The End of the Cold War: 1970–91

Question 1

What does détente mean?

Answer 1

The relaxation of tension between rivals.

Question 2

What period during the Cold War was known as the Détente?

Answer 2

The 1970s.

Question 3

Who was the US President from 1969-73?

Answer 3

Richard Nixon.

Question 4

What were two causes for the Détente?

Answer 4

1. The Cuban Missile Crisis showed how easily the powers could end up on the edge of nuclear war, so it was crucial to improve relations.
2. USA had been fighting the Vietnam War to try to stop the spread of communism. However, it was very unpopular and the US were spending billions. Nixon wanted a détente so he could solve these problems.

Question 5

When was SALT 1 set up and what did it stand for?

Answer 5

It was set up in 1972 and stood for ‘Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty’.

Question 6

What were some of the agreements made for SALT 1?

Answer 6

• Anti-Ballistic Missiles were only allowed at 2 sites
• No increase in ICBMs (unless to replace old ones)
• Limited number of weapons the USA and USSR were allowed

Question 7

When were the Helsinki Accords signed?

Answer 7

In 1975.

Question 8

What countries agreed to the Helsinki Accords?

Answer 8

33 NATO and Warsaw Pact countries.

Question 9

What were some agreements made at the Helsinki Accords?

Answer 9

• Borders of East and West Germany were officially accepted
• The West and the East would cooperate in trade and a joint US-Soviet space mission
• Countries would respect human rights and freedoms

Question 10

What were two consequences of the Détente?

Answer 10

1. It led to arms control agreements such as SALT 1 which limited the number of weapons each side had, which slowed down the arms race.
2. It led to greater cooperation between the USSR and USA since it encouraged trade between the powers and a hosted a joint space mission.

Question 11

Who were the leaders when SALT 2 took place?

Answer 11

USA - Jimmy Carter

USSR - Leonid Brezhnev

Question 12

When was SALT 2 agreed?

Answer 12

1979.

Question 13

What were some of the agreements made for SALT 2?

Answer 13

• Limited the number of nuclear warheads to under 2500
• Banned testing of new ICBMs

Question 14

Why did SALT 2 fail?

Answer 14

US-Soviet relations soured after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. Therefore, SALT 2 was never ratified (approved) and didn’t become US policy.

Question 15

What were two causes for the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan?

Answer 15

1. Iranian revolution
2. Hafizullah Amin being apointed as leader of Afghanistan

Question 16

Why was the Iranian Revolution a threat to the Soviets?

Answer 16

Iran bordered with the USSR, so Brezhnev was worried Islamic fundamentalism could spread to the USSR and threaten communism.

Question 17

Why was Afghanistan important to the USSR?

Answer 17

Due to it’s location, they wanted it as a ‘buffer zone’ between Iran and the USSR, since they didn’t want Iran’s Islamic fundamentalism weakening communist rule.

Question 18

What event caused the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan?

Answer 18

After the pro-Soviet government in Afghanistan was overthrown, Hafizullah Amin came into power. However, soon after Islamic Fundamentalist groups (like the Mujahideen) tried to overthrow him.

Question 19

Why were the Soviets worried about Islamic Fundamentalism in Afghanistan?

Answer 19

It put the ‘buffer zone’ the USSR needed at risk, giving way the Mujahideen to influence their Muslim population.

Question 20

When did the Soviets invade Afghanistan?

Answer 20

December 1979.

Question 21

What were the events of the Soviet invasion?

Answer 21

• Hafizullah Amin and his supporters were assasinated
• Babrak Karmal (a supporter of the USSR) was appointed as new leader of Afghanistan

Question 22

What were three consequences of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan?

Answer 22

1. The invasion ended the period of Détente and the USA accused the Soviets of trying to spread communism.
2. The Carter Doctrine.
3. The USA boycotted the 1980 Olympic games in Moscow. In retaliation, the USSR boycotted the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Question 23

When was the Carter Doctrine passed?

Answer 23

January 1980.

Question 24

What was the Carter Doctrine?

Answer 24

• USA threatened to use force if the Soviets attempted to take control of the Middle East
• Stopped trade with the USSR
• USA and allies (Pakistan + Saudi Arabia) began providing assistance to the Mujahideen to overthrow Karmal

Question 25

How did the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan help Ronald Reagan be elected as President?

Answer 25

Reagan was strongly anti-communist and wanted to take a ‘tough’ approach towards the USSR. Americans were happy with this and voted him into presidency in 1981.

Question 26

What caused the ‘Second Cold War’?

Answer 26

After the Sovet invasion in Afghanistan, Reagan was comitted to standing up to communism.

Question 27

What were three of Reagan’s new policies that fuelled the ‘Second Cold War’?

Answer 27

• Reagan publicly criticised the USSR and called it an ‘evil empire’
• The USA wanted to roll back communism, so they funded anti-communist groups in Central America, Africa and Asia
• In 1982, the US increased spending on arms by 13%

Question 28

What policy did Reagan launch and when?

Answer 28

The Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI) in March 1983. Also known as the ‘Star Wars’ programme.

