Unit 1 - Section 6 - Afghanistan and the end of the Cold War

Question 1

Which decade is associated with the word détente?

Answer 1

the 1970s

Question 2

What was détente?

Answer 2

The word comes from the French language and means ‘relaxing’. This period, mainly in the 1970s, saw more cooperation between leaders of the East and West and a number of international agreements were made such as the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.;.

Question 3

What was the high point of détente?

Answer 3

The Helsinki Conference of 1975 is often seen as the high point because it was specifically intended to improve relations between the West and the Communist Bloc countries:
Sovereign equality
Refraining from the threat or use of force
Inviolability of frontiers
Peaceful settlement of disputes
Non-intervention in internal affairs
Respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief
Co-operation among States & respect for international law

Question 4

What was SALT 1 and what agreements were made?

Answer 4

SALT 1 was the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks that lasted three years from 1969 to 1972. The USA and USSR negotiated to keep the number of existing short-range ballistic missiles within strict limits.

Also, both sides agreed that submarines carrying nuclear weapons would only be introduced when existing stocks of ICBMs became obsolete.

Finally, both sides agreed the ABM (Anti-Ballistic Missile) Treaty - this meant that both sides were limited to two ABM systems each. ABMs could shoot down enemy missiles - if one side achieved this first, it would give them a dangerous edge in the arms race.

Question 5

What were the limitations of SALT 1?

Answer 5

More advanced weapons such as MIRVs were not included. Nevertheless, the two sides did agree to meet again to discus these at a later date.

Also, strategic bombers (e.g. B52s) and their bombs were not limited.

Question 6

What was a MIRV?

Answer 6

A multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV) is a ballistic missile payload containing several warheads, each capable of being aimed to hit one of a group of targets. By contrast a unitary warhead is a single warhead on a single missile.

Question 7

Which leaders signed SALT 1?

Answer 7

Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev and U.S. President Richard Nixon, meeting in Moscow, signed the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) agreements in 1972. At the time, these agreements were the most far-reaching attempts to control nuclear weapons ever.

Question 8

What ‘high’ point of détente happened in July 1975?

Answer 8

The American Apollo and the Soviet Soyuz spacecraft docked together. The Apollo-Soyuz incident was incredibly significant as it showed a reversal of the intense rivalry shown in the space race of the 1960s. The astronauts exchanged symbolic gifts like flags and even spoke each other’s languages.

Question 9

Did the Helsinki Conference have any limitations?

Answer 9

Yes, not all of the agreements were actually carried out. For example, abuses of human rights continued in the USSR and other countries after 1975.

Question 10

What caused détente?

Answer 10

Both superpowers wanted to ease tensions following the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. In the West this was known as détente; the Russians called it razryadka.

Question 11

Why was SALT 1 important?

Answer 11

It was very important because it was the first agreement between the superpowers that successfully limited the number of nuclear weapons they held. It also showed that détente had created an environment in which the two sides could co-operate on important issues.

Question 12

What was SALT 2?

Answer 12

SALT 1 was only ever meant to be a temporary agreement leading to a more comprehensive treaty later on. Consequently, negotiations for SALT 2 began in 1972.

Question 13

Were any agreements made at SALT 2?

Answer 13

Yes, in 1974, the Vladivostock Agreement, which was part of SALT 2, stated that both sides agreed to reduce their stocks of nuclear warheads to 2,250.

SALT 2 was signed by US President Jimmy Carter and Soviet Premier Brezhnev in 1979.

Question 14

Why were negotiations at SALT 2 difficult?

Answer 14

For two main reasons. Firstly, The West German government was worried that further arms reductions would leave their territory undefended.

Secondly, Right-wing American Congressmen thought that détente had gone too far and were reluctant to agree to further compromises with the USSR.

Question 15

Why was the Helsinki Conference (sometimes referred to as the Helsinki Accords) important?

