Attempts to reduce tension Flashcards
Who became the new leader of the Soviet Union in 1985? List 4 important facts about him.
- Mikhail Gorbachev
- He was younger than his predecessors
- He was prepared to introduce drastic policies to improve the relationship with the USA
- He had no foreign policy experience
- He had realised that communism in the USSR faced many problems, mostly stemming from economic issues
What were the 3 main issues with the Soviet economy, and what effect did these have?
- It had been damaged by the invasion of Afghanistan, the arms and space races and the lack of incentives in the system
- It was inefficient compared to the USA’s
- Shortages (even of bread) were common in the USSR, and the standard of living was generally bad
- This created unrest as people lost faith in communism
How did Gorbachev believe he should respond to growing unrest?
- By reforming the Communist Party and modernising Soviet-style socialism
- He did not want to abandon communism, but came up with radical reforms known as ‘new thinking’
What were Gorbachev’s 3 main strategies to end the Cold War?
Gorbachev still wanted the USSR to remain a superpower.
- Introducing reforms in the USSR and the Communist Party: ‘perestroika’ (restructuring) and ‘glasnost’ (openness)
- Ending the arms race and signing arms reduction agreements
- Rejecting the Brezhnev Doctrine in 1988 and ending other methods of maintaining control over satellite states
List 6 things Gorbachev did to win over the Soviet people.
- ‘Uskoreniye’ (acceleration) introduced some aspects of a free economy
- Went on ‘walkabouts’ where he spoke to regular people
- Dissidents were released from jail
- Banned books were published
- People learnt about the atrocities committed under Stalin
- Reforms in the political system, such as elections for the local government
Why was glasnost a double-edged sword?
- The more freedom people got, the more they criticised the Communist Party
- That made it harder for the Communist Party to stay in power
When was the Geneva Summit, and what were 4 outcomes?
- 1985
- Both sides agreed to speed up arms talks
- Gorbachev hoped to convince Reagan to drop his plans for SDI, although he seemed unwilling
- They promised to meet again soon as Gorbachev was keen to change relations
- They agreed to be more active on the issue of human rights
When was the Reykjavik (Iceland) Summit and what were 3 outcomes?
- 1986
- Reagan wanted to get rid of all ballistic nuclear missiles
- Gorbachev said he would only agree if SDI was dropped, which Reagan refused
- The agreement collapsed
What was the INF Treaty, when and where was it signed, and what were 3 outcomes?
- Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty
- 1987 in Washington
- It was agreed all nuclear missiles with a range of 500 to 5000km would be destroyed
- Both nations were allowed to inspect the other’s military installations
- Gorbachev and Reagan hoped to halve the number of long-range nuclear weapons
List 4 reasons why Gorbachev agreed to the INF Treaty although SDI had not been abandoned.
- Nuclear weapons were too expensive, and Gorbachev was aware that the economy would never recover as long as such large amounts of money were being spent on them
- Nuclear weapons did not guarantee the security of the USSR
- Reagan convinced Gorbachev that the USA had no intention of invading the USSR
- Gorbachev believed disarmament would make him more popular in the West, and more trade deals would be signed with the USSR as a benefit
What was ‘Gorbymania’?
- After the INF treaty, Gorbachev seemed to become a celebrity
When did George Bush replace Ronald Reagan?
- 1989
What were 2 treaties made after 1988, and what was an outcome of each?
- In 1989 the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty (CFE) was signed
- Limited the number of non-nuclear forces NATO and the Warsaw Pact could have in Europe
- In 1991 START I (Strategic Arms Reduction Talks I) was signed
- It limited the numbers of most types of nuclear weapons to a third
