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Period: to
End of the Cold War and the fsll of the USSR
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Reagan's military build-up
The five-year, $1.5 trillion defense programme for 1982-1986 included the MX ICBM and the trident II SLBM. It also included funds for the Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI) It forced Gorbahev to ackowledge the impossibility of matching such a programme with the declining Soviet economy and to look for other ways to ensure security (diplomacy). -
Gorbachev's rise to power
Gorbachev's actions upon coming to power showed his willingness to end the Cold War and to save the Soviet Union. Gorbachev's sincerity in establishing warmer relations with the USA is highlighted by his unilateral announcement of a temporary moratium on nuclear testing upon coming to power in 1985. (limiting the arms race) Gorbachev's willingness to end the Cold War is further highlighted by his replacement of long time Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko with the reformist Eduard. -
Reykjyavik Summitt
Gorbachev's willingness to end the nuclear arms race is underlined by the sweeping concessions he made at reykjyavik Summit. He accepted Reagan's "zero option" plan and even proposed the abolishment of all nuclear weapons within ten years. However, this event did not mark the end of the Cold War as definted by nuclear arms race because Reagan's refusal to scrap the SDI acted as a stumbling block to the talks, which led to the failure to the Summit. -
Perestroika
Also known as "restructure", it allows USSR to have some market-like reforms. The goal of perestroika is not to end USSR, but to allow USSR to be more efficient in production of goods to cater to the consumers. However, Perestroika backfired. -
Glasnost
Implemented together with Perestroika, it is a policy to call for "openness" within USSR. It is to help reduce corruption and to prevent the abuse of power within the state bureaucracy. Furthermore, it also gave leeway to freedom of speech. This gave rise to nationalist sentiments and separatist movements within Eastern Europe. -
Reagan's Brandenburg gate speesh
Reagan repeatedly quoted " tear down the wall", and mentioned that "we are armed because we do not trust each other." ( ideological aspect) -
Secessionst tendencies
The Baltic states, Ukraine and Aermenia wanted to be indepdendent from USSR. This highlighted the nationalist forces within the USSR which culminated in Gorbachev's offer of the union treaty and the eventual August coup. -
INF Treaty
Gorbachev was willing to drastically reduced their nuclear weapons, destruction of 851 Soviet launchers & 1836 missiles compared to 283 American launchers & 867 missiles -
Gorbachev's speech at the UN
In contrast with Khrushchev's UN speech in 1960, when he had declared that the eventual triumph of socialism over capitalism, Gorbachev's speech announced that international relations would now be "free of ideology" Gorbachev also announced a further reduction of Soviet military presence in Eastern Europe. ( Signifies Gorbachev wants to end the conventional arms race) The reduction of military presence gave Eastern Europe the opportunity to rise against USSR. -
Solidarity wins Polish elections
Solidarity is the 1st non-communist party in Poland. Solidarity's winning of the elections marked the beginning of the end of Cold War as defined by a division in Europe, which will have a catalystic effect on the others to fall. The end of the Cold War ended with the fall of USSR. -
Fall of Berlin Wall
It marked the approachment to the end of the Cold War as defined by a division in Europe. -
Boris Yeltsin's rise to power
Gorbachev sought to save the communist system, Yeltsin sought to destroy it. This highlights that when Boris Yeltsin came to power, it will mark the end of the Cold War and USSR since Boris Yeltsin sought to destroy it. -
Union Treaty
It is drafted to give more autonomy to the republics. It was a last attempt to hold the country together through peaceful mean. However, it failed due to hard-liners within the party -
August Coup
Gorabchev's attempt to give in to USA in arms build up and to end the ideological competition and his letting go of the satellites states made the hardliners certain that he was undermining the position of USSR and CPSU. CPSU hardliners saw the treaty as heralding the collapse of the USSR, and also learnt that Gorbahev has planned to reduce them with liberal supporters. This was also due to Glasnost and Perestroika. In conclusion, Aug Coup marksthe fall of the USSR and the end of the Cold War.
