End of Cold War (1970-1991) Flashcards
SALT 1 (Strategic arms Limitation Treaty) 1972
No further production of ballistic missiles
No increase in the number of (ICBMs)
How effective was SALT 1
Slowed down the arms race Between the USSR and the USA
Led to a series of further negotiations
Importance of the 1975 Helsinki conference
Helped the USA and the USSR form an alliance
Highest point of Détente (Peace)
Limits to the 1975 Helsinki conference
Soviet union continued to focus on Eastern-Bloc countries
SALT 2- Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty 2 (1979)
Under negotiations since 1972
Leonid Brezhnev and Jimmy Carter signed the agreements
Each superpower was allowed 2500 warheads
Why Salt 2 Failed?
Some West German Politicians opposed the treaty
Some US politicians thought it made too many concessions
Reagan and the Evil Empire’
He described the Soviet Union as an ‘Evil Empire’
Kick started the arms race again
USA spent more money on Nuclear technology
Crisis in the Soviet Union
Its economy was in ruins
Low Living Standards
Wasting money in Afghanistan
Reagan’s change of heart
Public was against another arms race
Gorbachev was popular across Europe
Reagan was Fond with Gorbachev
Reykjavik, October 1986
Reagan and Gorbachev said they would cut down on nuclear weapons
Gorbachev wanted to end the Strategic Defensive Initiative (SDI)
INF, treaty December 1987
Diplomats continued the Discussion
INF treaty got rid of 500-5500km nuclear missiles
INF treaty largely applied in Europe
Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
The Soviet Invasion saw Afghanistan as its sphere of influence
Brezhnev ordered Soviet troops to invade Afghanistan
Mujahedeen resisted the Soviet troops
The Carter Doctrine, January 1980
USA placed Economic Sanctions on the USSR
USA, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia provided assistance to the Mujahadeen
The Olympic Boycotts
USA boycotted 1980 Olympics in Moscow
In retaliation the USSR boycotted the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles
‘Second Cold war’ (USSR)
Poor living standards
Had an ageing leadership
Had ageing technology in a country 20% of the US economy
Was struggling with the Anti-communist protest
US-Soviet Relations deteriorate
Election of Ronald Reagan (Anti-Communist)
The breakdown of SALT-2
Olympic Boycotts (1980- 1984)
Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI)
Nicknamed as ‘Star Wars’
SDI was a plan to have satellites in space which would destroy the USSRs intercontinental missiles
Gorbachev Scrapped the Brezhnev doctrine because
Better opportunities for Eastern-bloc countries
USSR had to improve trade relations
Reform would cause Unrest (East Germany, Poland)
End of Brezhnev Doctrine (Timeline)
Dec 1988- End of Brezhnev Doctrine
Aug 1989- Hungary opens borders to East Germans
Oct 1989- Eastern bloc states can go own way
Nov 1989- Fall of Berlin Wall
The significance of the Fall of the Berlin Wall (Germany)
German reunification
Soviet Union withdrew its troops
British and US troops remained in West Germany
Growing Opposition to Gorbachev
Perestroika and Glasnost were not working
Lithuania wanted to leave the Soviet Union
Army felt that Gorbachev betrayed communism
Why did USSR lose the Cold War?
Propaganda-
Arms Race- Catching up in arms race Damaged the economy
Freedom- Only existed because of oppression
Economy- did not have a productive economy
