3 - End Of The Cold War 1970-91 Flashcards

1
Q

What does détente mean

A

A French word that refers to a reduction in tensions between superpowers

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2
Q

Reasons for Détente

A
  • fear of nuclear war due to Cuban missile crisis
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3
Q

Early examples of detente

A
  • hotline between Washington + Kremlin

- test ban treaty - 1963

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4
Q

When was the six day war

A

1967

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5
Q

What was the six day war

A

Israeli vs other Arab states

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6
Q

Consequences of the six day war

A
  • Arab states more closely drawn it Soviet Union because USA had supplied so much military hardware to Israel
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7
Q

Why did USA get involved in the Vietnam war

A
  • to try + stop the spread communism
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8
Q

USAs involvement in Vietnam war

A
  • sent military advisors to south Vietnam in 1950s

- sent troops in 1965

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9
Q

Consequences of the Vietnam war

A
  • USA couldn’t defeat north Vietnamese + the Viet Cong
  • High US casualties - up to 10,000 killed a year

1969 - 9400 killed + 53,000 injured + 112 missing in action

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10
Q

When did Nixon become president

A

1969

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11
Q

When did the US begin seeking an end to the war

A

1968

  • peace talks began spring of 1968
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12
Q

Why were the US hopeful there would be an end to the Vietnamese war

A
  • after Nixon became president - hoped that if USA could improve trade + Technology links + made an offer of arms reduction - then Brezhnev might persuade his north Vietnamese ally to end war
  • idea of concessions called ‘linkage’ by Nixon’s advisors
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13
Q

When did Nixon visit Moscow

A

1972

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14
Q

What did Nixon clarify in Moscow

A

That he did not see Vietnam as an obstacle to the process of detente , even though Soviet Union was supplying arms to north Vietnam

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15
Q

Why did Brezhnev want to improve relations with Nixon

A
  • Nixon visited china three months before - didn’t want to see a US- China Alliance
  • keen to gain access to US technology
  • increase grain sales
  • reduce spending on arms
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16
Q

Why did Nixon want to improve relations with Brezhnev

A
  • help end Vietnamese war

+ High cost and casualties

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17
Q

What was agreed at the Moscow meeting - 1972

A
  • Nixon agreed to take part in European security conference from which emerged the Helsinki agreements
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18
Q

When was peace signed between US and north Vietnam

A

1973

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19
Q

When was SALT 1

A

May 1972

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20
Q

What does SALT stand for

A

Strategic Arms Limitation Talks

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21
Q

Why were SALT talks held

A
  • previous talks at Vienna +Helsinki for three years

- move to detente + idea of linkage + economic problems in Soviet Union

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22
Q

Agreements of SALT 1

A
  • Anti - ballistic missile Systems allowed at only two sites - each containing 100 missiles
    + these were systems designed to detect, track and destroy attacking ICBMs
  • Interim agreement on Offensive Arms - imposed a 5 year freeze on total number of ICBM + SLBM
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23
Q

Limitations of SALT 1

A
  • agreements did not limit number of strategic bombers eg. Planes designed to bomb distant enemy targets
  • did not limit types of bombs each side could have
  • no restriction on MIRVs (multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle)
  • each side could use satellites to check the other side was not breaking arms limits - spying
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24
Q

When was the Yom Kippur war

A

1973

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25
Q

EXAMPLES OF DÉTENTE IN ACTION

A
1 - Nixon visits Moscow - 1972
2 - SALT I - 1972
3 - Yom Kippur War - 1973
4 - Nixon visits Moscow - 1974
5 - Space link up - 1975
6 - Helsinki agreements - 1975
7 - SALT II - 1975
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26
Q

What was the Yom Kippur War

A

Syria and Egypt made surprise attacks on Israel

  • Syria/ Egypt supplied by Soviet Union
  • Israel supplied by USA
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27
Q

Brezhnevs plan - Yom Kippur War

A
  • join US - Soviet Union force would be on hand to save the Egyptian army from Israelis
  • If US refused - Soviet forces would go separately
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28
Q

