The ending of Cold War tensions (24) Flashcards
Ending of Cold War tensions in Afghanistan?
Wanted to leave as early as 1982 but couldn’t due to Brezhnev Doctrine
Gorbachev as soon as he came to office 1985 wanted to leave
Affected by American supply of weapons to the Afghan Mujaheddin - 1986 Reagan decided to provide the mujaheddin with portable surface-to-air Stinger missiles,
Public opposition mounted as glasnost allowed people to openly express anti-governmnet opinions
Gorbachev told Babrak Karmal that Soviet forces could not maintain the Afghan government indefinitely
Gorbachev announced the Soviet withdrawal in 1988 and the last troops left in 1989
By withdrawing from Afghanistan, Gorbachev removed a barrier on East-West tensions and a proxy war
Ending of Cold War tensions in the Americas?
The USA had, during the Cold War, brought the downfall of 24 governments in the region
Allowed right-wing dictatorships to flourish
Early 1990s wanted to develop its regional institutions network
Easing of Cold War tensions in Nicaragua?
Late 1890s the Contras received a reduction in funding from the US - agreed to ceasefire with the Sandinista regime
Sandinistas agreed to elections to be held on 25th February 1990 - expecting an easy victory
The Contra’s refusal to disarm meant to the Sandinistas that stability and economic recovery would not be achieved without conforming to US aims
With US influence 14 Sandinista opposition parties were persuaded to campaign around a single presidential candidate - Violeta Chamorro, who was popular - the widow of a journalist and published who had been murdered by a right-wing leader for his opposition to the regime - pro-American
Given over $1 million in financial support from the USA, and support from Venezuela - won the election
By 1990 - Nicaraguan people exhausted from 11 years of civil war - Chamorro removed the Contros - left the Sandinistas without opposition - ended the Civil War
Her victory led to an influx of over $300 million US assistance
Economy destroyed by Civil war - did not recover from US aid - US aid left in 1992 under allegations Sandinistas covertly controlled the economy
Easing of Cold War tensions in El Salvador?
1984 - Midst of Salvadorian Civil War - Election in which José Duarte won - most left leaning political allowed in the elections - USA had backed his campaign with $6 million
Duarte tried to limit the power of the armed forces - atrocities prevailed - officers commanding campaigns against individual villages arbitrarily labelled as insurgents
The FMLN, coalition of leftists guerrilla groups - funded by the Soviet Union and Cuba - continued its actions on the military until death squads eliminated
US under Reagan and Bush continued support of government - stopping communism
1987 amnesty law - release those falsely accused - absolved members of the military death squads - angered much of the population
Ended in the election in 1988 electing Alfredo Cristiani - opposition FMLN launched a new offensive on government
USA urged need for peace
Peace accords signed in 1992 - FMLN became legitimate political party
US seeking peace was direct result of USSR collapsing as a world power from 1989 - less likely to be expansionist
Easing of Cold War tensions in Cuba?
Collapse of USSR - lost main source of funding
Castro wanted to continue spreading revolution but lacked the resources to do so
Divserified its economy from mainly sugar
Made trading partners with China, Europe and Canada
Tourism greatly helped
Had to retract its forces and medical and infrastructure experts from Africa
1988 - Cuban forced removed from Angola
End of Cold War tensions in Angola?
December 1986 - Gorbachev announces intention to reduce support for MPLA
Wanted to improve relations with USA and reduce spending
Despite this the USSR provided $1 billion of arms to the MPLA regime as the USSR continued to supply UNITA
USSR encouraged major offensive on UNITA in September 1987 to end war - and its involvement - South-African Counter offensive hindered this
Cuba sent 10,000 troops, without Moscow consultation, to save the MPLA
May 1988 SA agreed to negotiation - fear of ANC
Led to an agreement in New York 1988 - included withdrawal of Cuban troops
Came about through joint action of USA and USSR
End of Cold War tensions in Ethiopia?