Answer 15

It was extremely important because it stabilised the situation in Europe by agreeing greater co-operation between the superpowers and their European allies in terms of trade and fighting international terrorism. This limited the possibility of superpower conflict by creating a stable relationship between the USSR and America in Europe.

Question 16

What was the Outer Space Treaty and when was it?

Answer 16

in 1967, the Outer Space Treaty stopped the arms race spreading to outer space as it pledged that no nuclear weapons would be placed in space by either superpower.

Question 17

When was the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and what was agreed?

Answer 17

in 1968, the superpowers agreed that they would not supply nuclear weapons to other states or help other countries to develop nuclear capability. This was important because it stopped superpower conflict engulfing other parts of the world.

Question 18

What was the Kabul Revolution?

Answer 18

in April 1978, a communist revolution happened in Afghanistan. The new, communist government, set up in the capital Kabul and led by president Mohammed Taraki, quickly became an ally of the USSR.

Question 19

Why was Brezhnev interested in Afghanistan?

Answer 19

Brezhnev saw the communist revolution there as an opportunity to expand his sphere of influence into the oil-rich Middle East.

Question 20

What problems did the new government have in Afghanistan before Brezhnev sent in troops?

Answer 20

Although the new government was communist, it was far from stable. The communists themselves were constantly arguing with each other and there was growing anger among the Muslim population and Muslim leaders within Afghanistan over the nature of the communist reforms. For example, the educating of girls and criticisms of religion.

This resulted in a civil war breaking out between government forces and Muslim fighters and Taraki was forced the head of the army, Hafizullah Amin, as Prime Minister. However, the two men became bitter rivals. In October 1979, Amin assassinated Taraki and claimed the Presidency.

Question 21

After Amin’s seizure of power, why did Brezhnev send in Soviet troops?

Answer 21

1. Although Amin was a communist, Brezhnev didn’t trust him. Soviet secret police reported that he was an American spy. He was very unpopular with the Muslim population and Brezhnev feared that Muslim groups would take over.
2. Brezhnev was worried that if Afghanistan became a Muslim state, other states within the Soviet sphere of influence would do the same.
3. A man called Babrak Karmal - an Afghani communist - claimed he had popular support within the country but needed Soviet suppport to defeat Amin’s military.
4. Brezhnev believed that the USA would tolerate the invasion, as they had done before in the ‘Prague Spring’

Question 22

What were some of the key features of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan?

Answer 22

Amin was killed and Karmal declared president (he held the post until 1986).

The invasion was ultimately a disaster for the USSR and Afghanistan. The Mujahideen fought a determined guerilla campaign against the Soviet army and were well funded and supplied by America, Saudi Arabia and China.

The invasion lasted ten years and around 1.5 million people died, including 15,000 Russian soldiers.

Eventually, the USSR simply could not afford to continue and withdrew forces in 1989.

Question 23

Who were the Mujahideen?

Answer 23

They were various, loosely-aligned Afghan opposition groups who initially rebelled against Taraki’s government of the pro-Soviet Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (DRA) during the late 1970s. At the DRA’s request, the Soviet Union brought forces into the country to aid the government from 1979. The mujahideen fought against Soviet and DRA troops during the Soviet War in Afghanistan (1979-1989).

Question 24

What is a ‘proxy war’?

Answer 24

This is a war in which a superpower uses another country, or soldiers in another country, as ‘puppets’ instead of using their own soldiers. The USA funded the Mujahideen and fought a ‘proxy war’ against the USSR in Afghanistan.

Question 25

What happened to SALT 2?

Answer 25

Although more far-reaching agreements were made about limiting a wider range of weapons (e.g. MIRVs were limited to 1,320 for each side), ratification of the treaty did not take place. There was renewed concern in America over 2,000 Soviet soldiers who were stationed in Cuba and NATO decided to place long-range ICBMs in Europe.

Finally, when the USSR decided to invade Afghanistan on December 25th 1979, the US Senate refused to ratify the treaty and many said that a second Cold War was coming.

Question 26

How did Brezhnev justify the invasion to the international community?