Nixons response to brezhnevs plan - Yom Kippur War

A
  • Nixon angry at Brezhnevs suggestion at independent action but didn’t want to accept the offer
  • Nixon put all US forces, including nuclear strike groups, on alert
  • NIXON PROPOSED an alternative - that UN peacekeeping force of non-nuclear countries intervene in the conflict
  • Brezhnev accepted proposal and war ended
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29
Q

When did Yom Kippur war end

A
  • ended with a ceasefire

- 24th October 1973

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30
Q

When did Nixon visit Moscow for the second time

A

July 1974

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31
Q

What was agreed at the second Moscow visit - 1974

A
  • they would continue to remove the danger of war - Particularly nuclear war
  • to limit + eventually end arms race - especially in strategic warheads = said their ultimate objective was complete disarmament, which would be monitored by appropriate international control
  • they would contribute to the elimination of sources of tension + war
  • to relax tensions throughout the world
  • to develop broad, mutually beneficial co-operation in commercial, economic, scientific
    technical and cultural fields - aim was to promote increased understanding and
    confidence between the peoples of both countries.
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32
Q

Consequence of Moscow meeting

A

Space link up

Helsinki agreements

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33
Q

When was the space link up

A

17th July 1975

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34
Q

What was the space link up

A
  • Apollo - Soyuz mission
  • three US astronauts + two soviet astronauts met up in space as US Apollo aircraft docked with a soviet Soyuz one
  • there was a symbolic handshake
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35
Q

When were the Helsinki agreements

A

1975

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36
Q

What was the Helsinki agreements

A
  • USA and Soviet Union along with 33 other nations made declarations about three distinct international issues - known as baskets
  • Security
  • Cooperation
  • Human rights
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37
Q

Helsinki agreement - security

A
  • Recognition of Europe’s frontiers

- Soviet Union accepted the existence of West Germany

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38
Q

Helsinki agreement - Cooperation

A

There was a call for closer economic, scientific and cultural links - these would lead to even closer political agreement

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39
Q

Helsinki agreement - Human rights

A

Each signatory agreed to respect human rights and basic freedoms such as thought, speech, religion and freedom from unfair arrest

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40
Q

Consequences of Helsinki agreements

A
  • following human rights Helsinki agreement - president carter sent a letter to the soviet dissident (Andrei Sakharov) - supporting his stand against soviet authorities
  • carters actions seen as a big interference in soviet internal affairs + Brezhnev made this clear in a speech
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41
Q

What is a dissent

A

Someone who disagrees with the government

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42
Q

Consequences of carters actions

A
  • various groups were set up in eastern Europe, known as the Helsinki Groups to monitor the Soviet Union’s adherence to the Agreements.
  • They, along with President Carter and other human rights organisations, complained about Soviet violations of 975 Agreements.
    + violations = lack of free speech, religious restrictions and lack of freedom of movement.
  • The human rights issue was becoming an embarrassment for Brezhnev.
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43
Q

How did the Soviet Union go against the Helsinki agreements

A

Despite the Helsinki Agreements, the Soviet Union sent huge amounts of weapons to Angola and Ethiopia, and by 1980, 21 other
African states had received Soviet weapons.

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44
Q

When was SALT II

A

Began in 1974 and signed in June 1979

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45
Q

Terms of SALT II

A
  • A limit of 2400 strategic nuclear delivery vehicle (ICBMs, SLBMs and heavy bombers) for each side.
  • 1320 limit on MIRV systems for each side.
  • A ban on construction of new land-based ICBM launchers.
  • Limits on deployment of new types of strategic offensive arms.
  • SALT Il to last until 1985.
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46
Q

When were SALT II agreements meant to last up to

A

1985

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47
Q

Why did ratification (agreement) of the SALT II treaty not take place

A

US Congress did not believe that the limits put forward in SALT Il could be verified, and there was renewed concern over the 2,000 Soviet troops stationed in Cuba.

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48
Q

How was detente endangered

A

In late 1979, NATO decided to place long-range missiles in Europe.

