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HISTORY > The end of the Cold War (1969- 1991) > Flashcards

The end of the Cold War (1969- 1991) Flashcards

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1
Q

In what year did Richard Nixon become president?

A

1969

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2
Q

What year did Nixon visit China?

A

1972

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3
Q

What year did Nixon visit Moscow?

A

1974

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4
Q

What was Detente?

A

An easing of tensions between the USA and USSR

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5
Q

What does SALT stand for?

A

The Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty

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6
Q

When was SALT signed?

A

May 1972

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7
Q

What terms were agreed through SALT?

A
  • Anti Ballistic MIssiles would only be allowed in two
    places, with a maximum of 100 missiles at each,
    meaning that neither the USA or USSR would be able to
    completely defend themselves from a nuclear attack
    from the other
  • A 5 year freeze on Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles
    (ICBMs) and Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles
    (SLBMs)
  • Each side would be allowed to use satellites to check
    if the other was obeying the rules
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8
Q

When was the space link up?

A

July 1975

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9
Q

What happened during the space link up?

A

(July 1975) - 3 US astronauts met 2 Soviet cosmonauts in
space, and the mission was broadcasted live on TV.
American and Soviet agencies shared information,
setting the stage for future cooperation

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10
Q

What’s the difference between an astronaut and a cosmonaut?

A
  • (In layman’s terms) - Astronauts are American and

cosmonauts are Russian

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11
Q

When were the Helsinki agreements?

A

August 1975

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12
Q

What was agreed in Helsinki (1975)?

A
  • All European borders were formally accepted, meaning
    that the Soviet Union accepted West Germany, removing
    the threat of Soviet invasion
  • There would be closer economic, scientific and cultural
    links. including exchanges of ballets, orchestras and
    theatre groups
  • There would be an increase in respect for human rights,
    calling for greater respects of basic human freedoms,
    e.g- speech and religion
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13
Q

Who signed the Helsinki agreements?

A

The USA, USSR and 33 other countries

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14
Q

Why was Brezhnev pleased with the Helsinki agreements?

A

They seemed to confirm Soviet domination of Eastern Europe

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15
Q

When was SALT II signed?

A

1979

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16
Q

What was supposed to be agreed through SALT II?

1979

A
  • A limit of 2000 nuclear delivery vehicles for each side
  • A limit of 1320 on Multiple independent Re-entry
    vehicles (MIRV) for each side
  • A ban on construction of land based ICBM launchers
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17
Q

Why did SALT II affect the USA more than the USSR?

A

-The USSR had produced just enough weapons to go over the limits imposed by the treaty, so the USA had to destroy more weapons

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18
Q

How was Brezhnev internationally embarrassed through the Helsinki agreements?

A
  • Opponents of communism in Eastern Europe started using it to criticise the lack of respect for human rights in communist countries
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19
Q

Why was SALT II never ratified?

A
  • The US congress didn’t believe that the USSR would
    obey the rules, and were worried about the 2000 Soviet
    troops being stationed in Cuba
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20
Q

When was Leonid Brezhnev put into power?

A

1968

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21
Q

What was the Brezhnev Doctrine?

A
  • The USSR wouldn’t allow any Warsaw pact country to
    reform communism, and the Soviets had the right to
    invade any country that was threatening the Eastern
    Bloc
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22
Q

What does MIRV stand for?

A

Multiple independent re-entry vehicles

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23
Q

When was the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan?

A

25th December 1979

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24
Q

Why did Russia support Afghanistan in 1978?

A

Communist Taraki had seized power and installed a communist government

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25
Q

How did Amin trigger the USSR into invading Afghanistan?

A

Politician Hafizullah Amin arranged for the murder of PM Taraki in September 1979, seizing control of Afghanistan, as well as beginning discussions with the USA.

This alarmed the USSR as they didn’t want American influence on their Southern border

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26
Q

Describe the events of the Afghan invasion

A

On the 24th December 1979, the Soviets invaded Afghanistan, killed Amin, and installed the pro Moscow leader - Babrak Kamal

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27
Q

Who was put as leader of Afghanistan after Amin’s assassination?

A

Babrak Kamal

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28
Q

Why was Afghanistan an important country for the superpowers?

A
  • Oil trade was important for the USA

- Its borders served as a buffer zone for Russia

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29
Q

What type of reforms did Taraki bring?

A
  • Communist ideologies
  • Women’s rights
  • Muslim intellectuals imprisoned/ tortured/ killed
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30
Q

Why did many Afghans disagree with Amin’s reforms?

