Cold War Key Topic 3 Flashcards
What was the Limited Test Ban Treaty (1963)?
-Treaty banning nuclear weapons from being tested on the ground and in the atmosphere, but not underground.
What was the Outer Space Treaty (1967)?
-Treaty banning nuclear weapons from being placed or being tested in space or on the Moon by either superpower.
What was the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (1968)?
-Treaty banning either of the superpowers from supplying other nations with nuclear weapons or helping them develop them.
What was SALT 1 (1972)?
-Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty
-Treaty signed imposing limits on nuclear capabilities, limiting the number of ICBMs and SLBMs that could be produced.
-However, weapons were still produced as limits were so high and only a few weapons were controlled.
What were the Helsinki Agreements (1975)?
-Both sides agreed to recognise the current borders of European countries.
-Both sides agreed to respect human rights and freedoms in their respective countries.
-Both sides agreed to help each other economically and technologically
What was SALT 2 (1979)?
-Agreement over limiting production of long-range missiles
-These agreements didn’t amount to much as the USSR invaded Afghanistan in 1979 and the Cold War escalated again.
What was detente?
-A period of relaxation in tensions and an increase in cooperation between the superpowers in the 1970s.
What was Gorbachev’s attitude?
-Gorbachev wanted to address problems in the USSR by initiating reforms, such as Glasnost, meaning political openness, and Perestroika, meaning economic reform.
-He signed arms reduction agreements and moved towards more democratic and capitalist polices which appealed to the USA.
What was Reagan’s attitude?
-Reagan took a hard-line approach to communism, as shown in his ‘Evil Empire’ speech in which he called the USSR an evil empire.
-He increased spending on arms to $1 trillion and developed NUTS in which US weapons were targeted at Soviet warheads so weapons would be destroyed not their people.
What was Gorbachev’s ‘new thinking’?
-Glasnost: political openness
-Freedom of speech, end of censorship, freedom of travel, Soviet troops removed from E. Europe
-Perestroika: economic reform
-Improve USSR economy with less spending on arms, private business allowed, foreign investment in USSR and E. Europe
What was the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Force (INF) Treaty (1987)?
-All mid-range nuclear weapons to be removed from both superpowers. Both nations could inspect each other’s military installations, less secrecy.
What were the causes of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan?
-Taraki, leader of PDPA, communist party in Afghanistan, overthrew the government
-Taraki imposed communist-style reform programme. Thousands of Muslim leader and intellectuals were imprisoned, tortured or murdered.
-Amin seized power and imposed strict anti-Muslim polices, making the gov. very unpopular.
-The Mujahideen, a guerrilla movement claiming to fight for Allah, was formed to attempt to overthrow Amin’s government.
What were the events of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (1979)?
-Brezhnev sent 50,000 Soviet troops to invade Afghanistan to support the communists.
-Invasion was disaster for the USSR, Mujahideen were supplied with weapons from US and used knowledge of mountains and guerrilla tactics to fight.
-Amin was assassinated and replaced by Babrak Kamal, whose gov. was propped up by the USSR, mainly its military
-End of invasion. Afghan government propped up by the USSR- 85,000 Soviet troops remain in Afghanistan.
What were two consequences of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (1979)?
1) Carter Doctrine released.
-Carter threatened to use force if USSR took control of Persian Gulf, wanted to defend its interests, which was oil, in the Middle East. Imposed economic sanctions, placed trade embargo. Stopped cooperation and started confrontation.
Cancelled grain shipments to USSR.
-Policy change as foreign policy changed due to the Carter
Doctrine and deterioration of international relations.
2) US stop cooperating and sporting competitions with USSR
-US boycotted the Moscow Olympics in 1980 and 61 other countries followed their example, holding the ‘Liberty Bell Classic’ instead. Olympics represented unity between nations but US boycotted it.
-Deterioration of international relations.
How did Reagan cause a ‘Second Cold War’?
-Hard-line anti-communist who was provocative, as shown in his ‘Evil Empire’ speech. Increased military spending on arms to $1 trillion dollars.
-Reagan planned the Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI), nicknamed ‘Star Wars’. It was a plan for a laser-armed anti-ballistic missile system that would shield against missiles launched at the US by destroying them mid air.
-The USSR did not have the money or technology to create their own version, meaning the US was leading the Arms Race once again.
