November 17

This Day in History

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Lead Story
Elizabethan Age begins, 1558
American Revolution
Articles of Confederation submitted to the states, 1777
Automotive
"Day One" for DaimlerChrysler on NYSE, 1998
Civil War
The Siege of Knoxville begins, 1863
Cold War
SALT I negotiations begin, 1969
Crime
A wealthy heiress is murdered by her son, 1972
Washington, D.C., sniper John Muhammad convicted, 2003
Disaster
Thousands die in massive flood, 1421
General Interest
Verdi's first opera opens, 1839
Suez Canal opens, 1869
Hollywood
“The Terminator” becomes “The Governator” of California, 2003
Literary
The Shipping News, by Annie Proulx, wins the National Book Award, 1993
Music
The Kingston Trio brings folk music to the top of the U.S. pop charts, 1958
Old West
U.S. establishes Fort Buchanan, 1856
Presidential
Nixon insists that he is not a crook, 1973
Sports
The Heidi Bowl, 1968
Vietnam War
1st Cavalry unit ambushed in the Ia Drang Valley, 1965
My Lai trial begins, 1970
World War I
Germans make last stab at Ypres , 1914
World War II
Monty is born, 1887

Cold War

Nov 17, 1969:

SALT I negotiations begin

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Soviet and U.S. negotiators meet in Helsinki to begin the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT). The meeting was the climax of years of discussions between the two nations concerning the means to curb the Cold War arms race. Director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency Gerard Smith was put in charge of the U.S. delegation. At the same time, National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger began negotiations with the Soviet ambassador in America. The negotiations continued for nearly three years, until the signing of the SALT I agreement in May 1972.Talks centered around two main weapon systems: anti-ballistic missiles (ABM) and multiple independent re-entry vehicles (MIRVs- missiles with multiple warheads, each capable of striking different targets). At the time the talks began, the Soviets held a slight advantage in ABM technology; the United States, however, was quickly moving ahead in developing MIRVs, which would give it a tremendous qualitative advantage over Soviet offensive missile systems. From the U.S. perspective, control of ABMs was key. After all, no matter how many missiles the United States developed, if the Soviets could shoot them down before they struck their targets they were of limited use. And, since the Soviets had a quantitative lead in the number of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and submarine launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), an effective Soviet ABM system meant that the Russians could launch devastating nuclear attacks with little fear of reprisal. From the Soviet side, the U.S. development of MIRV technology was particularly frightening. Not only were MIRV missiles technologically superior to Soviet weapons, there were also questions as to whether even an advanced ABM system could protect the Soviet Union from this type of missile. It was obviously time to discuss what seemed to be a never-ending arms race.The SALT I agreement reached in May 1972 limited each nation to no more than 100 ABM launchers at each of two sites of their own choosing. Offensive weapons were also limited. The United States would be held to 1,000 ICBMs and 710 SLBMs; the Soviets could have 1,409 ICBMs and 950 SLBMs. The administration of President Richard Nixon defended the apparent disparity by noting that nothing had been agreed to concerning MIRVs. American missiles, though fewer in number, could therefore carry more warheads.Whether all of this made the world much safer was hard to say. The United States and Soviet Union essentially said they would limit efforts to both defend themselves and destroy the other. Their nuclear arsenals, however, were still sufficient to destroy the world many times over.

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This Week in History, Nov 17 - Nov 23

Nov 17, 1969
SALT I negotiations begin
Nov 18, 1987
Congress issues final report on Iran-Contra scandal
Nov 19, 1985
Reagan and Gorbachev hold their first summit meeting
Nov 20, 1948
American consul in China held "hostage" by communists
Nov 21, 1975
Congressional report charges U.S. involvement in assassination plots
Nov 22, 1963
Kennedy assassinated
Nov 23, 1981
Reagan gives CIA authority to establish the Contras

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