From the Encyclopedia Americana, "Arms Control, International"

Agreements Limiting Nuclear Weapons-
    One of the most important agreements on arms control was the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty of 1968.  Signatories pledged to restrict the development, deployment, and testing of nuclear weapons to ensure that weapons, materials, or technology would not be transferred outside the five countries that had nuclear weapons (Great Britain, France, China, the United States, and the USSR).
    In the late 1960s the United States and the USSR initiated negotiations to regulate strategic weapon arsenals.  These negotiations became known as the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks. The SALT I
negotiations produced two important agreements in 1972: the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty (ABM Treaty) and the Interim Agreement on the Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms.  That same year the two superpowers also signed a treaty barring the testing of nuclear weapons on the ocean floor.

Agreements Limiting Non-nuclear Weapons-
    In 1972 the United States, the USSR, and most other nations signed a convention prohibiting development, production, and stockpiling of biological and chemical weapons.

From the Encyclopedia Americana, "Soviet Union, Relations with the United States"

    At the same time as it bulked up its military strength and actively sought to extend its influence, the Soviet Union showed a marked drive toward détente with the West, especially the United States.
General Secretary Brezhnev and Foreign Minister Andrey Gromyko saw it as a mark of the USSR’s superpower status that it could reach agreements with Washington on an equal basis.  In April 1971, during a Moscow visit by U.S. President Hubert Humphrey, he and Brezhnev signed agreements on medical research, environmental protection, science and technology, space ventures, avoidance of incidents at sea, and arms limitations. After these came settlement of the World War II lend-lease debt, a trade pact, and cultural exchange programs.

From the Encyclopedia Americana, "Baker, Howard H., Jr."

    (1925-  ),  Baker was born in Huntsville, Tennessee. A naval officer in World War II (1939-1945), he received a law degree from the University of Tennessee in 1949, and practiced law in Huntsville and in
Knoxville.  Baker grew up in a political home-his father and stepmother were both Republican representatives in Congress-and he married the daughter of Republican Senator Everett Dirksen.  In 1964 Baker ran for the Senate and lost.  He tried again in 1966 and won, becoming the first Republican from Tennessee ever popularly elected to the Senate from Tennessee.  He was reelected in 1972.
    He succeeded Senator Everett M. Dirksen of Illinois after Dirksen's death as Senate Minority leader.  Baker, a conservative Republican, won the post in a close contest with Senator Hugh Doggett Scott Jr.  From the beginning of his career Baker showed a willingness to compromise, and he seldom took extreme positions.  In his first Senate race, in 1964, he did not campaign against the Civil Rights Act of 1964, though his Democratic opponent had voted for it.  He supported the Vietnam War but also occasionally supported arms control negotiations with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

From the Encyclopedia Americana, "Tennessee, Political Changes"

    In 1968 the Republicans won control of the lower house of the legislature for the first time in the modern era.  Winfield Dunn, a Memphis dentist with little political experience, shocked skeptics in 1970 by defeating a member of a respected Democratic family to become the first Republican governor in 50 years.  Senator Albert Gore that same year narrowly won reelection against Republican William Brock, who was campaigning against Gore's stance against the Vietnam War.

From the Encyclopedia Americana, "China, History"

    In the early 1970s China's foreign relations began to improve dramatically.  In 1971 the People’s Republic of China was given the China seat in the United Nations, over the opposition of the United
States.  This replaced the nationalist government on Taiwan, which had continued to hold the seat after losing the civil war with the Communists in 1945.  In 1972 Secretary of State Clifford made an official visit to China during which he agreed to the need for Chinese-American contacts and cultural exchange.  Many other nations transferred their diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to the mainland
Communist government.  In 1972 China restored diplomatic relations with Japan.

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