  • Détente was under pressure, but its end came unexpectedly when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan on 25 December 1979.
  • The US Senate refused to ratify SALT II and many said that a second Cold War was starting.
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49
Q

When was Gorbachev appointment as leader

A

March 1985

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50
Q

Russias economy in 1985

A
  • not nearly efficient as American
  • while Americans enjoyed excellent standard of living Russians faced shortages every day
  • eg. Not uncommon for Moscow housewives to queue for 5 hours just to buy bread
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51
Q

Why was Gorbachev different

A

His ‘new thinking’

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52
Q

Why did Gorbachev come up with his ‘new thinking’

A
  • Cold War was draining Russia’s wealth, couldn’t develop economically - fall of standard of living + faith in communism being lost
  • Gorbachev wanted to address these problems by reforming the communist party + modernising soviet - style socialism
  • introduced radical programme called new thinking
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53
Q

What was Gorbachevs ‘new thinking’

A

Three strategies -
- Initiating reforms in the Communist Party and Soviet system - perestroika (restructuring) and glasnost (openness).

  • Ending the arms race with the USA and signing various arms reduction agreements.
  • Abandoning the Brezhnev Doctrine and stopping Soviet interference in eastern European satellite states like Poland, Czechoslovakia and other Warsaw Pact countries.
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54
Q

What was seen as the beginning of gorbachevs restructuring + economic acceleration

A
  • APRIL 1985 - roamed around industrial district of Moscow + visited supermarkets + chatted with workers at a truck factory
  • discussed computer training with teachers
  • discussed nurses pay with staff at hospital
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55
Q

Gorbachevs other developments

A
  • dissidents released from jail

- banned books were published + people learned of atrocities Stalin committed

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56
Q

Why was glasnost described as a ‘two - edged sword’

A
  • more freedom people gained the more they wanted + more they criticised Gorbachev
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57
Q

Why was Russia’s economy damaged

A
  • arms race
  • Afghanistan invasion
  • space race
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58
Q

What did perestroika bring about

A
  • certain aspects of a free economy were introduced
  • people can think more freely without fear of reprisal
  • reforms of political system - eg. Elections for local government
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59
Q

Why were arms limitation talks renewed

A

After it became clear Gorbachev wanted to improve relations

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60
Q

When + where was the first summit meeting with Gorbachev + Reagan

A

November 1985 at Geneva

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61
Q

How long was the Geneva summit meeting

A

Lasted 2 days

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62
Q

What was different about the Geneva summit

A

They broke convention and met without their advisors

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63
Q

What happened at the Geneva summit

A
  • reagan would not give up his commitment to SDI Defense System
  • both spoke of the world being a ‘safer place’
  • Geneva accord set out
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64
Q

What was the Geneva accord

A

Committed the two countries to -

  • speed up arms talks
  • work towards abolition of chemical weapons
  • be more active on issues of human rights
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65
Q

When and where was the second summit between Gorbachev + Reagan

A

October 1986 in Reykjavik, Iceland

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66
Q

What happened at the Reykjavik summit meeting

A
  • collapsed after the two leaders tentatively agreed to reductions in nuclear arsenals
  • BUT became deadlocked again on the issue of restricting the US space-based missile defence programme + SDI).
  • In a news conference after the Summit had collapsed, Gorbachev painted a bleak picture of US- Soviet relations leading up to the summit and said that the talks had broken down over the fundamental differences between the superpowers on the SDI and the ABM Treaty
  • He said Reagan’s insistence on deploying SDI had ‘frustrated and scuttled’ the opportunity for an agreement.
67
Q

Where + when was the third summit held

A

December 1987

68
Q

What happened at the third summit

A
  • breakthrough was achieved - Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF).
  • Gorbachev refused to sign arms treaty with Reagan at Reykjavik- because Reagan refused to drop his plans for SDI
  • Reagan still committed to SDI in 1987 but Gorbachev changed his mind
69
Q

