What explains the cold war’s ending?
When, how, and why did the cold war end?
What happened to the Soviet Union?
Ronald Reagan is not the reason the cold war ended one way or the other.
Contributing Influences:
Soviet Collapse
Anticommunist Resurgence
1979-1991
Ronald Reagan a big influence
Mikhail Gorbachev & Ronald Reagan
Gorbachev’s pol. Stance & friendship with Reagan
Soviet Collapse;
Soviet was involved in Cuba, Africa and Europe
Over-extended their ability to project power in foreign affairs
Maintained this position through fear& intimidation
By 1980’s they were falling back
In 1970 China became an US ally against the soviets
Soviet economy & moral in short supply
Had promised to create this Utopia but what happened was an over centralized, inhuman nightmare.
Impoverished, police state. Un-technological * * Anticommunist Resurgence:
World wide resurgence starting in the late 1970’s
Pope John Paul the 2
First Polish pope
Very strong anticommunist
Vastly greater than just Ronald Reagan
Nationalist, democratic, human rights movements
Countries occupied by Soviets wanted freedom
Overwhelming Islamic response to Soviet invasion of Afghan.
Biggest critics of US on soviet relations – China
China and Egypt major suppliers of Afghan against Soviets
Reagan Admin. Committed to Anticommunism
Mikhail Gorbachev;
Young man for President, 50’s
Very traveled, and educated, suave, charming.
Marxist
Believed in communist system but also realistic
Reformer
Not afraid to change from old system
Thought one problem was the huge military spending
Wanted to end the Cold War
Gorbachev transcended the Cold War
Egypt embraced neo-liberal economics
Major Soviet client
Wanted to humanize communism
Didn’t have this fear of Germany
First Soviet leadership to get over WW2
Changed the discourse & diatribes
Just talked instead of anger
1988-1989 withdrew soviet from Afghan.
Everything was decided by a central committee in Moscow
Gorbachev split up this committee and gave power to more people
More democratic- actual elections
Met Reagan in Geneva & Iceland
Made major agreements on nuclear arms
At one point agreed to get rid of all nuclear weapons
Reagan had previous commitment to nuclear arms program that could be used to save the world not just the US.
A defensive shield.
Soviets terrified of this idea. Thought it was a plan for a first strike against them
USSR’S disintegration fall 1991
Gorbachav pulling out of Europe told the world USSR wasn’t going to get involved in other countries affairs anymore
Hard for middle eastern communist gov’ts to understand.
Got allot of their power from the USSR.
Democracy movements started arising
1989 the Berlin Wall came down
Reunification of W&E Germany
Too much for the remaining hard-line communist leadership
Terrified of a reunified Germany
Planned a military Coup. (without a plan)
Once they seized power they didn’t know what to do
Boris Yeltzan obtained power as Dem. Leader
During Coup. Arrested Gorbachav.
Yeltzan made them free him.
By Dec. 1991 USSR is now the Russian Federation.
Multiple counties broke away from Russia.
Reagan was apart of this.
Inspiried trust & anti-communist
Gorbachav could trust him not to strike first. *
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