Chapter 4: End of Cold War Flashcards
State 5 content concepts that show the end of the Cold War.
- Less tension
- Improved relations
- Increased cooperation
- Disarmament
- People lost confidence in the Communist system
- Communist leaders lost authority and popularity
- Increased opposition to Communist rule
- Increased political protest / call for end of Communist rule
Define detente.
Detente is a period of relaxation of tensions in which both superpowers respected each other’s sphere of influence.
Describe the Euromissile Crisis.
USSR deployed Soviet medium-range missiles, SS-20s in Europe, surpassing that of the US leading to the BOP tipping in favour of USSR. NATO responded by approving the installation of the Pershing II cruise missiles in Europe to act as a counterbalance.
How did the war in Afghanistan impact Soviet Union?
Economically - War strained Soviet economy - 25% of its GNP was spent on sustaining the war effort
Loss of prestige - Unable to beat the Mujahideen, forced Gorbachev to seek disarmament as Soviet troops withdrew from Afghanistan
Describe 3 actions carried out by Ronald Reagan that led to the end of the Cold War.
- ‘Evil Empire’ Speech - USSR was the evil empire and USA must contain the spread of communism
- Strategic Defence Initiative - Develop new technologies to detect and destroy potential nuclear attacks
- Able Archer 1983 - NATO practiced procedures for launching nuclear weapons at Warsaw Pact forces
- Involvement in Poland - Reagan gave financial support to ‘Solidarity’ - a protest movement formed in Poland, infringing on the Soviet SOI
Explain why Able Archer marked a turning point in the improvement of superpower relations.
Fear of a nuclear war - superpowers worked to achieve nuclear disarmament
List the 3 policies introduced by Gorbachev to reform USSR when he came into power.
- Foreign policies
- Perestroika
- Glasnost
Describe two of Gorbachev’s foreign policy reforms that led to the end of Cold War.
- Abandonment of the Brezhnev Doctrine - USSR will no longer use military force to repress non-Communist regimes
- Nuclear Disarmament - Signing of the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty with Reagan in 1987
Prior to Gorbachev’s introduction of Soviet policies, what was the economic, political and social conditions in USSR?
Economy: Economically bankrupted - inefficient central planning, low quality products, poor SOL, inefficient farming system, high defence spending
Politics: Politically corrupted - dishonesty in government, irresponsibility, carelessness, politicians reported what the leaders wanted to hear
Society: Social oppression - no freedom of speech and press, dissidents imprisoned, not allowed to question the Soviet government
What were the aims of perestroika and glasnost?
Perestroika: To reinvigorate the economy by decentralisation, to strengthen the political system by democratising the system
Glasnost: To encourage a more honest government that support the need to improve the economy, to restore citizens’ faith in communism by relaxing censorship
Describe how perestroika restructured USSR’s economic and political system.
Economy: Some degree of private ownership in Soviet economy, businesses can sell at a profit to incentivise Soviets to work harder
Political: Free elections were introduced, Non-Communists allowed to stand for elections
Describe how glasnost restructured USSR’s society.
Greater honesty in the government
Greater freedom of press, speech and thought - discuss about the flaws of the government, know the truth about the past
Dissidents were released
Western media was freely accessible
Provide 3 examples for reasons why perestroika failed to improve the economy.
- USSR had no budget to implement reforms
- Needs time for semi-capitalist economic system to work
- State still control resources and people had to deal with corrupt officials to purchase them
- Storage and transportation facilities still lacking
- People cannot afford the higher prices charged by those who want to make profits
- Production fell, high prices, shortages of food and necessities
Provide 3 examples for reasons why perestroika failed to improve the political system.
- Elections led to communist hardliners replaced by those who wanted reforms
- Hardliners / Conservative Communist members did not want to lose their privileges
- Party division - Gorbachev caught in between the conservatives and those who wanted more reforms
- Giving control to regional bodies led to Communist Party losing its monopoly on political parties in USSR
Provide 3 examples for reasons why glasnost failed.
- Disclosure of all previously withheld information about crimes by the government
- Outburst of information
- Those under Communist rule felt they had been lied to
- Increased demand for change by citizens