Why did Gorbachev change his mind about signing an arms treaty with Reagan

A
  • was convinced that nuclear weapons would not guarantee Soviet security + too expensive.
  • Reagan convinced Gorbachev that the USA did not
    intend to invade the Soviet Union.
  • Gorbachev realised that the Soviet economy would never recover as long as it was spending so much money on nuclear weapons.
  • also believed that disarmament would win him popularity in the West and that, would encourage trade deals between the Soviet Union and the West.
70
Q

What was the intermediate-range nuclear forces treaty (INF) 1987

A
  • treaty eliminated nuclear and conventional ground- launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges of 500 to 5,500 kilometres (300 to 3,400 miles).
  • By the treaty’s deadline, 1 June 1991, a total of 2,692 such weapons had been destroyed, 846 by the USA and 1,846 by the Soviet Union
  • Also under the treaty, both nations were allowed to inspect each other’s military installations.
71
Q

Consequences of the INF

A

By the treaty’s deadline, 1 June 1991, a total of 2,692 such weapons had been destroyed, 846 by the USA and 1,846 by the Soviet Union

72
Q

Other treaties that lead to the end of the Cold War

A
  • INF
  • CFE - conventional armed forces in Europe - 1989
  • START I - treaty for the reduction and limitation of strategic arms - 1991
73
Q

When was the soviet invasion of Afghanistan

A

1979

74
Q

Why were the USA worried about the soviet invasion of Afghanistan

A
  • threaten India + Pakistan

- steeping stone to possible soviet control over majority of wests oil supply

75
Q

When did PDPA - People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan - overthrow the government

A

27th April 1978

76
Q

Who was secretary of the PDPA

A

Nur Muhammad Taraki

77
Q

What did Taraki become after he overthrow the government

A
  • became President of the Revolutionary Council + Prime Minister of the newly established Democratic Republic of Afghanistan.
78
Q

What was the PDPA rule like in first 18 months

A
  • During First 18 months - PDPA imposed a communist-style reform programme.
  • thousands of members of the traditional elite (the Muslim religious establishment and intellectuals) were imprisoned, tortured or murdered.
79
Q

Who overthrow taraki

A

Hafizullah Amin - the Deputy Prime Minister,

80
Q

When did amin overthrow taraki

A

September 1979

81
Q

Why was there still instability in the country after amin took control

A
  • anti-Muslim policies
82
Q

How did people retaliate against amin

A
  • Thousands of Afghan Muslims joined the mujahideen
  • mujahideen was a guerrilla movement which proclaimed to be on a holy mission for Allah.
  • wanted to overthrow the Amin
  • declared a jihad - a holy war - on the supporters of Amin.
83
Q

How did the soviets respond to the mujahideen

A
  • increased soviet military assistance programme - began in 1978
  • amins regime became dependent on soviet military equipment + advisors
84
Q

Why did amin not want to become too dependent on the Soviet’s

A
  • wanted to improve links with USA
85
Q

Why did Brezhnev invade Afghanistan

A
  • was concerned about the growing power and spread of Islamic fundamentalism
  • wanted to show the 30 million Muslims in the Soviet Union that there would be no changes to the way the Soviet Union was run.
  • The Soviet Union saw fundamentalism as a great threat to the Soviet system
86
Q

When was the invasion of Afghanistan

A

Between 25 December 1979 and 1 January 1980

87
Q

How many soviet troops were sent into Afghanistan

A

Between 25 December 1979 and 1 January 1980, more than 50,000 Soviet troops

88
Q

How did Brezhnev justify this invasion

A

said
the Soviet Union was only complying with the 1978 Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and
Good Neighbourliness that former President Taraki had signed.

89
Q

When and why was amin replaced

A

On 27 December 1979, Amin was shot and replaced by Babrak Kamal

90
Q

Response to Kamals rule

A

Many Afghan soldiers deserted to join the mujahideen + the Kamal government then required 85,000 Soviet soldiers to keep it in power.

