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Richard Nixon and the Policy of Detente
Richard Nixon's policy of detente was made to ease the tensions between the United States, USSR, and China. -
Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
The Soviet war in Afghanistan lasted nine years from Dec. 1979- FEb 1989. It was part of the Cold War, fought between Soviet-led Afgan forces against multinational insurgent groups called the Mujahideen. -
Solidarity Movement in Poland (Lech Walesa)
It was founded by Lech Walesa and was a broad anti-bureaucratic social movement, using the methods of civil resistance to advance the causes of workers' rights and social change. -
Ronald Reagan Addresses the National Association of Evangelicals
"Evil Empire" is a phrase used to represent the Soviet Union according to Reagan in 1983, as he gave his speech and took a stance that favored matching and exceeding the Soviet Union's strategic and global military capabilities, in calling for a rollback strategy that would write the final pages of Soviet Union history. -
Strategic Defense Intiative ("Stars Wars")
"Star Wars" was proposed by Reagan to use ground-based and space-based systems to protect the US from attack by strategic nuclear ballistics missiles. -
Gorbachev, Perestroika, and Glasnost
Mikhail Gorbachev became general secretary of the Communist party in 1985. His dual program "perestroika" meaning "restructuring" and "glasnost" meaning "openness", swept communist governments throughtout eastern europe from power and brought an end to the Cold War. -
Summit in Geneva, Switzerland
A meeting between President Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev to hold talks on international diplomatic relations and the arms race. -
Reykjavik Summit, Iceland
The 2nd meeting of Reagan and Gorbachev that resulted in the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. -
Reagan speech at Brandenburg Gate, West Berlin
Reagan speech "Tear down this Wall" was a speech made to challenge Gorbachev to destroy the Berlin Wall as a sign of his commitment to "perestroika" and "glasnost". -
Reagan and Gorbachev sign INF Treaty
The treaty eliminated nuclear and conventional ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with intermediate ranges. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
After increasing public unrest, East Germany finally opened the Berlin Wall. -
Fall of the Soviet Union
Formaly ceased to exist on the above date, acknowledging the independence of the 12 republics of the Soviet Union and created the Commonwealth of Independent States. Gorbachev resigned and handed over the missiles launch codes to Russian Pres. Boris Yeltsin. Later became Russia.
