Reagan, Gorbachev, and the End of the Cold War Flashcards
What was the Able Archer Crisis of 1983?
Able Archer was an exercise launched by NATO in 1983. It was a nuclear preparedness simulation. The US abruptly withdrew from the exercise, convincing the Soviets that the US was preparing for a real nuclear strike against the USSR. The Soviet forces were on high alert, and Warsaw states were expected to prepare for confrontation. Reagan did not take the Soviet response seriously at first, but then Thatcher informed him (based on British intelligence) that the USSR was serious. Reagan sent a message to the USSR stating that the US had no intentions of attacking the USSR.
How did Able Archer impact Soviet-American relations?
Greatly increased tensions, US-USSR relations at new low, Soviets walked out of disarmament talks in Geneva 1983, Crisis prompted Star Wars program which made diplomacy difficult.
What was SDI?
SDI was the Strategic Defense Initiative conceived by US President Ronald Reagan in 1983. SDI was also known as Star Wars, and it was Reagan’s alternative to mutually assured destruction. Essentially, the technology of Star Wars would allow the US to target and destroy nuclear missiles before they reached land and exploded. It involved high-tech laser systems and other expensive equipment, and many criticized Reagan for his increased spending on the military and defense, which included Star Wars. Unfortunately for Reagan, very little progress was actually made and Star Wars never truly came to fruition. It was ended officially under the Clinton Administration in 1993.
Who was Mikhail Gorbachev?
Gorbachev was leader of the USSR from 1985 to 1991, when the USSR collapsed. He was known for his youth, his different perspective from previous hard-liner Soviet leaders, and his liberalizing reforms, as well as his efforts to negotiate with US President Ronald Reagan to try to end the Cold War. He implemented glasnost and perestroika to promote more free speech, including criticism of the Soviet government, and to restructure the Soviet economy. He replaced the Brezhnev Doctrine with the Sinatra Doctrine, which basically allowed satellite states to have the right to self-determination, because he realized that the satellite states were draining the Soviet economy. He was arguably responsible for the end of the Cold War as he allowed the USSR to relax control over Eastern Europe, leading to the collapse of communism (and eventually, the Soviet Union itself).
What were glasnost and perestroika?
Glasnost, which translates to “openess” or “transparency,” was part of Soviet leader Gorbachev’s plan to implement more liberalizing reforms in the Soviet Union, leading to greater dissemination of information within the Soviet Union and from the Soviet Union to other nations, starting in 1988. It called for a reexamination of Soviet history and allowed for criticism of the Soviet Union. It also allowed for the correction of Soviet history textbooks. Perestroika (started in 1985), which translates to “restructuring,” was part of Gorbachev’s plan to restructure the Soviet economy to reduce stagnation and diminish state control over certain sectors, such as agriculture, giving farmers greater self-determination and diminishing price control. However, perestroika actually harmed the Soviet economy because goods became much more expensive for Soviet citizens.
What was the Chernobyl disaster?
The Chernobyl disaster on April 26, 1986 exposed another weakness in the Soviet System as a nuclear facility in Chernobyl, Ukraine exploded during a test of the cooling system. Firefighters responded to the event but were unaware of the radiation, and the Soviets didn’t evacuate the nearby town until April 27.They hid the news until Sweden reported detecting radiation at their border with Ukraine. The Soviets downplayed the event and refused foreign assistance, but due to glasnost, the USSR was unable to prevent the spread of information, so Soviet citizens began to criticize the USSR for the disaster.
What was Gorbachev’s foreign policy like?
Initially, similar to predecessors: He renewed Warsaw Pact in 1985, supported leftist revolutions like Sandistas. However, then changed: Withdrew troops from Afghanistan by 1989, wanted to distanced Soviet Union from satellite states (which were very draining on Soviet economy), so he negated Brezhnev Doctrine w/ non-intervention and Sinatra Doctrine
What was the Sinatra Doctrine?
The Sinatra Doctrine was Mikhail Gorbachev’s policy for allowing member states of the Warsaw Pact to determine their own internal affairs.
How did the US react to Gorbachev’s foreign policies?
Reagan met w/ Gorbachev in October 1986 and December 1987. No agreement reached in 86 but leaders established rapport. 87 was in DC. INF ratified, later in 88, Reagan went to Moscow and retracted his “evil empire” statement and started START treaty
What were the INF and START treaties?
INF: Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces treaty, signed 1987, to eliminate mid-range nukes in Europe. Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty was to be finalized in 1991 to reduce US stockpiles by 15% and USSR stockpiles by 25%.
What was Hungary’s overthrow of Communism like?
Hungary had a surprisingly peaceful move away from communism that concluded in 1989. Its deteriorating economy caused many, even communists, to try to find solutions, including opening trade with Western Europe. A new leader, Miklos Nemeth, came to power in 1988 and implemented political and economic reforms, removed the Austria-Hungary barrier, allowed free travel for Warsaw citizens through Hungary, and let the government adopt a democracy package including basic freedoms, civil rights, and electoral reforms. Hungary had free elections in 1990. The Soviets agreed to withdraw forces by 1991.
What was Bulgaria’s overthrow of Communism like?
In Bulgaria’s Revoltution, citizens were organizing demonstrations against the government’s environmental policies in 1989, but these evolved into a general criticism of the government. The Communist Party replaced its old leader with a younger leader to try to stabilize the rebellion and prevent communist control from collapsing, but it was unsuccessful: In February of 1990, the communists renounced power, and free elections took place in June.
What was Romania’s overthrow of communism like?
Romania had a comparatively bloodier transition from communism to free elections. In 1989, a thousand people— including the leader of the state and his wife— were killed. Leader Nicolae Ceausescu had criticized the Warsaw invasion of Czechoslovakia and had started developing closer relations with China. He knew he was facing elimination from the Kremlin, so he stayed in the Warsaw pact. He wanted to combat Romania’s high debt, so he enacted austerity measures including tax increases, but these led to increased poverty. He was captured in December when the military turned against him. He and his wife were executed, and free elections took place in 1990.
What was Czechoslovakia’s overthrow of Communism like?
The Velvet Revolution was Czechoslovakia’s 1989 Revolution and overthrow of Communist Party dominance. As Gorbachev was in power in the Soviet Union, his Sinatra Doctrine allowed Soviet satellite states more self-determination. Citizens of states like Czechoslovakia started to grow bolder in speaking out against the oppression of the Party government. In January 1989, Havel and other demonstrators were arrested for organizing a demonstration against government policies and environmental policies. Furthermore, there was great strain on the economy at the time. It wasn’t until November 1989 that the CSSR truly fell when the entire executive committee resigned, and Havel stepped into power and implemented his Civic Forum, which promoted free elections, social and environmental justice, and allowed for a Constitutional amendment to remove the CSSR’s control. Havel was elected president formally on December 28, and Czechoslovakia became a multiparty state.
How was Solidarity revived in Poland? How did that lead to the fall of Communism?
Martial law was lifted 1983, and despite oppression, antigovernment activities continued because the Poles were counting on the Sinatra doctrine and nonintervention. That is also why Solidarity reconstituted itself in 1987. As the Polish govt increased food prices in 1988, more strikes occurred until the govt negotiated w/ Solidarity in 1989 and legalized it. It allowed Solidarity members to run for office for 35% of Sejm seats and all of Senate seats in July elections. Solidarity won all 35% Sejm and 99% Senate, and Poland became a multiparty state that inspired other states.
