Unit 7 Lesson 2: The End of the Cold War Flashcards
How did US feel about the Soveit Union invasion of Afghanistan?
The United States condemned the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. President Carter withdrew the SALT II Treaty from Senate approval hearings. The United States also refused to take part in the 1980 summer Olympic Games in Moscow.
Despite worldwide criticism, Soviet troops remained in Afghanistan for ten years. What pushed them to leave or withdraw?
They suffered heavy losses as Afghan rebels, supplied by the United States, battled the communist government. The war in Afghanistan became so costly for the Soviets that it weakened the Soviet economy, and Soviet forces could not remain. In 1989, the Soviets were forced to pull all troops out of Afghanistan.
Reagan wanted to deal with the Soviets from a position of strength. To achieve this he did what?
Reagan wanted to deal with the Soviets from a position of strength. To achieve this, he persuaded Congress to increase military spending by more than $100 billion during his first five years in office.
What is Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) what was its nickname?
President Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) also called for the development of a new weapons system that Reagan hoped could destroy Soviet missiles from space. SDI was nicknamed Star Wars
Soviet Union in Poland, describe the Solidarity that happened?
In December 1981, with Soviet backing, Poland’s communist government cracked down on Solidarity, an independent labor union. Solidarity members had gone on strike at Polish shipyards to demand labor reforms.
How did US react to Soveit union in Poland talk about the Solidarity memebers?
Under Soviet pressure, the Polish government imposed martial law, or emergency military rule, on the country. President Reagan condemned the move. He urged the Soviets to allow Poland to restore basic human rights. The United States also put economic pressure on Poland to end martial law.
What was the econmy like in the Soveit empire?
Economic problems grew in part because of the huge sums the Soviets were spending on their military to try to keep up with the United States, whose free market economy was much stronger. The Soviets had little money left for producing consumer goods. Soviet citizens stood in line for hours waiting for poorly made products. The communist system was not working.
Who was Mikhail Gorbachev what did he believe in?
In 1985, a new Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev (mee kah EEL GOR buh chawf), rose to power. He believed that only major reforms would allow the Soviet system to survive.
What was Glasnost and why did Gorbachev support it?
Gorbachev backed glasnost, the Russian term for speaking out openly. Glasnost, Gorbachev hoped, would lead citizens to find solutions to pressing economic and social problems. This new openness was a break with the past, when any criticism of government policies had been quickly silenced.
Why did Gorbachev want better relation with the US?
Gorbachev realized that he could not solve the Soviet Union’s economic problems without cutting military spending sharply. To do so, he had to have better relations with the United States.
Why did Reagan agree to the summit meetings?
President Reagan and Gorbachev met at several summit meetings. Reagan agreed to these meetings because he approved of Gorbachev’s new policy of openness.
What was the intermediate Nulear force Treaty in 1987?
In it, both nations agreed to get rid of their stockpiles of short and medium-range missiles. To prevent cheating, each side would have the right to inspect the other’s missile sites. Two years later, Gorbachev withdrew Soviet troops from Afghanistan. This action removed another barrier to cooperation between the superpowers.
For more than 50 years, the communist governments of Eastern Europe had banned any open discussion of political issues. As in the Soviet Union, only one political party, the Communist party, was allowed to win elections. People were denied many basic rights, such as freedom of speech. How is like now?
Now, in the late 1980s, Eastern European governments could no longer control the rising demands of their people for democratic and economic reforms. With opposition so widespread, most of those governments did not dare to use military force to oppose change. Furthermore, the Soviet Union did not have the power to suppress these protests. It was too busy trying to solve its own problems.
Describe the change in Poland in 1989
In 1989, Poland held its first free elections in 50 years. Polish voters rejected communist candidates in favor of those put up by the trade union, Solidarity. Solidarity leader, Lech Walesa (LEK vah WEN sah), had once been jailed by the Communists for almost a year. After the elections, he became head of a new Polish government.
Changes in communist goverments
One by one, communist governments fell in Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Albania. In Romania, a violent revolt toppled the country’s longtime communist dictator.
