Well you could say the detente did have some effect on the relations and military aspects of both the United States and the Soviet Union. But the fact that the election of Jimmy Carter, the Iranian revolution and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 that eventually aggrivated the renewal of the Cold War has alot to say on whether or not it did work.
However, the detente did achieve this things:
- A break in the arms race where limits were placed on the increase of weapons (The SALT (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks) talks in 1969 allowed for the slowing down of the build-up of nuclear weapons. It subsequently led to the signing of the SALT I ageement in 1972, where nationwide anti-ballistic missile systems were banned and the levels of missile stockpiles of both sides were frozen. The Nuclear Accident Agreement of 1971 and Sea Bed Treaty of 1972 amounted to real progress).
- A greater toleration between each of the two's political systems. There were less criticism of communism and capitalism during this period in each opposite country.
- The USA and USSR were able to avoid clashes over conflicts in Asia and Africa, as agreements on Third World conflicts were made.
- There were more frequent meetings at summits between the head of states during this period than at any time.
- The Soviet Union began to relax some of its political influence and controls over the Eastern Bloc. (The Helsinki Agreement of 1975 allowed for the mutual recognition of European's froniers and the respect of human rights. It was signed by 37 countries, including the US and USSR.)
- Trade relations between the two blocs increased substantially during the era of detente. Most significant were the vast shipments of grain that were sent from the West to the Soviet Union each year, which helped make up for the failure of kolkhoz, Soviet collectivized agriculture.