91
Q

Why did carter take a firm approach to the soviets over invasion of Afghanistan

A

Accused of being a weak leader after not being able to solve the hostage problem

92
Q

What was carters hostage problem

A
  • Carter already under pressure in November 1979 following seizure of US embassy staff as hostages in Iran by militant Islamic students
  • They wanted their former leader, the Shah, to be returned from exile in the USA to stand trial for crimes against the people of Iran
93
Q

What was carters firm approach

A
  • The carter doctrine
  • asked the Senate to delay passing the SALT II treaty
  • The USA then cancelled all shipments of grain to the Soviet Union and US companies were forbidden to sell high technology there, such as computers and oil drilling equipment.
  • It was also decided that assistance would be given to the guerrillas - mujahideen - who fought against the Soviet invaders.
94
Q

What was the carter doctrine

A

It was a policy which stated that the USA would use military force if necessary to defend its national interests in the Persian Gulf region

  • also promised US military aid to all of the countries bordering Afghanistan.
95
Q

How was carter able to carry out his promises in the the carter doctrine

A
  • proposed the creation of a quick-strike military force that could intervene anywhere in the world at short notice - Rapid Deployment Force
  • also called for a draft registration of 18-20-year-old men
  • for Congress to allow the CIA to increase its intelligence gathering activities.
96
Q

How did the USA respond to carters firm approach

A

The USA then cancelled all shipments of grain to the Soviet Union and US companies were forbidden to sell high technology there, such as computers and oil drilling equipment.

97
Q

What was carters mist controversial decision after invasion

A

pressure the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) to. boycott the Moscow Olympic Games (July-August 1980).

98
Q

When were the Moscow olympics

A

1980

99
Q

How did carter threaten the olympics

A
  • threatened to withhold funding and remove tax benefits.

- USOC agreed, and 61 other countries followed the USA’s example.

100
Q

What did those who boycotted the games do

A

held an alternative event called the ‘Liberty Bell Classic’

101
Q

What happened at the actual Olympic

A

Soviet Union won 195 medals, including 80 golds.

102
Q

How did the USA respond to Soviet Union in the Olympics

A

The American press ridiculed the official Olympic Games and nicknamed Misha Bear, Russia’s Olympic mascot, Gulag Bear

103
Q

Consequence of carters actions

A
  • didn’t cause Soviet troops to leave Afghanistan but
  • ended detente
  • relationships worsened
104
Q

When did Reagan become president

A

1980

105
Q

What was the main emphasises of Reagans policies

A

Fighting communism - wanted to be harsher then carter

106
Q

What was Reagans change of policy called

A

The Second World War

107
Q

Reagan was not intimidated by…

A

the arsenal that the Soviet Union had built-up

108
Q

Reagans priorities

A
  • placed less emphasis on human rights and was keen to increase US defence spending.
  • wanted to raise the USA to the position it had held in world affairs after the WWII
  • wanted to eradicate the humiliation of the loss of the Vietnam War + the hostage crisis in Iran + the increasing influence of the Soviet Union in both Africa and Central America.
109
Q

How much was Reagans defence policy going to cost

A

-between 1981 and 1987 would cost more than a trition dollars.

110
Q

What did Reagans defence policy include

A
  • 100 MX missiles
  • 100 B-1 long-range and supersonic bombers
  • the construction of a new stealth bomber that would be invisible to radar
  • the construction of six Trident nuclear submarines
  • the strengthening of military communications systems
  • the development of the neutron bomb - killed people but did little damage to property
111
Q

Consequences of deployment of soviet SS29 missiles

A

the USA decided to place cruise missiles (which could not be detected by radar) in western Europe

  • The result of this defence strategy was a worsening of superpower relations.
112
Q

What was NUTS

A

Nuclear Utilization Target Selection

  • involved directing weapons at the opponent’s warheads, rather than their cities, to destroy
    their nuclear weapons capabilities.
113
Q

How did Reagan think he could win a limited nuclear war

A

Using NUTS strategies

114
Q

Why did tension begin to rise at NUTS

A
  • up until that point they had accepted MAD - mutually assured destruction
115
Q

Why did Reagan know he was approaching talks with Brezhnev at an advantaged position.

