The end of the Cold War (1970-1991) Flashcards
Which event ended the period of Detente?
The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan (1979)
Why did the USSR invade Afghanistan?
To stop the Communist government from being replaced
What was the name of the group that resisted the USSR?
The Mujaheddin
How did the USA react to the invasion of Afghanistan?
They refused to sign SALT 2
President Carter declared that the USA would now be more aggressive to the USSR (known as the Carter Doctrine)
They began to arm the Mujaheddin with modern weapons to fight the USSR (known as a proxy war)
They refused to send athletes to the Moscow Olympics (1980)
What were the consequences of the invasion of Afghanistan for the USSR?
It cost them $8 billion a year (for 10 years)
They lost more than 15,000 soldiers
It increased tension between the USSR and the USA
Who replaced Carter as US President in 1980?
Ronald Reagan
How did Reagan impact on the Cold War?
He increased tension by being even more confrontational with the USSR (he referred to them as an “Evil Empire” in 1983
He is seen as beginning the ‘Second Cold War’
How did Reagan increase the power of the USA in the 1980s?
He increased defense spending by 13%
He supported the development of new technology like nuclear submarines and stealth bombers
What was the Reagan Doctrine?
Reagan announced that the USA would support any group that wanted to fight against communism with money and military support.
This included the US invasion of Grenada to remove a communist government
What was the SDI?
The Strategic Defense Initiative (nicknamed Star Wars)
The USA began to try to develop satellites that carried high powered lasers that could shoot down nuclear missiles.
Reagan announced to the world that this technology was ready to be used when in reality it was not.
What was the impact of the SDI on the USSR?
The USSR now believed that its nuclear missiles were useless
The USSR attempted to increase its spending on weapons but this made its economy even weaker
It showed how much weaker their technology was
Who became leader of the USSR in 1985?
Mikhail Gorbachev
What problems did Gorbachev face when he became leader?
The USSR was heavily in debt because of the arms race
The standard of living in the USSR was poor
There was a lack of freedom of speech
Ordinary people had begun to realise how poor they were compared to the USA
Countries in Eastern Europe were beginning to challenge their Communist governments
How did the Chernobyl disaster impact on the USSR?
The explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power station humiliated the USSR as it showed their nuclear power stations were unsafe.
The Soviet leadership also tried to lie about the explosion but were found out.
What was the policy of Perestroika?
It was a process of restructuring the economy of the USSR
It allowed businesses to make a profit and for private individuals to own their own businesses
What were the consequences of Perestroika for the USSR?
People became happier in a system that was more capitalist and began to demand more freedom.
This led to more people challenging Communism in order to become capitalist
What was the policy of Glasnost?
It means openness and was the allowing of freedom of speech.
It allowed people to speak out against the government and to travel between countries.
Some opposition groups could now also stand in elections
What were the consequences of Glasnost?
TV channels could now show the difference between life in the USSR and the USA confirming that the standard of living in the Soviet Union was much worse.
People now wanted democratic elections and could protest against the government to get them
How did Gorbachev deal with the Soviet Union being involved in Afghanistan?
He decided to withdraw the Red Army in order to save money and not suffer any more casualties.
What were the consequences of the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan?
The USSR looked weak as they had been defeated
The Communist government in Afghanistan collapsed
The USA looked strong as they had armed the Mujaheddin who had defeated the USSR and stopped communism from spreading
Why did Gorbachev reduce spending on the arms and space races?
Because the USSR could not match the spending of the USA because their economy was much weaker.
Gorbachev hoped this would allow the USSR to spend the money improving living standards
However it ended up making the USSR look weak
Why did Gorbachev end the Brezhnev Doctrine?
Because he no longer believed that it would be possible to use Warsaw Pact troops to put down anti-communist rebellions
What were the consequences of ending the Brezhnev Doctrine?
Without the threat of an invasion or attack by the USSR people could now openly oppose communism
What was Gorbachev’s ‘New Thinking’
That he wanted to create a better relationship with Western Europe and the USA.
Also that he wanted to reduce the number of nuclear weapons
