70-91 Flashcards
Cooperation and reduction of Arms race
Salt1 1972- limited number of ABMS each country could have and limited number of ICBMS on each side
Helenski agreement 1975- pact between US and USSR and most of europe. All countries agreed to recognise european borders and uphold human rights . Both powers accepted the division of Germany . Whilst at first the US saw the agreement as a win , soon after the event the USSR still banned freedom of speech and movement violating the agreement.
Salt2 1979-Treaty banned the USA and USSR from launching new missle program and limited the number of mirvs however this treaty was never ratified and never came into effect
USSR dragged into Afghanistan
In 1978 a civil war broke out in Afghanistan. Rebels were protesting at new radical reforms brought in by Afghan communist government .
The government requested aid from USSR in 1979.
The war was an embarrassment for the USSR as they could not beat the rebels due to the harsh terrain.
Consequences of the Afghanistan war
15,000 soviet troops are killed
The war caused the communist regime to lose support as many of it’s people were angry and the falling of living standards because most of it’s money was funding the war .
The Soviets reputation was undermined ad they could not beat the rebels
International tensions rose and many countries condemned the involvement.
In 1980 the US boycotted the olympics that was being held in moscow. Fifty other countries boycotted with the US showing US influence in the world. It also showed how relations were beginning to deteriorate
The end of Detente
Soviet involvement in the civil war was interpreted by the US president as an attempt to expand soviet influence . Carter was afraid by this and decided to back out of Salt2 and increase military funding .
Carter was also worried that the Soviets would effect US interests in the Persian gulf. He introduced the Carter Doctrine that states that the US will use force to prevent the USSR from taking over the Gulf region
Reagan
Reagan was hardline anti communist . His speeches often depicted the Soviets as the villains . One of his most famous speeches was called the Evil empire speech where he described the USSR as such.
He did not see Detente as a good option.
In the 1980s he spent 550 billion per year on nuclear weaponry
He also reauthorized projects such as the neutron bomb
SDI
Reagan worsened relations when he announced the strategic defence initiative. In 1983
It was a satellite in space capable to disarming nuclear warheads in motion using laser technology .
Whilst this technology was impossible for the time it did cause the USSR to go crazy. They were afraid that if this machine was developed they would have no chance in winning any war.
This satellite also violated the outer space treaty signifying the end of Detente .
Reagans attitude change
Mikhail Gorbachev becomes the new soviet leader in 1985
Gorbachev proposed radical reforms and was far more opening to the west .
The USA realised that this change could be good and although SDI was not scrapped the 2 leaders got on very well
New thinking
Perestroika-wanted to make the economy more efficient
He moved away from the centralisation of industry
Also allowed trade with the west
Glasnot-means openness He gave the people more rights Reduced censorship Political prisoners were released Free speech was allowed In 1989 Gorbachev created the USSRS first elected parliament
Gorbachev improving relations
At the Geneva summit of 1985 Gorbachevs nice attitudes surprised Reagan.
In 1987 he signed the INF treaty. The USA and USSR agreed to remove medium range nuclear missiles from europe . The first missiles were disarmed in the next year
He withdrew soviet troops from Afghanistan in 1988
He also announced the reduction in weapon stockpiles and USSR armed forces so that the funding could focus on the people
He also abandoned the Brezhnev Doctrine
USSR fear
Satellite sates no longer fear the USSR as Gorbachev reduced soviet troops from the eastern bloc . Because the Brezhnev doctrine was dropped it meant that the USSR could no longer justify invading the satellite states if reforms were to occur.
Berlin wall falls
November 1989
Hungary opens borders with non communist Autria allowing East Germans to travel to West Germany through Austria . Thousands left East Germany to west Germany . Mass protests begin to take the wall down as it was no longer stopping the people from moving.
Its fall in november of 1989 was a symbol of the ever weakening grip that the USSR had on eastern europe
End of the soviet union
West and East germany form a single state in October of 1990 and free elections were being held in multiple satellite states . Many communist governments were being voted out .
These satellite states wanted independence and no longer listened to Gorbachev as he had no ability to stop them.
A coup was plotted against Gorbachev in August of 1991. They arrested him and attempted to force his resignation. They sent tanks to deter protesters.
They failed and those involved were condemned by soviet politician Boris Yeltsin however due to the growing hostility towards Gorbachev he resigned on Christmas day and the day after that was when the USSR dissolved
