnam crisis to an end.
• Helsinki conference on security in Europe (1975) was attended by 35 nations including the USA and USSR. It aimed to reduce the tensions between eastern and western European countries.
• The first joint US-Soviet space flight was the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (1975)
• The USA held a conference at Camp David in 1978 to resolve the long pending Arab-Israel dispute. The ‘Framework for Peace in the Middle East was signed between President Carter (USA) President Sadat (Egypt) and Prime Minister Begin (Israel)