Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty

Definition

The Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty was a 1972 agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union that limited the deployment of missile defense systems. The treaty aimed to prevent the arms race from escalating by allowing each superpower to maintain only a limited number of ABM systems, thereby encouraging a balance of power and mutual deterrence during the Cold War.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The ABM Treaty was signed on May 26, 1972, and was a significant step in arms control during the Cold War.
2. Under the treaty, each side could only have two ABM sites, which could defend their capitals and ICBM silos but were limited in their defensive capabilities.
3. The treaty was based on the premise of mutual vulnerability, reinforcing the idea that a strong offensive capability was necessary for deterrence.
4. In 2001, the United States announced its withdrawal from the ABM Treaty, citing a need to develop missile defense systems in response to emerging threats.
5. The end of the ABM Treaty led to renewed concerns about an arms race and increased tensions between the U.S. and Russia.

Review Questions

• How did the ABM Treaty influence U.S.-Soviet relations during the Cold War?
  • The ABM Treaty played a crucial role in shaping U.S.-Soviet relations by establishing a framework for arms control and limiting missile defenses. By capping the number of defensive systems each superpower could deploy, the treaty promoted stability and reduced fears of an arms race, fostering a climate of mutual deterrence. This agreement helped to build trust between the two nations at a time when tensions were high, although it also sparked debates over the effectiveness of missile defense.
• Discuss how the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) challenged the principles set forth in the ABM Treaty.
  • The Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), proposed by President Reagan in 1983, fundamentally challenged the principles of the ABM Treaty by aiming to create a comprehensive missile defense system that could protect against nuclear missile attacks. This initiative was perceived by the Soviet Union as an escalation in the arms race, threatening the balance established by the treaty. The development of SDI raised questions about whether effective missile defenses could undermine mutual assured destruction and encourage a first strike strategy, putting further strain on U.S.-Soviet relations.
• Evaluate the implications of the U.S. withdrawal from the ABM Treaty in 2001 for global security and nuclear non-proliferation efforts.
  • The U.S. withdrawal from the ABM Treaty in 2001 had significant implications for global security and efforts toward nuclear non-proliferation. This move signaled a shift towards unilateralism in U.S. foreign policy, raising concerns among other nations about potential arms races and escalating tensions. Without the constraints imposed by the treaty, both Russia and other countries began to reassess their nuclear strategies and capabilities, potentially undermining decades of arms control achievements and complicating future negotiations aimed at reducing nuclear arsenals globally.

Related terms

Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD): A military doctrine where both sides in a conflict possess enough nuclear weapons to destroy each other, preventing any side from launching a first strike due to fear of total annihilation.

Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI):

A proposed missile defense system announced by President Ronald Reagan in 1983 aimed at protecting the U.S. from nuclear missile attacks, which led to tensions regarding the ABM Treaty.

Nuclear Proliferation: The spread of nuclear weapons and technology to nations not recognized as Nuclear Weapon States under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).