Section 3 Cold War

Question 1

What is detente?

Answer 1

“The relaxing tensions between rivals” - use to describe the relations between the USSR + US in the late 60s-70s

Question 2

Describe SALT 1 (give 4 points)

Answer 2

Stands for Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty
No further production of ballistic weapons (short-range, lightweight missiles)
No new nuclear missile launchers
Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) treaty limited both sides to two ABM deployment areas

Question 3

Describe the effectiveness of SALT 1 (give 4 points)

Answer 3

-Slowed down the arms race by limiting the number of bombers each side could have
-Led to further negotiation that resulted in the SALT 2 treaty in 1979.
-Ensured that neither side has a decisive advantage in strategic nuclear weapons.
-(INEFFECTIVE) Did not cover intermediate nuclear weapons which both sides still continued to deploy.

Question 4

When was/what was the Helsinki Conference?

Answer 4

1975- Helsinki agreements were signed in Helinski (Finland) by most European countries as well as the USA and USSR. Agreements were made on security, trade cooperation, human rights and borders.

Question 5

What was the importance of the Helsinki Conference? (give 3 points)

Answer 5

-Helped USA and USSR form a stable relationship.
-Represents a high point of detente.
-Coincided with more US/Soviet cooperation, led to Apollo-Soyuz (1975) joint space mission and trade agreements.

Question 6

What were some limits to Helsinki? (give 2 arguments)

Answer 6

-Soviet Union continued to focus on eastern bloc countries and apply the Brezhnev Doctrine.
-USA continued to prioritise its interests in countries it could influence like Chile.

Question 7

What was SALT 2? (give 5 points)

Answer 7

-Under negotiation since 1972
-Based on the Vladivostok accords (1974) which were agreements between US and USSR
-Signed in Vienna in June 1979 by Carter and Brezhnev
-Each superpower limited to 2250 warheads
-Limits on new launch systems including multi-warhead missiles

Question 8

Why did SALT 2 fail? (give 3 points)

Answer 8

-Some West German politicians opposed the treaty, fearing it would weaken the defence of west Germany. Believed after the treaty USA would be less likely to use nuclear weapons if Germany was attacked by soviet union.
-Some US politicians believed the treaty was agreed to too many demands from Soviets.
-US/Soviet relations soured after the soviet invasion of Afghanistan (1979). US senate never approved the treaty so never became official US policy.

Question 9

How successful was SALT 1 and SALT 2? (give 2 arguments for, 1 against)

Answer 9

-Only limited the number of warheads they head- did not reduce them.
-Arms control agreements limited the number of anti ballistic missiles, intercostal ballistic weapons and nuclear weapons.
- Reduce possibility of nuclear war as neither side had first strike capacity (could not destroy all of the other sides nuclear weapons at once)

Question 10

Who is Ronald Regan?

Answer 10

US president in 1981- believed USA had a mission from God to win the Cold War

Question 11

Who is Mikhail Gorbachev?

Answer 11

Leader of soviet union in 1985- he recognised the soviet union could not win cold war.

Question 12

Describe Reagan and the Evil Empire. (give 3 points)

Answer 12

-Reagan way of describing the Soviet Union was that it was an evil empire
-He kick-started the arms race again
-USA poured lots of money into the arms race

Question 13

Describe the Crisis in the Soviet Union ( give 4 points)

Answer 13

• Super poor after war with Afghanistan
  -Living standards were terrible
  -Soviet union did not have USA computing expertise
  -USSR cannot keep up with the USA missile tech.

Question 14

Describe the Geneva Summit (give 2 points)

Answer 14

-November 1985, Gorbachev and Regan met
-They were getting on and agreed to more meetings

Question 15

Impact of Gorbachev and Reagans changing attitudes? (give 3 points)

Answer 15

-Represented easing cold war tensions
-Led to greater cooperation between US and Soviet Union
-Led to arms control agreements like the INF treaty and START 1

Question 16

Why did Reagan have a chance of heart? (give 3 points)

Answer 16

-Public were against arms race- especially in Europe
-Gorbachev was super popular- Gorbymania on west Europe and US.
-Reagan liked Gorbachev and wanted to improve relations. Margaret Thatcher wanted to get involved so she said she wanted to do bizz with him as well.

Question 17

What was Gorbachev like a leader? (5 points)

Answer 17

-Recognised the failing economy and the unhappy people.
-Introduced perestroika (restructuring)
-Introduced glasnost (openness)
-Desperate to stop Soviet war in Afghanistan
-Very slow to allow democratic elections (try to cover up Chernobyl as well)

Question 18

Describe the INF treaty (give 4 points)

Answer 18

-INF treaty was December 1987
-INF means Inter-range Nuclear Forces.
-INF treaty got ride of all missiles that has a range of 500-5500km (better than SALT 1)
-INF treaty largely applied in Europe.

Question 19

What is the cause of the Soviet Invasion in Afghanistan? (give 2 points)

Answer 19

-1968 Soviet union sent tanks into Czechoslovakia to crush Prague Spring, USA did not care
-Dec 1979 Soviet union sent troops to Afghanistan (who was communist) to take control after the president was assassinated. USA was fuming. But Brezchnev is confused because why did you not care about Czechoslovakia?

