June 1979
On June 18, 1979, the United States and Soviet Union signed the Strategic Arms
Limitation Treaty (SALT) II, limiting each side's arsenals and restricting
weapons development and modernization.
President Carter came to office with ambitious plans, including lower defense
spending and a foreign policy based on human rights rather than military
threat. In his inauguration speech, Carter called for the elimination of
nuclear weapons. He inherited the framework for SALT II from the previous
administration. President Ford and Soviet Premier Brezhnev had agreed upon the
basic principles of SALT II in December 1974.
The U.S. Senate never ratified SALT II. While the Senate was considering the
treaty in December 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. On January 3,
1980, President Carter asked the Senate to stop considering the treaty.
However, both the United States and Soviet Union have abided by its terms.
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