2nd January 1980: Jimmy Carter instigates the end of détente after the USSR invades Afghanistan

President Carter had come to power in January 1977 in the midst of a period of a reduction in tensions between the USA and the USSR. The Strategic Arms Limitation Talks that began under Richard Nixon and resulted in the AntiBallistic Missile Treaty are often presented as one of détentes greatest achievements. This led to a second round of talks that sought to build on the original agreement and begin physically reducing the number of nuclear weapons held by each country. Despite such shows of cooperation