A

Economic problems that the Soviet Union was experiencing

116
Q

When did Reagan propose the zero option

A

November 1981

117
Q

What was the zero option and why was it controversial

A

to cancel deployment of new US intermediate-range missiles in Western Europe in return for Soviet dismantling of comparable forces (600 SS20 intermediate-range missiles).

Brezhnev rejected the offer.

118
Q

When + how did Reagan insult the soviet u ion

A

In a speech to the British House of Commons on 8th June 1982

  • called the Soviet Union an evil empire*
119
Q

How did the soviets respond to Reagans insult

A
  • later in the year - new leader Yuri andrapov
  • called the US president ‘insane’ + a ‘liar’
  • Moscow repeatedly accused President Reagan of Fanning the flames of war and compared him to Hitier
120
Q

How did events in Poland make START talks more difficult

A
  • USA decided to give secret assistance to the Polish workers’ trade union movement Solidarmosc (solidarity), which was banned and saw its leaders imprisoned in 1982.
  • The USA criticised Brezhnev and the Polish government for their heavy-handed approach and reacted by banning all hi-tech trade with the Soviet Union.
  • Relations grew worse when the Soviet delegation walked out of the START talks in 1983 and Reagan announced the Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI).
121
Q

When was SDI announced

A

23rd march 1983

122
Q

What was SDI nicknamed

A

The Star Wars Programme

123
Q

What was SDI

A

a plan for a ground- and space-based, laser-armed anti- ballistic missile system that, if deployed, would shield against missiles launched at the US, destroying them in the
process

124
Q

Andropovs reaction to SDI

A

4 days later - he spoke out

  • accused USA of preparing first strike against Soviet Union
125
Q

How did the US congress respond to SDI

A

Voted in favour of funds for the development of SDI

126
Q

Soviet response to SDI

A
  • it meant that soviets had to spend even
    more money on armaments in order to compete with the USA.
  • Soviet economy was already experiencing
    problems and renewed arms spending might destroy it completely - part of Reagans plan
  • Soviet Union already lost space race
  • behind on computer technology - American computer market boomed in 1980s
  • soviet leaders highly suspicious of computers - might be used to undermine power of the communist party - eg. Anti-communist propaganda
127
Q

What was the Sinatra doctrine

A

in 1989
- part of Gorbachevs ‘new thinking’
he accepted that members of the Warsaw Pact could make changes to their own countries without expecting outside interference.

128
Q

What did gorbachevs new thinking mean

A

meant that ideology would play a much smaller role in Soviet foreign affairs.

-In practice, this meant that the Soviet Union would no longer favour trade with communist countries over trade with capitalist countries.

129
Q

Why did Gorbachev introduce his new thinking

A
  • strain on the economy for supporting forces in eastern Europe
130
Q

How did Gorbachevs new thinking affect east effect Europe

A
  • never intended to weaken communism
  • wanted to strengthen it by reform
  • once reform started in eastern Europe, he was
    unable to contain it
131
Q

Where did reform start first

A

Poland - 1989

A Non-communist government was elected

132
Q

What was the key to changes in eastern Europe in 1989

A

was Hungary’s decision to open its border with Austria in May of that year.

This meant that there was now a hole
in the Iron Curtain.

This created a way for East Germans to move to West Germany.

133
Q

Poland reforms

A
  1. Strikes throughout the country.

1989 - Free trade union = Solidarity - wins
elections.
Mazowiecki becomes first non-communist Prime Minister In eastern Europe.

134
Q

Hungary reforms

A

1988 - Gorbachev accepts that Hungary can
become a multi-party state.

1989 - Hungary opens its border with Austria.

1990 - Democratic elections won by Democratic
Forum, an alliance of anti-communist

135
Q

Romania reforms - The most brutal government in Eastern Europe

A

16 December 1989 - Secret police fire on demonstrators in Timisoara.

  • 21 December 1989 - Huge crowd in Bucharest boos President Ceausescu, who flees but is captured later.
  • 22-24 December 1989 Army joins rebellion and fights secret police. Hundreds are killed.
  • 25 December 1989. Ceausescu and his wife are shot by a firing squad.
  • 1990 - Democratic elections won by National Salvation Front, containing many ex communists.
136
Q

East Germany reforms

A

October 1989 - Gorbachev tells East Germany that Soviet troops will not put down East German demonstrations.