Question 29

What was the ‘Star Wars’ programme?

Answer 29

The programme aimed to place satellites into orbit to destroy Soviet missiles and prevent them hitting the US.

Question 30

What were two consequences of Reagan’s policies?

Answer 30

1. It damaged East-West relations as it went against the Outer Space Treaty (1967) and got rid of the idea of MAD since the SDI would destroy Soviet missiles.
2. It increased tensions as the Soviets no longer trusted Reagan. This period became known as the ‘Second Cold War’.

Question 31

When did Mikhail Gorbachev become leader of the Soviet Union?

Answer 31

In 1985.

Question 32

What events led to Gorbachev’s policy of ‘New Thinking’?

Answer 32

Crises in the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc countries.

Question 33

What crises were the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc countries facing?

Answer 33

1. The USSR’s economy was failing after they had overspent on weapons.
2. Due to low living standards in the Eastern Bloc, there were several protests.
3. The Soviets could not keep up with USA’s pace of developing new technology.

Question 34

How was Gorbachev unlike previous leaders?

Answer 34

He recognised that reform was essential for the survival of the USSR.

Question 35

What did Gorbachev’s reforms include?

Answer 35

1. Perestroika
2. Glasnost
3. Ending the Brezhnev Doctrine
4. Reducing arms

Question 36

What was Gorbachev’s policy of perestoika?

Answer 36

It meant ‘reconstruction’ and it encouraged reform within the Soviet economy, for example increasing trade with the West.

Question 37

What was glasnost?

Answer 37

It meant ‘openness’ and allowed people more freedom of speech, including criticism of the government.

Question 38

Why did Gorbachev end the Brezhnev Doctrine?

Answer 38

• The USSR could no longer afford to maintain Eastern Bloc countires
• Gorbachev believed openness would make relations with ‘satellite states’ better

Question 39

What was the purpose of Gorbachev’s policy of reducing arms?

Answer 39

Gorbachev wanted to reduce arms and leave the war in Afghanistan, so he could spend money on reforming the Soviet economy.

Question 40

What were two consequences of Gorbachev’s policy of ‘New Thinking’?

Answer 40

1. It eased Cold War tensions and improved relations with the USA. This resulted in five Summit meetings between 1985-89.
2. It loosened control over Eastern Bloc countries and Afghanistan since the USSR wanted to withdraw troops.

Question 41

What was significant about the Washington Summit?

Answer 41

Gorbachev and Reagan signed the INF Treaty. This agreed to abolish all intermediate range nuclear missiles.

Question 42

What was agreed at the Moscow Summit?

Answer 42

Gorbachev agreed to reduce the number of Warsaw Pact troops and withdraw from Afghanistan.

Question 43

What events caused the collapse of communism?

Answer 43

1. For decades, people were unhappy with communist rule due to low living standards and lack of freedom.
2. Gorbachev’s policies of Glasnost and ending the Brezhnev Doctrine gave people the opportunity to challenge Soviet rule without fear of consequences.

Question 44

When did Gorbachev announce the end of the Brezhnev Doctrine?

Answer 44

1988.

Question 45

How did communism collapse in some Eastern Bloc countries?

Answer 45

1. In 1989, Hungary opened its borders to East Germany.
2. In 1989, Czechoslovakia overthrew its communist government.

Question 46

What are two consequences of the collapse of communism?

Answer 46

1. It led to the end of the Cold war as Gorbachev didn’t attempt to stop the communist governments from weakening. At the Malta Summit in 1989, Bush and Gorbachev believed that it marked the end.
2. It caused the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Question 47

What were the causes of the fall of the Berlin Wall?

Answer 47

In August 1989, Hungary opened up its borders to East Germans, allowing them to travel to West Germany through Czechoslovakia and Hungary. In November 1989, the East German government was pressured to allow East Germans to go to West Germany. This made the wall pointless and crowds destroyed the wall.

Question 48

Explain two consequences of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Answer 48

1. It symbolised the end of communist rule and led to the reunification of Germany in 1990, allowing family and friends to visit each other for the first time since 1961.
2. It led to the the breaking up of the Warsaw Pact in 1991, as the fall of the Berlin Wall inspired other Eastern European countries to run themselves.

Question 49

What two events caused the Soviet Union to break up?

Answer 49

1. Many Soviet Republics began to demand independence after the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe.
2. Gorbachev was blamed for weakening the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc countries for his policy of ‘New Thinking’.

Question 50

What happened during the collapse of the USSR?

Answer 50

In 1991, Soviet officials staged a coup to remove him from power, however this failed. As more republics broke away from the USSR, Gorbachev was forced to resign.

Question 51

When did Gorbachev resign?

Answer 51

25th December 1991.

Question 52

What are two consequences of the collapse of the Soviet Union?

Answer 52

1. Many of the republics that had been part of the USSR such as Estonia and Ukraine began to gain independence and no longer followed Moscow’s policies.
2. It resulted in the end of communist rule and the Cold War as there was no longer an ideological conflict between the East and West.