1970-91; The End of the Cold War

What was the détente of the 1970's?

A phased relaxation of tensions and improved relations between the US and USSR

What and when was SALT I?

1972- strategic arms limitation treaty - marked the beginning of a genuine attempt to resolve USA/USSR relations

POSITIVES- Both sides signed anti-ballistic missile treaty, which stated that anti-ballistic missiles were allowed at only 2 sites with no more than 100 missiles. There was an interim agreement on offensive arms, a 5 year freeze on building ICBMs

NEGATIVES- there was no limit on the amount of bombs. There were no restrictions on technological developments and it was unlikely to actually prevent nuclear war

When did US and USSR astronauts meet in space for a symbolic handshake?

August 1975

When was Nixon elected?

1968

When did Nixon and Brezhnev meet in Moscow (2 times) ?

1972- Nixon became the first president to visit the USSR. He affirmed is dedication to détente

1974- Nixon and Brezhnev agreed to end the arms race and eventually disarm all nuclear weapons

What, and when, were the Helsinki accords?

August 1975- 33 NATO and Warsaw pact nations met to try and build on relations from SALT I

Three 'baskets' agreed-
1. SECURITY: European borders cannot be changed by force- the first formal acceptation of East/West German borders
2. COOPERATION: The USA and USSR will work closer together to increase trade, technological advancements, space missions and political agreements
3. HUMAN RIGHTS: Each signatory agreed to respect human rights

What and when was SALT II?

June 1979- Jimmy Carter (p.1977) and Brezhnev
WOULD HAVE introduced a ban on ICBM production, a cap of 1320 MIRVs per side and a cap of 2400 nuclear delivery vehicles per side

BUT
The US refused to ratify (sign) SALT II as there was increased activity in Cuba and the USSR had invaded Afghanistan

Invasion of Afghanistan 1979

April 1978- Afghanistan comes under strict communist rule

Many ordinary Afghans rejected the new communist government because its atheism was at odds with their Muslim faith. The communists imprisoned, tortured and murdered many Muslim religious leaders. This led to the formation of an anti-communist resistance movement known as the MUJAHIDEEN.

September 1979- the Afghan politician, Amin, arranged for the murder of the communist Prime Minister, Taraki, and Amin seized control. Amin entered into discussions with the US.
This alarmed the USSR who didn't want American influence on their Southern border.

24 December 1979- Soviet troops invaded Afghanistan. Amin was assassinated and a pro-Moscow leader, Babrak Karmal, was installed in his place.

What did Carter introduce as a consequence of the USSR invasion of Afghanistan?

The Carter Doctrine- if necessary, the US would use force in the middle east. (modelled of Truman doctrine)
-
Military aid was promised to countries bordering Afghanistan.
Introduction of a 'rapid deployment force' that could travel anywhere at short notice
Asked congress to allow CIA spying abroad


Ordered senate not to sign SALT II
-
Cancelled grain shipment to the USSR and technology trades, any progress made in SALT I was undone

What happened at the 1980 and 1984 Olympics?

Moscow 1980- US and other countries boycotted in protest of Russia's invasion of Afghanistan

Los Angeles 1984- USSR and satellite states boycotted

When did Reagan take office?

1981

What were key points of Reagan's foreign policy?

- The US would not be bullied by the USSR
- believed that détente was a massive failure and had made America look weak
- "Here's my strategy for the cold war: we win, they lose"

What were the key points of Reagan's defence policy?

- Reagan increased US defence spending by $32.6 billion
- new stealth bombers invisible to radar
- development of neutron bomb which damaged infrastructure but not people

What were the consequences of Reagan's placing of cruise missiles (which are undetectable to radar) in Europe?

Severely damaged superpower relations, the USSR increased their own arms spending- the arms race restarted

What was the 'Star Wars' project?

Announced 23rd March 1983- Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI), nicknamed 'Star Wars' project

- called for a ground and space-based laser-armed antiballistic missile system, which would destroy missiles before reaching land
- Andropov (p.1982) publicly attacked the idea a few days after its announcement

What did the SDI mean for the Soviet Union?

• it meant that they would have to spend more money on weapons to keep up with the US- something which their economy could not keep up with

• America had won the race to the moon in 1969, and by the 1980s were well ahead

Problems in the USSR in the 1980s?

• machinery was out of date and not updated since Stalin’s time

• there was corruption everywhere

• lack of human rights

• Leadership kept changing

What was Gorbachev’s ‘new thinking’?

Gorbachev's 'new thinking' referred to his policies of openness (glasnost) and restructuring (perestroika) aimed at reforming the Soviet Union.

What was Glasnost?

(Glass= openness)

It aimed to end government corruption and allow the people to critique the government, introduced freedom of speech, weakened censorship

What was Perestroika?

(restr= restructure)

It aimed to reform the Soviet government-

introduced free market, expanded Western culture (films, books, music, restaurants), opened the borders and introduced the right to own property

What was the effect of Gorbachev’s new thinking on US/USSR relations?

Reagan now felt that he could have important and constructive talks with a more open Russia

What happened at the Geneva summit, when was it?

1985- Gorbachev and Reagan met without advisors showing trust.

Both leaders agreed to reduce supplies of weapons by 50%, as well as establishing a goof relationship and a genuine desire to improve relations.

What happened at the Reykjavik summit, when was it?

1986- Gorbachev worried about nuclear war and wanted to remove nuclear weapons if the USA gave up their SDI program (which Reagan refused to do)

Gorbachev confirmed the USSR’s removal from Afghanistan and both agreed to limit nuclear testing but relations soured when Reagan refused to give up SDI.

What happened at the Washington summit, when was it?

1987- the intermediate range nuclear forces treaty (INF) meant that all land missiles with a range of 500-5,500km were abolished

Both sides agreed to let the other inspect each other’s missile sites

What and when was the Sinatra ‘Doctrine’?

(named after Frank Sinatra’s popular song ‘my way’)- 1989- announced that members of the Warsaw Pact could make changes to their laws and customs without USSR consultation

When was the Brezhnev doctrine abandoned?

1989

When, and what happened at the Moscow summit?

1989- After the summit Gorbachev announced a reduction in Warsaw Pact troops and the Soviet troops would leave Afghanistan

When, and what happened at Malta summit?

1989- Gorbachev met with new President George Bush. No agreements were made but there was a mutual understanding that the cold was over

When does the Berlin wall fall?

9th November 1989

When are Hungary's first free elections?

24th June 1989- the non-communist party won and opened the Austrian border for travel and trade

When were the first free elections in Czechoslovakia?

28th November 1989- non communist party win

When were the first free elections in Romania?

20th May 1990- communists lose

What happened to the satellite states in Europe?

Uprisings, revolutions and reforms caused the communists powers to be forcefully or democratically removed from their leaderships

What happened to Gorbachev after the fall of the Berlin wall and soviet union?

Hard Line communists in the Soviet union blamed him for weakening the USSR and staged a coup.

How did the fall of the Berlin wall lead to the end of the Cold War?

It reunited families and proved the superiority of Capitalism in the eyes of the people. It showed Russia's final stop to interference abroad and the end of their influence