Answer 26

Brezhnev claimed that the USSR was simply complying with the 1978 Treaty of Friendship that former President Taraki had signed.

Question 27

What were the short-term effects of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan?

Answer 27

1. The Carter Doctrine
2. SALT 2 was not ratified by the US Senate
3. The Americans decided to boycott the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games - 61 countries followed suit and boycotted with the Americans

Question 28

What was the Carter Doctrine?

Answer 28

The Carter Doctrine represented a ‘get tough’ policy towards the USSR. It stated that the USA would use military force if necessary to protect American interests in the Middle East.

The Carter Doctrine also promised US military aid to all countries bordering Afghanistan.

It also included giving the CIA more powers and deciding to fund the Mujahideen.

Question 29

What was the ‘Second Cold War’?

Answer 29

This is a phrase used to describe the period between 1979 and 1985, which marked a new low in superpower relations. As in the 1950s and 60s, the public was extremely concerned about the possibility of nuclear war. This anxiety was reflected in popular culture such as the American TV movie ‘The Day After’ (1983).

Question 30

Who were the leaders of the Soviet Union during the USSR invasion of Afghanistan (and afterwards)?

Answer 30

USSR:
Brezhnev 1964-1982
Andropov 1982-1984
Chernenko 1984-1985
Gorbachev 1985-1991

Question 31

Who were the US presidents from 1979 to 1991?

Answer 31

Jimmy Carter 1977-1981
Ronald Reagan 1981-1989
George H.W. Bush 1989-1993

Question 32

What was Reagan’s view of détente?

Answer 32

He believed détente had been a disaster for the USA - he wanted to win the Cold War and even stated that he could imagine ‘a limited nuclear war in Europe’. He believed that détente had made the USA weak while allowing the USSR to grow strong.

Question 33

What was the ‘Evil Empire’ speech?

Answer 33

In March 1983, Reagan gave his infamous ‘Evil Empire’ speech, in which he argued that the Cold War was a fight between good and evil and that America fought with God’s blessing.

Question 34

What was SDI?

Answer 34

This was the Strategic Defence Initiative, nicknamed ‘Star Wars’.

Reagan actually believed that the USSR could be forced to disarm if the USA could develop technology to shoot incoming missiles down in space, using an army of satellites equipped with powerful lasers.

Question 35

Why was SDI important?

Answer 35

SDI was a turning point in the arms race. During détente, the superpowers had been evenly matched and even worked together to limit and reduce their nuclear stockpiles. SDI was a complete break from this and even broke the terms of the Outer Space Treaty of 1967.

Question 36

What was the Soviet response to SDI?

Answer 36

The Soviets could not keep up with this development for several reasons:

1. America had already won the space race to the moon in 1969 and by the early 1980s had developed the next generation of spacecraft: the space shuttle;
2. The Soviet economy was too weak to fund a similar, Soviet Star Wars project as well as consumer goods and conventional military spending;
3. The USSR was far behind the USA in the computer technology needed to compete with SDI

Question 37

Who was Mikhail Gorbachev?

Answer 37

Gorbachev was the last leader of the USSR, serving from 1985 until its collapse in 1991. He oversaw the end of the Cold War, the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of communism in Russia.

Question 38

What problems did Gorbachev inherit in the USSR when he took over as leader?

Answer 38

1. The economy was weak - people regularly had to queue for hours for basic food items
2. Much of the population had lost confidence in the Communist Party

Question 39

What were Gorbachev’s intentions?

Answer 39

Gorbachev never intended to undermine communism, rather he wanted to be its saviour. He planned to revive communism using a radical programme of reform - often summarised in two words: perestroika and glasnost.

Question 40

What was perestroika?

Answer 40

Restructuring. Perestroika meant restructuring (try to remember the similarity between the word ‘structure’ and ‘stroika’) the economy to make the Soviet Union more efficient.

Question 41

What was glasnost?

Answer 41

Openness. Glasnost meant a relaxing of the censorship of the press.