Reagan & Cold War Flashcards

Flashcards covering the Reagan and Cold War era, Bush's presidency, and related foreign policy events.

Evil Empire

Reagan referred to the USSR as this, highlighting his tough stance against them.

Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)

Reagan's plan for a space-based missile defense system.

Lebanon, October 1983

Terrorist truck bomb attack on US Marine barracks.

Type of government Reagan supported in El Salvador

Military government.

Why Reagan ordered US troops to Grenada in October 1983

To protect American medical students and overthrow a communist-friendly government.

Reagan's belief about the Sandinistas in Nicaragua

Marxists who might spread Communist revolution to other Latin American countries.

Contras

A group of guerrilla fighters secretly supported by the U.S. in Nicaragua.

Iran-Contra Affair Summary

Reagan was worried about them spreading communism, and the US secretly helped the Contras fighting against them.

Glasnost

Gorbachev's policy to make the Soviet Union more open.

Perestroika

Gorbachev's policy about changing the economy and government to give people more freedom.

INF Treaty

Treaty signed in 1987 by Reagan and Gorbachev, eliminating many nuclear missiles.

How Gorbachev's policies helped end communism

It helped end communism in Eastern Europe by inspiring people to push for change.

Gdansk, Poland, 1980

Workers went on strike to demand better rights and conditions.

Lech Walesa

Led the strike in Gdansk, Poland.

Poland, 1989

Suffered more economic problems and new protests forced the Communist party to concede.

Lech Walesa

Elected President in Czechoslovakia in 1989.

East Germans in Hungary, 1989

Took advantage of newly opened borders to escape to Austria and West Germany.

East German government, November 9, 1989

Announced that East Germans could travel freely to West Germany.

Night of November 9, 1989 (after the announcement)

Crowds gathered at the Berlin Wall, and both East and West Berliners climbed on top.

Conservative Communists in the August 1991 coup

Tried to remove Gorbachev from power by holding him captive.

Fate of the Soviet Union after Gorbachev resigned

Broke up into 15 independent republics.

Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START)

Agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union to make major cuts in long-range nuclear weapons.

"New World Order" (Bush)

An idea for a peaceful world where countries worked together on problems led by the United States and its allies.

Why protests began in China at Tiananmen Square

Chinese students were demanding democracy and political reform.

Chinese government response, June 3, 1989

Sending the army to stop the protest.

President Bush's response to China's actions

Choosing to negotiate quietly instead of publicly attacking China.

Why President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in December 1989

Believed General Manuel Noriega was smuggling cocaine into the US.

Saddam Hussein of Iraq, August 1990

Invaded the neighboring country of Kuwait.

Bush's concern about Iraq's action

That the invasion could threaten the flow of oil to the US and West.

Objective in the Persian Gulf War

To force Iraq to leave Kuwait and protect the oil supply.

Colin Powell

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Colin Powell's battle plan

To first use overwhelming power to weaken the enemy's military, then follow with a strong ground attack.

Glasnost

Gorbachev's policy of increased openness and transparency in government and institutions in the Soviet Union.

Gorbachev's policy of economic and political restructuring in the Soviet Union.

Perestroika