Chapter 3: The End Of The Cold War, 1970-91 Flashcards
When was the Geneva summit and how did it affect relations?
The meeting in Geneva in July 1955 failed to reach agreement over disarmament and the future of Germany, but the atmosphere of co-operation at the meeting reduced some of the tension between East and West. Unfortunately, the better relations were only short-lived. In May 1955, West Germany joined NATO and the Soviet response was to announce the formation of the Warsaw Pact. So the Geneva meeting took place at a time when suspicion was still growing overall.
What were the consequences of Gorbachev’s new thinking
- It reduced Soviet influence and power, thus leading to the collapse of the Soviet Union as satellite states remove their communist governments from power (November 1989, The ‘Velvet Revolution’ overthrows the communsit government in Czechoslovakia and anti-communist president elected); zthe Brezhnev Doctrine was dropped sp Soviet states could choose how they would be governed without Soviet intervention - A series of Summits occured to improve Soviet relations with the US: - Moscow summit 1988: In this summit, some complex detail related to the INF (International- Range Nuclear Forces) treaty was resolved. Later in the year, Gorbachev travelled to the USA, where he made a speech at the United Nations announcing a reduction in Warsaw Pact troops and that Soviet forces would leave Afghanistan. - Increased popularity of communism and the Soviet governing - Prevented the Raegan’s ‘Second Cold War’ through improving relations with Raegan after he increased spending of arms and a more confrontational approach to the Soviet Union - Potentially deemed as weak after announcing he would retreat from Afghanis
What was Gorbachev’s new thinking?
He was determined to reform communism in the Soviet Union and introduced a series of policies that would have a major impact on Soviet foreign policy and relations with the USA: - Perestroika: Soviet state and economy should be reformed to include some of the practices that made capitalism successful - Glasnost: More openness and less corruption int eh government. People shouldn’t need to fear the state or expressing their opinions. - Brezhnev doctrine dropped - Soviet Union woudl reduce spending on arms and defence and withraw from Afghanistan
Why was it important for Gorbachev to create new policies?
- During the Brezhnev era, huge sums soent on developing arms to keep pace with US. Investment in Soviet economy was low so barely any industrial growth in Soviet Union or Satellite states. - Low standards of living and lack of human rights leading ro unrest in satellite states. In Poland, the trade union ‘Sllidarity’ posed a threat to communist government, opposition only kept in control by the Stasi, emphisising communism unpopularity - Soviet troops carried out manoeuvres along the Polish border, ready to invade, if necessary. - Siviet Union suffered from poor leadership for many years - Recenr years, series of leaders in poor health who rules briefly and didn’t have time to make useful future plans - Chernobyl disaster in 1986 caused displacement of over 300000, 100x radiation of Hiroshima - Facing war in Afghanistan- very expensive in 1978 - Ronald Raegan highly suspiceous of USSR, describing it as an ‘Evil empire’; Gorbachev wanted tp improve relations through his policy of prestroika
When did Mikhail Gorbachev become leader of the Soviet Union?
March 1985
