Ch 3.5 - Flashcards
When Gorbachev was elected, w hat purples were the USSR facing ?
- Its economy was in poor shape
- Living standards were very low right across the Eastern bloc.
- USSR has suffered from recent poor leadership
- The Soviet Union could not keep pace with USA’s new missile technology
Why was the USSR’s economy in bad shape during this period ?
- This was partly because it spent so much on weapons to keep pace with USA ( none was low invested into economy and there was little industrial development )
- Afghanistan war
How did the problems within the USSR affect Gorbachev’s thinking ?
- It lead to him wanting to create a change and therefore reform the Soviet Union
- he introduced a series of policies that had a major impact on USSR foreign policy and relations with USA
What were some of Gorbachev’s reforms ?
- Soviet state and economy should be reformed
- There should be more openness in government / less corrupt
- The Brezhnev Doctrine would be dropped
- The USSR would reduce spendings on arms and defence ( would withdraw from Afghanistan )
What would dropping the Brezhnev Doctrine entail ?
It would mean that the USSR would no longer become involved in domestic affairs of other communist countries
What would dropping reforming the Soviet state and economy entail in Gorbachev’s reforms ?
They would include practises that made capitalism successful
What would allowing more openness in government entail in Gorbachev’s reforms ?
- People would be able to express their opinions without fear
- The policy of glasnost
What was the policy of glasnost ?
- It allowed people to oppose the government
- Gave people a better understanding of how the country was run
What did Glasnost mean ?
Russian for ‘openness’ or ‘transparency’ - in 1980s used to describe Gorbachev’s new open attitude to government and foreign relations
What was America’s reaction to Gorbachev’s reforms ?
Reagan saw this as an opportunity to end the Cold War and adopt a more open reform to the USSR
When did the Geneva Summit occur ?
November 1985
What happened at the Geneva Summit ?
- No formal agreements were established
- Reagan and Gorbachev established a good working relationship and a mutual desire to improve relations between their countries
When did the Reykjavik Summit occur ?
October 1986
What happened at the Reykjavik Summit ?
- Both leaders new USA could not give up SDI ( would make them look weak )
- No formal agreements were made
When was the Washington Summit ?
December 1987
