week 6 Detente

Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty

A 1987 treaty between the US and USSR that eliminated an entire class of nuclear missiles.

Perestroika

A series of political and economic reforms initiated by Mikhail Gorbachev in the Soviet Union starting in the 1980s.

Glasnost

A policy of openness initiated by Gorbachev that allowed for greater freedom of expression and transparency in the Soviet Union.

German Reunification

The formal reunification of East and West Germany in 1990, ending the division established post-World War II.

Disintegration of the Soviet Union

The dissolution of the Soviet Union into 15 independent republics on December 26, 1991, marking the end of the Cold War.

Multipolar System

An international system where multiple countries hold power, as opposed to a bipolar system dominated by two superpowers.