The End of the Cold War Flashcards
What was wrong with the USSR when Gorbachev came in?
US were developing ‘star wars’ (laser system that would create a shield around the US that would drive away soviet missiles), the USSR tried to keep up with them and their already crumbling economy came close to total collapse.
Why could the USSR not afford to spend money to keep up with the US?
Living standards were extremely low.
Millions were on the verge of starvation.
Many of the USSR’s main industries were in dire need to modernisation.
Technologically, the UUSR was decades behind the west.
The war in Afghanistan was draining billions from the economy.
What were Gorbachev’s reforms?
Glasnost - openness meaning there would be freedom to debate, freedom for the media, free from government control.
Perestroika - restructuring meaning the Soviet economy would be restructured through the introduction of more western style policies.
He also announced in 1988 the end of the Brezhnev Doctrine, his decision to try to end the Cold War meant that the buffer zone was not needed. He began to withdraw troops from Eastern Europe.
Introduction of President Reagan
He was elected president in Nov 1980.
He was passionately anti communist and therefore against détente and the USSR.
He referred to the USSR as ‘The Evil Empire’ in 1983 and made it clear his determination to ensure that the US would never be destroyed by communism.
To this end he increased expenditure on defence including development of the Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI) - ‘Star wars’.
What happened to Reagan’s views when Gorbachev came in?
When Gorbachev came to power, withdrew from Afghanistan and ended the Brezhnev Doctrine, Reagan moved from a position of rollback to one of negotiation.
How did communism collapse in Eastern Europe?
During the 80s the Eastern European countries become increasingly resentful at political repression from Moscow and the economic decline in their country and were interested in the changes in the USSR.
Gorbachev’s decision to loosen the bonds that tied them to the USSR meant that freedom was now in their grasp.
There was no resistance to the move by the nations of Eastern Europe for freedom and by 1989 almost all the countries had broken free.
How did the Berlin Wall collapse?
The wall was the symbol of the Cold War and its fall is the most iconic event of the war.
Communist leader of east Germany originally ignored Gorbachev’s advice to make reforms.
In Nov 1989 the communist government of East Germany eased restrictions on travel between east and west and the East German press announced that the gates of the wall stand wide open.
Crowds then swarmed to the checkpoints and many were reunited with family for the first time since that wall had been built.
What is the INF Treaty?
To aid economic reform Gorbachev wanted to cut defence spending and he could only do that if he had a better relationship with the west.
He indicated a desire to get rid of all nuclear weapons.
He embarked on a series of meeting with Reagan and in 1987 the Intermediate Nuclear Forces treaty ensured the removal or nearly 4,000 nuclear warheads and halting ‘Star Wars’.
This helped lead to the end of the Cold War.
How did the Cold War end?
Year after the INF treaty Gorbachev announced the withdrawal of Soviet forces from Afghanistan.
In 1989, President George Bush meet with Gorbachev on Malta and declared that the Cold War was over.
In 1991, the Warsaw Pact was dissolved.
