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Summit in Geneva, Switzerland
It was a meeting of the "Big Four" (Dwight D> Eisenhower, Anthony Eden of Britain, Nikolai A. Bulganin, and Edgar Faureand. The purpose was the bring together world leaders to beginning discussions on peace. Although they all had different types of things they wanted to talk about, they all were influenced by the common goal for increased global security -
Richard Nixon & Policy of Detente
This was designed to improve relations between the Soviet Union and China. It was aimed at ending the division of Germany and Korea which was a failure, and found support in the Democratic party but not the Republican party. It ushered an era of relaxed tensions between the US and the two leading communist powers, China and the Soviet Union. -
Soviet Invation of Afghanistan
The Soviet War in Afghanistan lasted 9 years.It fought between Soviet-led Afghan forces against multi-national insurgen groups.The war resulted into millions of Afghans fleeing their country and hundreds of thousands of Afghan civiliians killed to the rebels in the war. -
Solidarity Movement in Poland (Lech Walesa)
Polish trade union created under the leadership of Lech Walesa to protest working conditions and political repression. It began the national opposition to communist rule that led to the fall of communism in eastern Europe. -
Strategic Defense Initiative ("Star Wars")
Known as "Star Wars," President Reagan's SDI proposed the construction of an elaborate computer-controlled, anti-missile defense system capable of destroying enemy missiles in outer space. -
Ronald Reagn addresses the National Association of Evangelicals
Ronald Reagan delivered an address to a meeting and it referred to communism as "the focus of evil in the modern world," and quickly bcame known as his "Evil Empire Speech" -
Gorbachev, Perestroika, Glastnost
USSR ruler Mikhail Gorbachev renewed attacks on Stalinism; urged reduction in nuclear armament and proclaimed policies of glasnost (policy of openness or political liberation in Soviet Union) and perestroika (policy calling for economy restructuring in the USSR).
"Do not be concerned about all you hear about Glasnost and Perestroika and democracy in the coming years. They are primarily for outward consumption. There will be no significant internal changes in the Soviet Union." Mikhail G -
Reykjavik Summit, Iceland
Despite the unexpected proximity to the potential elimination of all nuclear weapons, it almost came close to an agreement but Reagan refused to drop his SDI despite al the scientific proof it would never work and cost billions. -
Reagan speech at Brandenberg Gate, West Berlin
"Tear down this wall" was the challenge issued by the US president Ronald Reagan to Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev to destroy the Berlin Wall. Ronald Reagan thought tearing it own would emblem Gorbachev's desire to increae freedom in Eastrn Block through transparency and restructuring.
"Gorbachev if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization, Come here to this gate. Open this gate, tear down the wall." Ronald Reagan -
Reagan and Gorbachev sign INF Treaty
The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) is a 1987 agreeent between the US and Soviet Union. The Treaty eliminated nuclear and conventional ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with intermediate ranges.
"I think as long as you've got a chance to strive for peace you strive for peace." President Reagan -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
Some people again began chipping at the Berlin Wall with hammers and chisels. There was an impromptu huge celebration along the Berlin Wall and it was eventualy chipped away into smaller pices and became collectibles to people who stored them in homes and museums.
"The Berlin Wall was a mark of contradictions in the world, and it became a mark of radical changes in the world which touched the majority of humankind but the way towards abolishing it was long and painful." Mikhail G
and museums. -
Fall of Soviet Union
Frustration with the bad economy combined with Gorbachev's hands-off approach to Soviet satellites to inspire a series of independence movemets in the republics on the USSR's fringes. One by one, Baltic states declared their independence from Moscow. Then the Republic of Belarus, the Russian Federation and Ukraine broke away from the USSR and created the Commonwealth of Independent States. At last, the Soviet Union has fallen.
