End of Cold War

Question 1

Gorbachevs Reforms: - Gorbachev’s economic and political reforms were highly impactful on reducing the tensions between the Soviet and the West by encouraging cooperation, as well as consequently diluting the Soviet’s centralised power which facilitated a rise in a separatist movements.

Answer 1

• Throughout the 1980s, the Soviet economy was struggling with the economic implications of the arms race, with at least 25% of the USSR’s resources being exerted on the upkeep of nuclear weaponry compared to 6% in the US.
• Soviet economy had shrunk to under half the size of the American ecnomy and living standards had abate.
• On a platform of economic and political reform, Gorbachev’s policies contributed to a greater liberalisation of the USSR and dissolution of the Communist party.
• “glasnost” (openess), was a social and political agenda of reforming Soviet society, creating more freedom and transparency by promoting culutral freedom, freedom of expression and information as well as reduced media censorship.
• Openness led to greater information being available to the public regarding the economy which in lieu allowed for greater criticism of the Communist Party. As media began to emerge as a new platform of criticism of the communist party, the number of publications and circulation of independent newspapers increased significantly during the glasnost era.
• Historical revisionism of the Soviets was now exposed, including Stalin’s purges and the Romanovs, according to historian Stephen Kotkin, “Glasnost was a catalyst for the unravelling of the Cold War, as it alowed the Soviet populace and the world to see the true state of the Soviet system”, thus underscoring a greater disillusionment with the ruling Communist party, and heralding the collapse of communist in Eastern Europe.
• Gorbachev himself claimed Glasnost was critical in reducing the mistrust between the US and USSR, “a key element on our efforts to end the Cold War and bring our country into the community of nations”.
• “perestoika” was Gorbachev’s leading economic agenda, restructing the economy and moving towards a mixed-economy system. While the economic reform was not compeltely successful in improving the pervasive economic stagnation of the Soviet economy, it did strengthen relations with the West and eventually ease the USSR into multi-candidate elections, an integral step in the dissolution of communism.
• “demokratsiya” - Gorbachev hoped to renew the party with progressive personnel who could carry out his institutional and policy reforms. At this point, his main concern was to end the stagnation of the Soviet economy and then to revitalise it, ensuring state security.
• By realising that the financial burden of maintaining military power in the USSR was too great and that its effect on the Soviet economy and on living standards of consumers would undermine Soviet security he applied another policy to foreign affairs ‘novoe myshlenie’ or ‘new thinking’. This argued that confrontation was counterproductive, and that continuing the arms race was pointless, as one side’s advance was simply matched or better than the other.
• Culminated in Gorbachev dropping the dual-track policy of peaceful coexistence as a way of ensuring Soviet security and peaceful long-term victory of socialism across the world, and allowing for the dissolution of communism to happen naturally through Eastern Europe.
• According to historian John Lewis Gaddis, “it was as if Gorbachev himself let communism in Eastern Europe fall”

Question 2

Separatist Movements: The collapse of communism in the USSR was characterised by the rise of separatist movements, which saw the republics seceding from the Soviet Union, culminating in the fall of communism in concomitance with the end of the Cold War.

Answer 2

• Composed of 15 Soviet republics spanning accross Eurasia and encompassing more than 200 million citizens, the Communist party became increasingly challenged to govern such an expansive area
• Facilitated by Gorbachev’s political and civil reforms, nationalist separatist movements were given both power and legitimacy which coalesced in the succession of multiple Soviet republics representing the fall of communism in the Eastern Bloc.
• Under Gorbachev, the Brezhnev Doctrine was repealed in 1988, meaning that where Communism was failing the Sovet Union was no longer obligated to intervene.
• By December 1988, Gorbachev stated, “We are no longer in a position to intervene in the internal affairs of our neighbouring socialist countries. They have their own paths to choose and they must follow them”.
• The November 1989 Czechoslovakia independence movement, “the Velvet Revolution” led to the deposing of Communist one party state, engendering further democratic movements in the Eastern Bloc.
• Set a precedent for the unravelling of Communist influence in Eastern Europe, and undoubtedly succeeded. - According to historian John Lewis Gaddis, “the velvet revolution reflected the broader trend of democratisation across Eastern Europe”.
• Polish Solidarity Movement which spanned from 1980-1989, reflecting a enduring dissidence towards communist rule in the nation.
• Poland was the first non-communist power in the Eastern bloc for 42 years and in 1991 held it’s first democratically elected election since the 1920s, years of activism and strikes in Poland culminated in its ruling Communist party voting to legalise the banned solidarity trade union.
• Hungary and Bulgaria would follow and impose democratically elected governments, launching mass demonstrations for democracy in March 1989.
• In May, 240km of barbed wire was dismantled along the border with Austria - Hungary’s 1956 revolution was brutally suppressed by the Soviets, but this was succeeding. 2 million people across Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia (formerly part of the Soviet Union), held the ‘Singing Revolution’ when they formed a 600 km human chain across the Baltic republics, calling for independence
• September 11th 1989 Hungary opened its borders to Austria in the West, allowing East Germans refugees escape,
• Historian Richard Sawka, “nationalist movements within the Soviet republics were both a cause and effect of the Soviet Union’s weakening. The growth of these movements, driven by both genuine aspirations for self-determination and a response to Gorbachev’s reforms, played a pivotal role in hastening the Soviet collapse”.

