End of Cold War

• Malta Summit: Dec 1989


  Bush and Gorbachev continued their commitment to summit meetings in hope of finalising START.

  • Soviets moving towards a market driven economic system and didn’t use force to prevent E.Europe states determining their own political future. US not intervene in Baltic states.
  • Marked end of CW economic conflict. No formal agreement made-main goal to discuss changes in E.Europe and Soviet economic shift. Paved a way for Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty (Paris Nov 1990)
  • Agreed nuclear technology was not to be passed on third party state.
• Reunification of Germany


  • Helmut Kohl (W.German Chancellor) wanted united Germany as a full member of NATO.
  • Mid July 1990: Kohl met Gorbachev, accepted inevitability of NATO and military resources expanding.
  • USSR need money that he was prepared to compromise.
  • Gorbachev agreed to remove Soviet military presence from E.Germany.
  • Reunification in Oct 1990
• Gorbachev Resigns


  Collapse of USSR: Power of communist party diminished, nationalist feelings began to emerge and number of nationalist problems erupted across USSR.

  • 1988: Crisis in Azerbaijan as Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh demanded separation from Azerbaijan. Gorbachev sided with Azerbaijan (independence)
  • May 1989: Lithuanian, Latvia and Estonia held a Baltic Assembly in Tallinn Estonia.
  • 23 Aug 1989: Baltic Way, 2 million citizens formed a chain, symbolising unity and independence
• Reasons for Gorbachev‘s resignation


  Failed to use enough force to destroy nationalism - retained support of conservatives wanting firm action to prevent the break up of the Soviet Union.

  • Fears over future of Soviet security and economic problems created enemies for Gorbachev.
  • Aug 1991: coup to overthrow Gorbachev (communist hardliners) failed but his position was never the same.
  • 24 Aug 1991 he resigned