4.2 - Renewed Confrontation and Resolution: Afghanistan, Solidarity, and the SDI program

How did the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (1979) lead to the "Death of Détente"?

The US viewed the move toward the Persian Gulf as a "bridge too far," prompting President Carter to withdraw SALT II, impose a grain embargo, and issue the "Carter Doctrine," which signaled a return to active military containment.

What was "Operation Cyclone" and why is Afghanistan called the "Soviet Vietnam"?

The CIA funneled billions in weaponry—notably Stinger missiles—to the Mujahideen rebels; this proxy struggle bled the USSR of resources and morale, mirroring the US experience in Vietnam.

Why did the deployment of Soviet SS-20 missiles trigger the "Euromissile Crisis"?

These accurate, multi-warhead missiles could hit any city in Western Europe but not the US; NATO feared this was a Soviet attempt to "decouple" the US from its allies by threatening Europe in isolation.

How did the NATO "Double-Track" decision (1983) reduce the nuclear "warning time"?

By deploying Pershing II missiles in West Germany, NATO reduced flight time to Moscow to only 6–10 minutes, creating a "use it or lose it" mentality that heightened the risk of accidental nuclear war.

What was the significance of the "Able Archer 83" exercise?

A NATO simulation was mistaken by the paranoid Soviet "Operation RYaN" for a real first strike; it was the closest the world came to nuclear war since 1962 and later convinced Reagan to pursue a softer, diplomatic stance.

How did the "Solidarity" movement in Poland create an ideological challenge to Communism?

As a trade union with 10 million members, it proved the Communist Party no longer represented the "proletariat" (workers), stripping the regime of its moral foundation.

How did Pope John Paul II provide a "spiritual shield" for Polish dissent?

His 1979 visit and the message "Be not afraid" created a safe space for dissent within the Catholic Church, making it impossible for the state to crush the movement without alienating the entire population.

Why did General Jaruzelski declare "Martial Law" in 1981, and what was the result?

Fearing a Soviet invasion to secure "linchpin" supply lines, he banned Solidarity; however, this only turned Poland into an economically "zombie state" propped up by force rather than consent.

How did the "Reagan Doctrine" shift US policy from Containment to "Rollback"?

Reagan reframed the Cold War as a moral struggle against an "Evil Empire" and launched the largest peacetime military buildup in US history to force the USSR into an unaffordable arms race.

How did the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI or "Star Wars") break the logic of MAD?

By proposing a space-based shield to intercept ICBMs, Reagan threatened to make the Soviet nuclear "sword" useless, causing the USSR to fear a US first strike without the possibility of retaliation.

Why was SDI the "primary catalyst" for Gorbachev's reforms?

Gorbachev realized that to match "Star Wars," the USSR would have to spend 25

How did Reagan’s pivot from "Evil Empire" rhetoric to personal diplomacy affect the Cold War's end?

His willingness to treat Gorbachev as a trusted partner shifted the conflict from "Brinkmanship" to "Trust but Verify," ensuring the Cold War ended through treaties rather than nuclear war.