In this revised edition of his highly acclaimed 1985 volume, incorporating newly declassified Russian as well as American official documents, Raymond Garthoff reexamines the historical development of American-Soviet relations from 1969 through 1980. The book takes into account both the broader context of world politics and internal political considerations and developments. Garthoff examines these developments as experienced by both sides, analyzing Soviet as well as American policy, with the benefit of a new perspective on this period from the post-Soviet, post-Cold War vantage point.

Setting the stage. Contexts, perspectives, and issues -- From confrontation to Detente. The road to the summit, 1969-72 -- Europe moves to Detente, 1966-72 -- Opening an era of negotiation: SALT I, 1969-72 -- Triangular diplomacy. Establishing triangular diplomacy: China and American-Soviet relations, 1969-72 -- The crucible for triangular diplomacy: ending the War in Vietnam, 1969-72 -- Triangular diplomacy and regional conflict: the Indo-Pakistani War, 1971 -- Detente. Detente launched: the first Nixon-Brezhnev summit, May 1972 -- Developing Detente: the second summit, June 1973 -- Detente and competition: the October War, 1973 -- Detente stalled: Watergate and the third summit, 1974 -- The decline of Detente. The Ford administration: new efforts and New obstacles, 1974-75 -- European security and European insecurities, 1973-76 -- Completion in the third world: Angola, 1975-76 -- Detente on the defensive, 1976 -- From Detente to confrontation. The Carter administration, 1977 -- A turn toward confrontation, 1978 -- Competition in the third world: Africa and the Middle East, 1977-79 -- The China card, 1978 -- The Vienna summit amid renewed tensions, 1979 -- The strategic dimension. The strategic balance and military Detente, 1977-80 -- Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory: SALT II, 1977-79 -- A wild card: the soviet brigade in Cuba, 1979 -- European theater nuclear forces, 1977-80 -- The end of Detente. Afghanistan: Soviet intervention and the American reaction, 1978-80 -- After Afghanistan: U.S. return to containment, 1980 -- Conclusions. The failure of the Detente of the 1970s -- Learning from history: Detente and the cold war.