A

They went against Islamic ideals

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31
Q

Why did the Soviets struggle in Afghanistan

A

The USA assisted Islamic fundamentalists with weapons and radios
- they werent used to fighting on deserted and mountainous land

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32
Q

Who were the Mujahideen?

A

Warlords committed to stopping the Soviets

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33
Q

What is a Jihad?

A

A holy war

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34
Q

Which Afghan group declared a Jihad

A

The Mujahideen

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35
Q

What were guerilla tactics?

A

Ambushes, sabotages, raids, “petty warfare”

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36
Q

What were the reasons for Soviet intervention in Afghanistan?

A
  • To protect the PDPA from the Mujahideen
  • Stop the spread of Islamic fundamentalism
  • Prop up a friendly communist government
  • Protect Soviet oil production
  • Prevent American occupation of countries near the
    USSR
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37
Q

How many Soviet troops were sent to Afghanistan between the 25th December 1979 and 1st January 1980?

A
  • Over 50000
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38
Q

What was the PDPA?

A
  • The People’s Democratic Party Of Afghanistan

(communist party)

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39
Q

When was Jimmy Carter elected?

A

1977

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40
Q

What was Jimmy Carter’s military response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan?

A
  • The USA promised military aid to all countries that
    bordered Afghanistan
  • They created the rapid deployment force, which was a
    military force that could intervene anywhere in the world
    at short notice
  • Called for a draft registration of 18-29 year olds so they
    could be called up to join the army
  • Assistance given to the Mujahideen by using the CIA to secretly supply weapons to them
41
Q

What was Jimmy Carter’s economic response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan?

A
  • Cancelled all shipments of grain to the USSR,
    forbidding American companies from selling technology
    in the USSR
  • Boycotting the 1980 Moscow Olympic games, 61 other
    countries followed
42
Q

When were the Moscow Olympics?

A

Summer 1980

43
Q

What was the rapid deployment force?

A

A US military force that could be deployed anywhere in

the world at short notice

44
Q

When was Ronald Reagan put into power?

A

1981

45
Q

Who was Soviet leader after Brezhnev?

A

Yuri Andropov (1982-1984)

46
Q

What phrase did Reagan use in a speech to the British house of commons in 1982 to describe the USSR?

A

He called them an “evil empire” and “the focus of evil in the modern world”

47
Q

What was the Second Cold War?

A

A period in the 1980s when tensions between the USA and USSR increased again

48
Q

How did Yuri Andropov respond to Reagan’s 1982 speech condemning the USSR?

A

He called him a “liar” and “insane”, with Moscow comparing Reagan to Hitler and saw him as provoking war

49
Q

When was the SDI announced?

A

1983

50
Q

What did SDI stand for?

A

Strategic defence initiative

51
Q

What was the SDI?

A

A plan for a land and space based anti ballistic missile system to protect the USA from missiles using satellites and lasers, nicknamed “Star Wars”

52
Q

How did Andropov respond to the SDI?

A
  • He accused the USA of preparing a first strike attack on
    the USSR
  • Asserted that Reagan was inventing new plans to
    unleash a nuclear war in Europe in the best way, “in the
    hope of winning it”
53
Q

How did the SDI affect the USSR?

A
  • They realised that they would have to spend more
    money to counter the SDI
  • The Soviet economy was in ruin, and arms spending
    could’ve caused their economy to collapse
  • They were behind in computer technology, while the
    American computer market boomed in the 1980s
  • They were being pressured by Reagan to pull out of the
    space race
54
Q

What was evidence of Reagan’s increased military spending against the USSR?

A
  • The USA began to develop the neutron bomb which
    aimed to cause maximum loss of life, with minimum
    damage to property
  • The USA spent $550b a year on conventional and
    nuclear weapons, the USSR couldn’t match this
    spending
55
Q

When was Mikhael Gorbachev put in power?

A

March 1985

56
Q

What two policies were part of Gorbachev’s “new thinking”?

A

Glasnost & Perestroika

57
Q

What was Glasnost?

A

“Openness” - More freedom of speech and removal of
censorship

In Russia

58
Q

What was Perestoika?

A

“Restructuring” - Reformed government and economy

In Russia

59
Q

What were some examples of Glasnost?

