1980's : End of the Cold war Flashcards
What did Reagan do to make the Cold war more dangerous
-SDI (1983) (strategic defence initiative) : USA would build a laser-based missile defence system - this demonstrated the technological superiority and and superior economical resources of the USA
-Evil Empire (1982) - Reagan called the USSR ‘Evil’ to the British Parliament and USSR’s president responded by calling him a ‘liar’ and ‘insane’
-Defence Spending - He announced the USA would spend more than a trillion dollars on new military submarines, and cruise missiles (which cannot be detected by radar)
-Zero Option (1981) - Brezhnev rejected Reagan’s offer to remove short range missiles from Europe, Reagan deliberately proposed something Brezhnev would never agree to in order to portray USA as the ‘good guys’
What was Gorbachev’s “new thinking” - 2 ideas
Glasnost (political openness) - greater freedom of speech, introduced Western ideas such as the first McDonalds in Moscow, powers of KGB reduced, Free elections finally held in 1990
Perestroika (restructuring) - To restructure economy, for first time in 60 years it was legal to buy and sell for profit
What were the important Treaties in the late 1980’s and what were their aims
-Geneva (NOV 1985) : Speed up arms talks, Abolishment of chemical weapons, more active on human rights
-Washington (DEC 1987) : Reagan and Gorbachev signed Intermediate Nuclear Forces treaty (INF) which eliminated short to medium range nukes. By 1991, 2,500 had been destroyed by both sides
-MALTA (1989) : Gorbachev and Bush announced together that the cold war was over
-WASHINGTON (1990) : START talks (strategic arms limitations) - reduced nuclear weapons over seven years to 25% of existing stocks. This cemented a positive personal relationship at the end of the cold war
What were the different Eastern European countries that left communism
HUNGARY (MAY 1989) - Border opens
POLAND (JUNE 1989) - Communist government resigns
EAST GERMANY (SEPT 1989) - 125,000 East Germans cross border
CZECHOSLOVAKIA (NOV 1989) - Peaceful revolution overthrows communist government
EAST BERLIN (NOV 1989) - Berlin wall falls
BULGARIA (DEC 1989) - Communist leader Peter Mladenov resigns
ROMANIA (DEC 1989) - Demonstrations overthrow communist government
GERMANY (1990) - East and West Germany Reunified
When was the Warsaw Pact officially dissolved
1991
How important was Gorbachev’s “new thinking”
Short - Perestroika restructured economy, Glasnost allowed more freedom, Relationship improved as Gorbachev and Reagan became strong allies, INF treaty removed missiles with range of 500-5500km
Long - Soviet control of Eastern European dissolved, Berlin Wall fell, Gorbachev refused to use violence to stop this, He withdrew soldiers from Afghanistan in 1989
What were the consequences of the fall of the Berlin Wall and end of communism in Eastern Europe
Short - Reunited friends and families, Had stood for 30 years - was a symbol for the end of the cold war, Iron curtain dissolved, Gorbachev and Bush announced end of cold war in 1989
Long - In 1990 East and West Germany are reunited into Germany, In 1991, Warsaw pact dissolves