Question 3

Berlin Wall

Answer 3

• Most overt simulacrum for the fall of communism in Eastern Europe, was the collapse of the Berlin wall and reunification of Germany in 1989.
• SPD won West Germany election in October 1969, resulting in the end of the hardline anti-communist policies, leading to the pursuit of Ostpolitik (reunification of Germany).
• The nullification of the 1955 ‘Hallstein Doctrine’ meaning West Germay entered diplomatic with states recognition Eastern Germany due to Henry Kissinger saw relaxed tensions in Europe.
• Treaty of Moscow 1970 renounced the use of force by the Eastern bloc, highlighting the collaborative approach to reduce tensions.
• Basic Treaty of 1972 with East Germany, established formal, normalised relations between both German states , resulting in cooling of tensions, and the end of arguments over territorial borders, which would prevent further events such as the CheckPoint Charlie standoff of 1961 or Berlin Airlift.

Question 4

US: Predicated by greater political dialogue and disarmement agreements throughout the 1980s, the normalisation of relations between the USSR and US was fundamental to dissipating the militarism which fuelled the rivalry and tension between the superpowers and the USSR’s commitment to maintaining it’s communist sphere of influence within Eastern Europe.

Answer 4

• The diplomatic relationship between the Soviet Union and the US entered a period of increased hostility following the 1979 Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, characterised by Ronald Reagan’s anti-communist rhetoric and renewal of the arms race.
• Fractured by Reagan’s foreign policy approach of “Peace by Strength” the diplomatic relationship between the US and Soviet Union was highly strained prior to the emergence of Gorbachev who would precipiate greater political engagmeent.
• Upon Gorbachev’s ascension to power in 1985, the Soviet Union’s diplomatic engagement with the US improved by establishing greater foreign dialogue surrounding nuclear weapons which challenged Reagan’s hardline militarist foreign policy stance, whom characterised the Soviet Union as the “evil empire”.
• The Novemebr 1985 Geneva Summit was the first major political summit of the two leaders since the renewal of the Cold War being fundamental to the decrease in hostility when agreeing on the trajectory of arms limitations and becoming the precedent for further political discussions.
• As a result of this, there was greater aid given to the USSR by the West through the normalisation of relations, reflecting an abandonment of the USSR’s previous hardline approach to non-engagement with capitalist powers and an overt signal that Communism in Eastern Europe was faltering.
• Diverting from the renewal of the Arms Race, the disarmament agreements forged between the US and USSR were critical in reducing militarism and political tensions between the superpowers.
• Intermediate-range nuclear forces (INF) treaty in December 1987, which increased transparency surrounding each nations’ military installation. Banning nuclear and convention ground-launched ballistic and cruise milliles awith ranges of 500-550kms, by the deadline of the 1 June 1991, 2692 weapons had been destroyed.
• By 1988, Gorbachev’s popularity both within and outside of Eastern Europe had reached its zenith, Reagan stated that he no longer considered the USSR an “evil empire”. - This saw a non-agression pact signed between NATO and the Warsaw Pact, indiciating that both nations had abandoned their hardline containment rhetoric and in ability to surrender their spheres of influence
• Historian John Lewis Gaddis contends, “the process of negotiating these agreements also helped to build trust and communication between the superpowers, which contributed significantly to the end of the cold war and collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe”.
• Despite early commitment to Afghanistan, Gorbachev would not uphold the Brezhnev Doctrine in the face of an increasing nationalist separatism.
• Gorbachev UN General Assembly in December 1988, “the use or threat of force no longer can, nor should be, an instrument of foreign policy”.
• Feburary 1991 when the Warsaw Pact was dissolved, terminating Soviet domination in Eastern Europe, - Historian Melyn Leffer, “it signified the evaporation of Soviet influence in Eastern Europe and heralded the end of the Cold War as an era of superpower rivalry”.