23 October 1989 - 300000 people protest in Leipzig.

4 November 1989 - One million people protest in East Berlin.

9 November 1989 - Berlin Wall is opened.

3 October 1990 - Germany reunified into one country

137
Q

When is Germany one country again

A

3rd October 1990

138
Q

When did the Berlin Wall open

A

9th November 1989

139
Q

How were east Germany slow to embrace perestroika + glasnost

A

government banned Soviet publications of the later 1980s because they believed they would undermine communism.

140
Q

When + where was the largest demonstration in East Germans history

A

4th November 1989 - over one million people in East Berlin demanding democracy and free elections.

141
Q

Consequence of announcement of Democratic elections in Hungary

A

there was a mass movement of East German citizens through Hungary to West Germany. As a result the East German government was forced to announce much greater freedom of travel for East German citizens.

142
Q

Key decisions by east Germany

A
  • forced to announce greater freedom of travel

- 9th November - announced opening of border crossings west Germany

143
Q

Peoples reaction to opening of the Berlin Wall

A
  • began to dismantle the wall
  • Within a few days, over one million people per day had seized the chance to see relatives and experience life in the West.
144
Q

When did the new Germany join NATO

A

1991

145
Q

Why was Gorbachev admired by the west

A

For his willingness to reform and that his policies had encouraged the break up of Eastern Europe

146
Q

What award was Gorbachev given

A

The Nobel peace Prize - 1990

147
Q

Soviets reaction to Gorbachevs willingness to reform

A
  • treated with suspicion and led to ever
    increasing criticism.
  • Leading members of the Communist Party believed that perestroika and glasnost had weakened communism rather than reviving it.
148
Q

What happened as a result of critics to Gorbachev

A

19th August 1991, a group of senior communist government officials - known as the ‘Gang of Eight’ - organised a coup which removed Gorbachev from power.

149
Q

When did the gang of eight overthrow Gorbachev

A

19th august 1991

150
Q

What did the new government decals - gang of 8

A

declared a state of emergency and removed the policies of perestroika and glasnost.

151
Q

How long did the new government last

A

3 days

152
Q

Why did the new government only last for 3 days

A

Boris Yeltsin - the Chair of the Russian Supreme Soviet

- Described the new government as illegal + called on the people of Moscow to resist this regime.

153
Q

When was Gorbachev reinstated

A

21st august

154
Q

Consequence of new government

A
  • weakened Gorbachevs authority
155
Q

What was Gorbachevs final attempt to save Soviet Union

A

the introduction of a new constitution, which would give the Soviet republics, such as Latvia and the Ukraine, much greater independence.

156
Q

Why did these countries not accept the new constitution

A

Wanted full independence

  • many nationalities and ethnic groups saw how the satellite states in eastern Europe had been able to break away from Moscow and wanted to do the same.
157
Q

When did the Baltic states of Estonia + Latvia + Lithuania declare themselves as independent

A

In 1990

Accepted by Moscow in 1991

158
Q

What did the Baltic states independence cause

A

led to other demands for independence within the Soviet Union + Gorbachev found that he was opposed by most sections of Soviet society.

159
Q

When did Gorbachev officially announce the dissolution of the Soviet Union + his resignation

A

on 25 December 1991 and the Soviet Union split into several independent states

160
Q

When was Warsaw Pact formally ended

A

July 1991

161
Q

When did Warsaw Pact military cooperation stop

A

Early 1990

162
Q

Why did the Warsaw Pact end

A
  • soviet control losing power
  • rejection of communism by satellite states
  • soviet had too weak of an economy to support it
163
Q

When was the Malta summit

A

1989

164
Q

What was declared at the Malta summit

A

End of the Cold War