24. The ending of cold war tensions Flashcards
explain the ending of cold war tensions in Afghanistan?
- Gorbachev wanted to withdraw soviet troops because:
- financial burden
- large casualties
- public opposition
- Afghan and Soviet armies didn’t look like they could defeat guerrilla fighters
- withdrawal of troops completed in February 1989
- however removal was viewed as admission of failure by soviet people and international community even if they opposed the war
explain the ending of Cold war tensions in Nicaragua?
- after USA stopped funding the contras, they agreed for a ceasefire with the Sandinista regime
- USA continued to oppose left Sandinistas and helped the opposition to organise them around pro-american Violeta Chamorro
- Chamorro won elections in Feb 1990, she removed the contras ending the 11year civil war
- US offered $300 million in assistance but withdrew that in 92 with excuse that Sandinistas were controlling the economy
explain the ending of Cold war tensions in El Salvador?
- US supported Jose Napoloen Duarte elected president of el salvador in 1984, during civil war
- he attempted to limit the power of armed forces, but they continued brutal suppression of population
- FMLN= coalition of leftist guerilla forces battled against army
- 1988 elections Cristiani became president and FMLN launched a new offensive
- 1992, peace accords signed after USA relaxed anti-communist stance and stopped training and supporting the salvadorian military
- 1994= UN oversaw free elections
explain the ending of Cold war tensions in Cuba?
- Fidel Castro remained committed to communism, but had to restructure economy after collapse of the USSR which had been a big source of funding
- Cuba reduced dependence on exporting sugar and increased trade with China= re-emergence of tourism, they had to withdraw aid from other countries including Africa
- relations between USA and Cuba remained tense and hostile despite end of cold war
explain the ending of Cold war tensions in Angola?
- December 1986: Gorbachev announced he wanted to withdraw support foe MPLA hoping this would improve relations with the US and reduce government spending
- but USSR still provided MPLA with $1 Billion in arms while USA helped to arm nationalist UNITA
- September 1987: attempt to end civil war= USSR encouraged major offensive against UNITA supported by 10,000 troops
- May 1988, south Africa who supported UNITA agreed to negotiations ,
- December: peace agreements, inc. withdrawal of Cuban forces= south Africa more secure and no longer needed to engage in conflict with MPLA + resolved a source of conflict between USSR and USA
explain the ending of Cold war tensions in Ethiopia?
- 1987: Mengistu established the people’s Democratic Republic of Ethiopia= wanted Ethiopia to be a fully marxist country
- continued to receive economic and military aid from USSR, his regime engaged in a civil war against Eritrean nationalists and believed they would win if they continued to receive support
- May 1991: due to changes in Eastern Europe and opposition approaching capital city, Mengistu fled
- PRDF took over, received assistance from USA despite marxist roots
- signal that anti-communism was no longer the primary motivation regarding US Foreign Policy
explain the Malta summit?
-December, 1989
-following the downfall of communist regimes
Key Discussions:
-focused on developing the economic relationship between superpowers
-discussed rapid changed in eastern Europe
Outcomes:
-USSR would not intervene in EEurope
-USA would not intervene in Germany = an internal matter/ and in the Baltic states
explain the significance of the Malta Summit?
- paved the way for the conventional forces in Europe treaty in November 1990
- also led to the START treaty
explain the soviet agreement to German reunification?
- 1990: West german chancellor wanted a unified Germany with full membership in NATO
- Soviets were worried that reunification would lead to the loss of part of their sphere in Germany and a kay buffer state
- Gorbachev agreed to remove Soviet troops from East Germany, in return for financial aid
- this decision undermined the soviet state
explain the process of German reunification?
-March 1990: GDR had first free elections
-May: the two Germany’s agreed to economic and monetary and social union
-GDR transferred economic sovereignty to FRG in return for significant subsidies
-August: GDR passed law of accession in which it would become part of the FRG
-September:unification was accepted y the 4 powers
-October: Germany reunified and became a full member of NATO
GDR= east Germany
FRG= west Germany
Explain the collapse of the USSR and Gorbachev’s resignation?
-1988: Armenians demanded separation from Azerbaijan and incorporation into soviet Armenia
1989: Georgian nationalists call for independence and jointly discuss a way to gain sovereignty from the USSR
-1990: Baltic states declare independence
-1991: soviet troops sent to Lithuania in a failed attempt to regain control
-August 1991: communist party hardliners attempt to overthrow Gorbachev in a failed coup= failed but his position remains insecure
December 1991: Leaders of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine create commonwealth of independent states to replaces USSR
-USSR supreme votes dissolve
president of new ‘Russian Federation’ siezes Gorbachev’s office in the Kremlin
-G has no political support and resigns as President of USSR
explain George H.W Bush and US response to 1991?
- August 1991: bush condemned the coup but G was weak and USSR wouldn’t survive
- September 1991: USA established new principles that new post-soviet republics could receive assistance and recognition by USA
- recognition of existing boarders and keeping democratic principles
- support democracy, human rights+minorities
- respect international law and treaty obligations
- 26th December 1991: the day after G resigned, Bush announced to American people that the US recognised the 12 former states of the USSR and Russia would be given a seat on the UN security council.
explain impact of Gorbachev’s foreign policies?
-led to a decrease in tensions with the US and paved the way for arms limitations talks and peaceful resolutions to conflicts
explain impact of Gorbachev’s internal reforms?
- he had hoped to strengthen and preserve the USSR
- but he inadvertently dismantled the soviet system= USA as dominant superpower
- however, this ended the cold war and opened the way for new East-west relations
