Unit 4

COLD WAR RESOLUTIONS

DÉTENTE

I. Soviet policy in Eastern Euro and China

A. 1956 - Nikita Khrushchev 1. Destanlinization2. Soviet satellites began to protest when life did not

change for them• Hungary (Oct 1956) – Imre Nagay

B. 1964 – Leonid Brezhnev1. Reverses destalinization at home

• Harsh• Repressive• Censored• Limited freedom of speech and worship• Secret police

2. Did not tolerate dissent in Eastern Euro

C.Revolt Czechoslovakia (1968) 1. Czech communist leader Alexander Dubcek loosened

controls2. New ideas took off = Prague Spring3. August 20 Warsaw Pact nations invaded

• Brezhnev said the USSR had the right to prevent its satellites from rejecting communism (Brezhnev Doctrine)

D.The Soviet –Chinese Split1. Mao and Stalin signed a 30-year treaty of friendship2. As China grew more confident, resented Soviet’s

leadership3. 1959 Khrushchev refused to share nuclear secrets

with China4. 1960 Soviets ended technical economic aid5. Fighting broke out along common borders.6. Fragile peace.

II. From Brinkmanship to Détente

A. Brinkmanship policy for years = a policy of threatening to go to war in response to enemy aggression

1. Eisenhower – 1960 U-2 incident2. JFK – 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis3. Johnson - escalation of US involvement in Vietnam

DWIGHT EISENHOWER1953 - 1961

JOHN F. KENNEDY1961 - 1963

LYNDON B. JOHNSON1963 - 1969

B. Under President Nixon the U.S. turns to Détente after Vietnam. = policy of reducing Cold War tensions b/wn the US and USSR

1. Nixon believes in realpolitik (or “realistic politics”) =

2. Feb 1972 Nixon visits China.

3. June 1972 Nixon visits The Soviet Union

» Meets with Brezhnev» Sign SALT I» Helsinki Accords

RICHARD NIXON1969-1974

III. The Collapse of Détente

A. Review: Under Nixon and Ford there were improved relations with Communist Nations.

RICHARD NIXON1969-1974 GERALD FORD

1974 - 1977

B. Late 1970s Jimmy Carter become concerned:1. Protesters in the USSR wee being treated

harshly.2. Late 1979 USSR invaded Afghanistan3. 1980 US boycotts Moscow Olympics4. China, India begin to build nuclear

arsenals

JIMMY CARTER1977 - 1981

C. Ronald Reagan (1981) took an anti-communist stance.1. Increased defense spending2. Put economic and military pressure on the USSR3. START – Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty4. 1983 Strategic Defense Initiative (aka Star Wars)5. US activities also increase tensions6. 1984 Olympic Games in Las Angeles

demonstrated continued tensions.

RONALD REAGAN1981 - 1989

D. 1985 change in Soviet leadership – Mikhail Gorbachev – brought new policy and beginning of Cold War Thaw

Soviets in Afghanistan

Silver Books p. 419

Moscow OlympicsSilver Books 424 – 425

Star WarsSilver Books p. 442

1984 Summer Olympics

Handout

START 1Handout

GorbachevSilver Books 456

The Soviet Break-Up

IV. Gorbachev and USSR Moves Toward Democracy

A. Review: Brezhnev & the Politburo were harsh1. Crushed opposition2. Censored3. Restricted freedom of speech and worship4. 1982 Brezhnev died; who would lead?

B. Mikhail Gorbachev 1. Selected in 19852. Young (54) and well-liked3. Pursued new ideas

C. Glasnost = openness1. Why?

a. Past leaders were totalitariansb. Economic and social reforms could not happen without free

flow of ideas

2. Reforms:a. Opened churchesb. Released dissidents from prisonc. Banned authors could now publishd. Reporters investigate and criticized officials

D. Perestroika = economic restructuring1. Why? Central planning was inefficient2. Reforms:

a. Local managers took control of farms and factoriesb. Small private businesses opened

3. Goal: increase efficiency and productivity

E.Democratization – gradually opening of political system

F. Foreign Policy1. Reagan started the arms race again; $2 trillion

increase in military spending

2. American spending put pressure on the USSR

3. Soviet economy could not keep up

4. Dec 1987 signed Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces w/ the U.S.; Banned nuclear missiles that had range of 300-3400 miles

V. Turmoil in the Soviet Union

A. Gorbachev did not oppose reformB. Nationalities began to call for freedom

1. 100 ethnic groups in the Soviet Union2. USSR = 15 Republics; Russia was the largest and was

resented3. Unrest in Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova;

demand self-rule

C. Lithuania is 1st to challenge1. Background:

a. Independent in b/wn World Warsb. 1940 = Soviets annexed Lithuania, Estonia, &Latvia

2. March 1990 Lithuania declares independence3. Soviet response = economic blockade4. January 1991 Soviet troops

attacked civilians at capital; 14 dead, 100s injured

5. Results: Gorbachev loses popularity

D. Boris Yeltsin Gains Popularity1. Background:

a. Member of the Soviet Parliamentb. Former mayor of Russiac. June 1991 elected Russia’s 1st directly elected president

2. Spoke out against Gorbachev’s handling of Lithuania

E. The August Coup1. Background – “old” communist officials were hard-

liners (conservatives who opposed reform)2. Aug 18, 1991 hard-liners detained Gorbachev at his

vacation house; demanded his resignation as Pres.3. Aug 19 100s of tanks entered Moscow

a. Soviet people ready to defendb. Turned to Yeltsin

4. Aug 20 hard-liners ordered troops to attack parliament building; they refused!

5. Aug 21 the military withdrew from Moscow6. That night Gorbachev returned

F. End of the Soviet Union1. Communist party collapsed because of a failed coup.2. Estonia and Latvia declared independence.3. Other republics followed; By Dec 15 ALL were

independent4. Yeltsin organized the CIS - Commonwealth of

Independent States – a loose federation of former Soviet territories.

a. Death of the U.S.S.R.b. Christmas 1991 Gorbachev resigned as president

Commonwealth of Independent States