End of The Coldwar

Geneva Summit Geneva, Switzerland

Jul 18, 1955

Who?
United States -President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Britain- Prime- Minister Anthony Eden
Soviet Union- Premier Nikolai A. Bulganin
France- Prime Minister Edgar Faure What?
At the Geneva Summit, the main discussion topic was peace and increasing global security (touched ontrade, nuclear warfare, arms, and diplomacy). The meeting was viewed as a major step in creating more open communications and reducing international tensions. Result- Renewed optimism in cold war relationships,

Richard Nixon and Policy of Detente

Feb 22, 1972

After the Tet Offensive, Nixon began to pursue detente with the Soviet Union and the rapproachment with China. He hoped this would isolate the North Vietnamese from the larger communist powers. The Detente led to nuclear arms reduction.

Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan

Dec 23, 1979

Solidarity Movement in Poland (Lech Walesa)

Aug 30, 1980

Poland became the first satilite nation to break away from the Communist party, they because the first non-communist country to the controlled trade union under the Warsaw Pact. The USA provided finanicial support for them.

"Evil Empire" Speech, Ronald Reagan

Mar 8, 1983

Speech to National Association of Evangelicals Speech is remembered to be an "attack on the Soviet Union" in which Reagan addressed the nation as an "Evil Empire". This changed the idea of Detente and instead reestablished biterness towards Russia.

Strategic Defense Initiative "Star Wars"

Mar 23, 1983

Proposed by U.S. President Ronald Reagan on March 23, 1983, to use ground-based and space-based systems to protect the USA from attack by strategic nuclear ballistic missiles.

Perestroika, Glasnost

Jan 1, 1985

Perestroika was the restructuring of the Soviet political and economic system. Perestroika allowed for more independent action. Glasnost was a policy that called for increased openness and transparency in government institutions and activities in the Soviet Union.

Reykjavík Summit, Iceland

Oct 11, 1986

Meeting between U.S. President Ronald Reagan and General Secretary of the Communist Party Mikhail Gorbachev.
Discussed:
Human rights
arms control
-ballistics
-nuclear weapons Meeting ended with no agreement, however, it facilitated the creation of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 1987

Reagan Speech at Brandenburg Gate, West Berlin

Jun 22, 1987

Reagan challenged Soviet Union leader Gorbachev to "tear down this wall" when he visited West Berlin. Reagan, along with Gorbachev were attempting to free Berlin and unify it.

Reagan and Gorbachev Sign INF Treaty

Dec 8, 1987

Agreement between the US and Soviet Union to eliminate nuclear, conventional ballistic, and cruise range missles. All missles that were unable to meet the standards were destroyed.

Fall of the Berlin Wall

Nov 9, 1989

The fall of the Wall marked the first critical step towards German reunification, which formally concluded on 3 October 1990 with the dissolution of East Germany and the official reunification of the German state along the democratic lines of the West German government.

Fall of Soviet Union

Dec 8, 1991

The leaders of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus signed the Belavezha Accords, which declared the Soviet Union dissolved and established the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in its place.