A
  • Censorship of press was relaxed, previously banned
    literature was allowed, the media began to show
    problems that the government had previously covered
    up
  • Previously, anti-communism had been declared a
    mental illness, and those who opposed it were locked
    in mental asylums. Gorbachev released all of these
    people, as well as thousands of other political prisoners
  • Gorbachev made it clear that expressing alternative
    political views would no longer be a crime, hoping that
    the Soviet people would support his reforms through
    allowing open discussions
  • Information about Stalin’s crimes in the 1930s and 40s
    were revealed for the first time, bringing negative
    aspects of the USSR into the spotlight, undermining the
    faith of the public in the Soviet system
  • Gorbachev was the first Soviet leader to visit factories,
    supermarkets and even people in their homes, he was a
    man of the people
60
Q

When did the US congress refuse to ratify SALT II?

A

1980

61
Q

What were some examples of Perestroika?

A
  • The new constitution removed the Communist Party’s
    right to be the only party in the USSR and allowed other
    political parties.
- Gorbachev changed the Soviet government to include 
 a parliament (Congress of People's Deputies) and a  
 president.
  • Previously, all businesses in the USSR had been owned
    by the government. Gorbachev changed the law to
    allow private businesses ownership in service and manufacturing
    sectors.
  • The first free elections were held throughout the Soviet
    Union in 1989, with voters being allowed a choice of
    different candidates for the first time.
  • Foreign companies were allowed to open branches for
    the first time ever; the first Soviet branch of McDonalds
    opened in 1990
62
Q

When did Gorbachev and Reagan meet in Geneva?

A

November 1985

63
Q

What happened at the 1985 Geneva summit?

A
  • Reagan stated that he wouldn’t give up his commitment
    to the “star wars” defence system
  • Although nothing concrete was agreed, they did agree:
  • To speed up arms talks
  • Walk towards the abolition of chemical weapons
  • Be more active on human rights issues
  • Meet again in the future
64
Q

When did Gorbachev and Reagan meet in Reykjavik?

A

1986

65
Q

What happened at the 1986 Reykjavik summit?

A
  • The meeting collapsed quickly, despite the two leaders
    agreeing to huge reductions in nuclear arsenals including cutting ICBMs by 50%, they
    became deadlocked on the issue of restricting Star
    Wars - Reagan refused to give up SDI
66
Q

Where was Gorbachev and Reagan’s 1986 summit?

A

Reykjavik

67
Q

Where was Gorbachev and Reagan’s November 1985 summit?

A

Geneva

68
Q

When was the INF treaty signed?

A

1987

69
Q

What was agreed through the INF treaty?

A
  • Stopped nuclear and ground launched ballistic missiles
    and cruise missiles with a range between 500 and 5500
    miles
  • Both parties were allowed to inspect each other’s
    military installations

( Gorbachev had decided that he would sign a treaty
even if the USA didn’t stop the SDI as he needed to
stop making expensive nuclear weapons due to the
problems with the Russian economy )

70
Q

How did the INF treaty benefit relations between the US and USSR?

A
  • Paved the way for peace as well as future agreements,
    including START I in 1991, also making Gorbachev more
    popular in the West
71
Q

What was START I?

A
  • The Treaty for Reduction and Limitation of Strategic
    Arms, leading to the destruction of over 6,000 nuclear
    warheads
72
Q

What does the INF treaty stand for?

A

The Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty

73
Q

What was the Sinatra Doctrine?

A

Gorbachev’s policy that all Eastern European countries could be allowed to choose their own government

74
Q

When was the Sinatra Doctrine?

A

1989 - Gorbachev uses it jokingly in a speech

75
Q

When did Gorbachev withdraw forces from Afghanistan,

ending the Afghan conflict?

A

1989

76
Q

How and when did Communism fall in East Germany?

A
  • In October 1989, Gorbachev tells East Germany that
    Soviet troops wouldn’t put down East German
    demonstrations.

[23rd Oct] - 300000 people protest in Leipzig
[4th Nov] - 1 million people protest in East Berlin
[9th Nov] - Berlin Wall is opened

[3rd Oct 1990] - Germany is reunified into one country

77
Q

What date was the Berlin Wall opened?

A

9th November 1989

78
Q

What date were East and West Germany reunited

A

3rd October 1990

79
Q

How did communism fall in Czechoslovakia?

A
  • Reforms known as the “Velvet Revolution” were
    orchestrated by a group called the Civic Forum.
  • People power was the driving force and there was little
    violence, the government was forced to respond to
    calls for reformation, and Vaclav Havel was elected in
    1989
80
Q

How did communism fall in Poland?

