Detailed notes on the end of the Cold War. Events include detente, Gorbachev’s reforms, Events in Eastern Europe including Solidarity and the fall of the Berlin Wall and the impact that the USSR had on South Africa
Detente
A slight reduction in tension between the two superpowers. An attempt to limit the use
of nuclear arms. Both sides agreed that a nuclear war was unwinnable. The Test Ban
Treaty and Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty showed that co-operation between the US
and USSR was possible. This is not an end to the Cold War, just a lessening of tension
Reasons for detente
● The US experienced economic difficulties from 1971 worsened by the
international oil crisis
● The US pulled out of the Vietnam War in 1973. The failure combined with the
disillusionment with US policy, a result of the student and anti-war movements
reduced the US’s involvement in foreign policy
● The USSR seemed as strong as ever over its satellite states
● Despite the ‘Prague Spring’- protests in Czechoslovakia to allow reforms such as
free speech and the creation of non-communist opposition parties
● But this was reversed as Brezhnev said that no state in Eastern Europe would be
allowed to reject communism- this became known as the Brezhnev Doctrine. The
West did not try to intervene
● Western Europe was less dependent on the US, France left NATO but did not
withdraw from the treaty
● West Germany recognised East Germany as a state in 1972
USSR reasons for detente
● Growth rates in the economy declined
● This made military spending difficult to bear
● Soviet technology fell behind the west
● The USSR needed to trade with the west for grain
● The improved relationship between the US and China posed the risk of the
USSR being isolated so the USSR needed to have a better relationship with the
US
, ● The Conference on Security & Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) was attended by
all European states, USA and Canada agreed to accept the treaty
● SALT II resulted in an agreement to cap the number of nuclear warheads that
each side held
● This was not ratified
● Detente was strained further when the USSR invaded Afghanistan
● The US supported its rebels
● This was known as the USSR’s ‘Vietnam War’
● Ronald Reagan was elected president (1980)
● He publically called the USSR and Evil Empire
● He began to increase military spending and support for anti-communist forces
and countries
● This increased perceived Soviet influence and power
● Socialist rebels overthrow the dictatorship in Nicaragua (1979)
● The Islamic Revolution meant that the US lost an ally in the middle east
● There was an increasing risk that a Soviet nuclear strike that could leave the US
unable to respond
● 1981
● Reagan announces the Strategic Defence Initiative
● A plan to develop a system to defend against a nuclear attack
● The USSR responded by increasing its own military spending
● The period of detente was officially over
The War in Afghanistan
● A proxy war
● Historically nepotistic society
● Rebels sought assistance from the US and were rejected so they asked the
USSR
● They received economic and military support from the USSR but did not
intervene
● 25 December 1979
● Soviet forces invaded Afghanistan and seized control of the capital
End of the Cold War
Problems in the Soviet Economy
, ● The Soviet economy was not strong
● The centrally-planned economy was inefficient and inflexible
● Growth rates and productivity declined
● Collective agriculture was unproductive
● Soviets had to import food
● There were few consumer goods in shops, if there were they were of poor quality
● Major shortages of food
● Housing and healthcare was poor
● People were unmotivated to work
● The war in Afghanistan was a drain on money, resources and lives
● Living conditions did not improve
● Differences between life in the USSR and abroad became more obvious
● Change was needed but there was no scope for criticism and Soviet leadership
was unwilling to change
● Leadership became worried about the threat from the US and renewed the arms
race
● Reagan’s increased defensive spending forced the USSR to keep up
● The announcement of the Strategic Defence Initiative worried the USSR
● The Soviets feared that the US could launch a nuclear strike without fear
● This resulted in creation of automated systems which could launch a Soviet
retaliation without orders from Moscow
● Before and after Gorbachev came to power, scientists and engineers agreed that
the SDI could not accomplish what Reagan hoped, it was a wasted effort
● Americans had a technological edge and may have been able to achieve what
Reagan hoped and the USSR would have to research their own programme
● 1983
● Korean Airline jet was shot down and increased tensions further
● The Afghan war cost the Soviet economy
● Leonid Brezhnev ruled since the expulsion of Khrushchev in 1964
● 1982
● Brezhnev dies and is succeeded by Yuri Andropov
● He dies in 1984 and is succeeded by Konstantin Chernenko
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