Question 20

Consequence of Soviet invasion in Afghanistan

Answer 20

Afghan rebels know as the Mujahideen formed

Question 21

Why was Carter so fuming about this Afghanistan invasion? (give 3 points)

Answer 21

-USA was worried that the Soviet Union would get more control in the Middle east
-Successful invasion could cause Soviet influence Iran.
-Iran could block Middle East oil exports at the Straits of Hormuz. Oil was essential to US prosperity.

Question 22

What did the Soviet invasion in Afghanistan (1979) lead to? (give 3 events)

Answer 22

-Marked the end of détente and begin of second cold war
-Led to Carter Doctrine
-Led to Olympic boycotts of 1980 and 1984

Question 23

What was the Carter doctrine? (give 4 points)

Answer 23

-1980 Jimmy Carter threatens to use force if Soviets try to take control of the Persian Gulf
-USA imposed economic sanctions- no trade with the Soviet union.
-US, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan secretly funded Mujahideen.
-USA ceased cooperation with Soviet Union

Question 24

Describe the Olympic Boycotts (1984 and 1980) give 3 points.

Answer 24

-USA boycotted 1980 Moscow Olympic Game as a result of the Soviet invasion in Afghanistan
-In retaliation Soviet Union boycotted the 1984 Los Angeles games.
-Ended cooperation and sporting competition between USA and Soviet Union.

Question 25

Even MORE consequences of Soviet invasion in Afghanistan (give two points for US/two for Soviet Unions)

Answer 25

USA
- Soviet invasion in Afghanistan proved to many Americans the Soviet Union cannot be trusted.
-This resulted in the Election of President Reagan in Nov 1980. (he was really against the communists)

Soviet Union
-Soviet troops remained in Afghanistan to keep Barbrak Kamal in power- led to lots of casualties.
-Pressure on Soviet leadership to end unpopular war

Question 26

Name 7 causes for the US-Soviet’s deteriorating relations between 1979-84.

Answer 26

1) Olympic boycotts (1980 and 1984)
2) Election Ronald Reagan
3) Increased military expenditure on missiles and the SDI
4) Ongoing war between Soviet Union and Afghanistan
5) Breakdown of SALT 2
6) shoot down of KAL007 in September 1983 (assuming its a plane idk)
7)SDI as it broke the 1967 outer space treaty

Question 27

What was SDI? (give 2 points)

Answer 27

-SDI known as star was was launched in March 1983
-SDI was a plan to have satellites, laser and mirrors in space that would destroy Soviet intercontinental nuclear missiles before they reached the USA.

Question 28

Why did Gorbachev scrap the Brezhnev Doctrine? (give 5 points)

Answer 28

-Believed openness would make Eastern Bloc countries better
-Reform would end unrest
-Wanted to improve trade with the west and rebuild economy. West would only be interested if repression was reduced.
-Cost of troops and military was too much. They could no longer maintain the Warsaw Pact.

Question 29

What was the break-up of the Eastern Bloc?

Answer 29

1988 Gorbachev scraps Brezhnev Doctrine (soviet union will no longer crack down on you to support communism). Big mistake- many revolutions between 1989-90. Now many non-communist governments have now come to power.

Question 30

The significance of the fall of the Berlin Wall? (give 3 points)

Answer 30

-German reunification: East Germany ceased to exist and became apart of a united Germany in 1990.
-Soviet Union withdrew troops from East Germany
-British, US and French troops remained

Question 31

The significance of the Fall on superpower relations? (give 5 points)

Answer 31

1) End of Warsaw Pact in 1991
2) Withdrawal of Soviet troops from Eastern Europe from 1990
3) Fall of the Berlin wall signified a “thaw” in the cold war
4) Conventional Forces in Europe Agreement (1990) set limits on non-nuclear forces deployed in Europe.
5) At the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) (1991), USA and Soviet Union agreed to reduce nuclear warheads by a third.

Question 32

Describe the Fall of the Berlin Wall

Answer 32

9 November 1989
East German government announced free travel to West Germany. Everyone started breaking down the wall.

Question 33

What cause the end of the Soviet Union? (give 3 points)

Answer 33

-Perestroika was making the Soviet economy super bad- living conditions at an all time worse.
-Many Soviet republics are demanding independence
-Some army officers were feeling that Gorbachev was betraying communism- even attempted a failed coup in Aug 1991 - embarrassing!

Question 34

Why did the Soviet Union lose the Cold War? (give 5 reasons)

Answer 34

1) Afghan war and Arms Race- too costly
2) Economy can’t match USA’s
3) 1970-80s- Brezhnev was just setting them back 20 years, didn’t even develop computers.
4) Lack of freedom/ too much repression
5) Capitalism was just looking sweeter

Question 35

Consequences of the fall of the Soviet Union (give 2 points)

26 December 1991

Answer 35

-Soviet Union became the Commonwealth of Independent states in Jan 1992
-Cold war came to an end. Declared by meeting between Bush and Gorbachev in Dec 1989 (Malta summit).