A
  • Poland experienced strikes and free elections in 1989
  • “Solidarity” was the party that dethroned communism,
    which was a trade union based party, electing
    Mazowiecki as their PM
81
Q

How did communism fall in Hungary?

A
  • Reforms came from within the Hungarian party itself,
    encouraged by Gorbachev
  • Reformers sacked their president, and free elections
    were held in 1990, won by the Democratic Forum; a
    Hungarian Republic was proclaimed
82
Q

Describe the events of the fall of the Berlin Wall and reunification of Germany

A

[1989] - Demonstrations occurred in East Germany calling for a change in the system of government.

[May 1989] - Hungary then opens their borders with
Austria. East Germans then crossed the border into Hungary to get into West Germany.

[Oct 1989] - Gorbachev visits East Germany and states that the USSR would no longer interfere with their international affairs

[4th Nov 1989] - Largest demonstration in East German history occurs with over 1 million people gathering in East Berlin demanding free elections and democracy

[9th Nov 1989] - East German government announces the opening of the border crossing into West Germany. and people begin destroying the Berlin Wall

[3rd Oct 1990] - East and West Germany formally reunited

[1991] - Germany joins NATO and Warsaw pact is dissolved

83
Q

What year did Germany join NATO

A

1991

84
Q

In what year was the Warsaw Pact dissolved

A

1991

85
Q

How many republics was the USSR made up of

A

15

86
Q

Who was the first ever democratically elected president of the USSR?

A

Boris Yeltsin

87
Q

What was the population of the USSR compared to the whole of the Russia?

A 
USSR = 200million
Russia = 148million
88
Q

What year was the August coup

A

1991

89
Q

Describe the events of the August coup

A
  • In August of 1991, a group of hard lined communists
    arrested Gorbachev, and sent tanks into Moscow to take
    over the city.
  • They declared on TV that they were reversing
    Gorbachev’s policies, however they did not have the
    support of the people.
  • Boris Yeltsin lead resistance to the communists,
    bringing people to the streets in protest - the
    communists gave up
  • On the 26th December 1991, Gorbachev signed a
    declaration bringing the USSR to an end, giving all
    Eastern bloc countries independence
90
Q

why did the USSR lose public support after the invasion of Afghanistan

A

because the Soviet people were angry at falling living standards, which had deteriorated as a direct result of high spending in Afghanistan

91
Q

why did the Afghanistan invasion embarrass Brezhnev

A
  • it undermined the USSRs strong military reputation
  • in January 1980, the UN condemned the invasion
  • in 1980, the USA and over 50 other countries boycotted the Moscow olympics in protest to the Soviet Afghan war
92
Q

What were some consequences of the invasion of Afghanistan

A
  • superpowers began to move away from Detente
  • Brezhnev was internationally embarassed
  • Soviets lost public support
  • tensions between the US and USSR began to resurface
  • Cater doctrine introduced
93
Q

why did Carter stop the SALT 2 treaty from being debated in the senate

A
  • because he saw the Afghanistan invasion as an act of Communist expansionism
  • he was also worried that the USSR was trying to gain influence over the Persian Gulf, close to the Afghan border. This oil rich area had close economic ties with the West, Carter thought that the Soviet influence threatened US interests there
94
Q

When did east and west germany become one

A

oct 1990

95
Q

what was the symbolism of the unification of Germany

A
  • showed the decline of Communism
  • showed that Europe was no longer ideologically divided between east and west
96
Q

consequences of detente

A
  • Arms race was expensive and both sides began to realise that money for nuclear weapons would be better spent to improve living conditions at home
  • In 1972, SALT 1 was signed by Nixon and Brezhnev and the agreement restricted the number of ICBMs both sides could have
  • In 1975, American astronauts and Soviet cosmonauts met and symbolically shook hands in space
97
Q

what happened between 1977 and 79 that made relations spur a bit during detente

A

the USSR began to replace its out of date nuclear missiles in Eastern Europe with SS-20 missiles (a new type of battlefield nuclear weapon)
- This led the west to believe that the Soviets had not abandoned the idea of nuclear war or Expansionism in Europe

  • USA responded by developing Cruise missiles and arms race was back on
98
Q

What was the Carter doctrine?

A

Stated that the US was extending its policy of containment and said that the USA was prepared to use force to stop any country from gaining control over the oil-rich states of the Middle East

HISTORY (31 decks)

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