The end of the cold war

• What happened in the second world war?

  • Regan ( the US president in 1981) had increased spending in military and hostiles
  • by 1985 he had spend half a trillion
  • the USA had developed neutrons bombs
  • which would kill enemies with radiation
• What else did Regan do which contributed the second world war?

  • he invested in new technology called the SDI (Strategic defense initiative)
  • which allows them to be able to defend themselves again ballistic missiles
  • as satellites and lasers were able to destroy upcoming missiles
• Why did Gorbachev want to improve relations with Regan?

  • living of standards were poor and the war had been expensive
  • many soldiers had died
  • many countries in the Eastern bloc wanted to break free from soviet control
  • Chernobyl almost bankrupted the USSR
• What was Gorbachev new thinking?

  • Glasnost- the USSR be more open with the West
  • and there be more freedom of speech and remove corruption in the communist party
  • Perestroika- to reduce the USSR military spending
  • allowed small business rather than everything being controlled by the state
  • were also allowed to trade with the West
• What summits and treaties did Gorbachev and Regan meet in?

  • Geneva 1985 they met to discuss peace as Gorbachev was keen for the USA to stop their SDI
  • INF treaty 19787 was signed where both countries agreed to reduce their medium range missiles
• What was Gorbachev new thinking?

  • when he begun removing soviet troops from Eastern Europe
  • so he pledged to withdraw 5,300 tanks and 50,000 soviet troops
  • which allowed them to protest against communism and speak up
  • for example Romania
• What was another example of Gorbachev new thinking?

  • Gorbachev abandoned the Brezhnev doctrine
  • so Eastern countries were able to organise free elections without fear of invasions
  • For example in Poland they arranged a democratic elections and were won by non-communist leaders
• The Fall of the Berlin wall

  • In May 1989 Hungary opened the borders with Austria so East Germans were able to travel to West
  • November 1989 gates along the Berlin wall was open
  • crowds gathers on both side
  • friends and family was reunited
  • 1990 East Germans and west Germany became united
• What are the consequence of the Fall of the Berlin Wall?

  • 14 soviet republics declared themselves independent and left the USSR
  • the Warsaw pact had ended in 1991 so their was no military alliance between USSR and the Eastern bloc