End of Cold War dates

Reagan is elected President of the USA on a promise to implement a massive defence buildup

4 Nov 1980

Reagan proposes Zero Option i.e., the US will not deploy new MRBMs in Europe if the USSR withdraws their existing MRBMs and IRBMs from Europe.

Reagan authorised the provision of aid to Contra rebels in Nicaragua

Nov 1981

A bipartisan (both Republican and Democrat) resolution on Nuclear Freeze is passed by the House of Representatives in the US Congress

May 1982

The Nuclear Freeze campaign holds a large peace rally approximating 1 million participants, involving many national organisations and religious bodies.

12 Jun 1982

Reagan describes the USSR as an evil empire in a speech to the National Association of Evangelicals

8 Mar 1983

Reagan announces the Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI) to create a missile defence system in space

23 Mar 1983

The US invades Grenada to overthrow its Marxist government.

Oct 1983

The US deploys Pershing II missiles in Western Europe.

Nov 1983

Reagan and Gorbachev meet at the Geneva Summit, where talks about arms reduction starts

19-20 Nov 1985

In a letter to Reagan, Gorbachev offers to destroy all INF in Europe, in effect endorsing Reagan’s Zero-Option (1981) idea.

Sep 1986

Reagan and Gorbachev meet at the Reykjavik Summit, where the SDI issue becomes a stumbling block to arms reduction.

11-12 Oct 1986

Gorbachev offers to de-link the SDI issue from the INF talks.

Feb 1987

Reagan reciprocates and offers double Zero-Option i.e., both sides will destroy their INF, to Gorbachev.

Sep 1987

Reagan and Gorbachev meet at the Washington Summit, to sign the INF treaty.

8-10 Dec 1987

Reagan visits Moscow and meets Gorbachev at the Moscow Summit.

29 May-3 June 1988

George Bush, Sr is elected President of the USA.

8 Nov 1988

Gorbachev delivers a speech at the UNGA where he announces Soviet military cutbacks and the foreign policy of New Thinking.

7 Dec 1988

The last Soviet troops leave Afghanistan, and the decade-long occupation of the country ends.

15 Feb 1989

Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe

Jan-Dec 1989

Bush and Gorbachev meet at the Malta Summit and discuss developments in Europe and further arms reduction.

2-3 Dec 1989

East Germany and West Germany are reunified

3 Oct 1990

The Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty is signed to cut conventional (non-nuclear) forces in Europe

19 Nov 1990

The Warsaw Pact is dissolved.

1 July 1991

The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) is signed.

31 July 1991