After Ethiopia retook the Ogaden region the USSR continued to send aid to Ethiopia’s military junta led by Mengistu Mariam
1987 Mengistu established the People’s Democratic Republic of Ethiopia - fully marxist
Continued to receive military and humanitarian aid from USSR and Cuba - over 300 medical personnel from Cuba alone in the 1980s
Civil war and resistance from Eritrean nationalists
Ethiopian army suffered significant defeats in 1989
May 1991 - opposition forces approached the Capital Addid Ababa, Mengistu fled the country - was not confident in Soviet Support due to its collapse in Eastern Europe
New government - Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front, assumed power in May 1991 - received assistance from US - was still Marxist based - signified how the end of the Cold War lessened the desire of containment
Bush views of US-Soviet relations
George Bush becomes president November 1988 - did not see the war as completely over
Needed to show that he was proactive and not just continuing Reagans work
Arms control talks with USSR continued in September 1989 - time when the Soviet Union was losing control of Eastern Europe and was no longer in a position of strength
Hoped to finalise START
Malta agreement?
December 1989
Eastern Europe’s communist governments falling
Moves were made towards closer economic ties between the USA and USSR - end of economic Cold War
USSR slowly moving towards a market-controlled economic system
Gorbachev made it clear he would not use force in Eastern Europe as countries decided their political future - Bush agreed to leave Germany alone and the Baltic States - Estonia and Lithuania had begun demonstrations
No concrete decisions - main goal was discuss Eastern Europe and the economic state of the USSR
Results of Malta agreement?
Paved the way for the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty - signed by Bush, Gorbachev and other European leaders in Paris - November 1990
Gorbachev agreed to end the superiority in military capability of the Soviet Union in Europe - limits on military hardware a state could hold
Led to final summit together
Final Summit?
Moscow July 1991 - concluded START I - implemented Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty
USA: fixed at 6000 warheads - USSR: 6000 warheads - agreed to cut ASS-20 warheads by 50%
Missile launchers - fixed at 1600
Missile and bomb stocks - USA reduced from 12,000 to 9,000 ; USSR reduced from 11,000 to 7,000
Nuclear technology was not to be passed on to third party states
Soviet Union finally dissolved in December 1991
Reunification of Germany?
West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl wanted a unified Germany as a full member of NATO - Soviets worried - lost buffer and influence - shifted the power of Europe
July 1990 Kohl met Gorbachev - expressed reluctance at seeing NATO expand into East German territory - accepted it was inevitable - USSR in desperate need of money
Gorbachev agreed to remove the Soviet military presence from East Germany and not interfere in German sovereignty
Unified 3rd October 1990
Gorbachev had made these decisions without consulting the rest of the Party; key individuals like Shevardnadze or the Politburo
Rise of nationalism in USSR?
Was a multiethnic, multilingual state of 15 republics held together by strength of Communist Party
Under Gorbachev the Party weakened and nationalism which had been dormant for decades stirred
1988 - Armenians in Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh demanded seperation from Azerbaijan and to be incorporated into Soviet Armenia
Gorbachev supported Azerbaijan - did not want to support nationalism in any way - heightened nationalism
Demands for Georgian independence flared up in 1989, led to deaths 20 pro-independence marchers - worsened demands
Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia had independence intentions - held a Baltic assembly in Tallin, Estonia, May 1989 - joint economic and political action for sovereignty
23rd August 1989, approx 2 million citizen formed a chain - ‘Baltic way’ - across three Republics - commemoration of Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact which annexed them
February 1990 - Lithuania declared independence
March - Estonia
May - Latvia
Jan 1991 - Soviets send troops into Lithuania - killed 12 in Capital Vilnius
Soviet government failed to placate nationalists - gave them more devolved power within the USSR
Gorbachev failed to crush the nationalists using force - made enemies
Gorbachev’s resignation?
His failure to end nationalism in the Baltic states and economic and political policy failures led to his marginalisation
Also his failure to consult the Party when discussing with Kohl concerning the reunification of Germany did this
August 1991 coup to overthrow Gorbachev - by hard-liners who want a return to normal ways - fails
Gorbachev’s position is badly shaken
24th August 1991 he resigns - encourages the Communist Party members to dissolve
Final collapse of the USSR?
Only 8 Republic remained to cooperate in the talks to keep economic and political unity
December 1991 - Leaders of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine meet in Minsk - create the Commonwealth of Independent State (CIS)
26th December 1991 - USSR Supreme Soviet votes to dissolve itself and formally ends the Soviet Union
27th December - Boris Yeltsin takes power in Russia
