🕊️ 3. The End of the Cold War, 1970–91 Flashcards
(14 cards)
1972 – SALT 1 Signed
1972 – SALT 1 Signed
SALT 1 agreement was the first major arms control treaty between the USA and USSR, aiming to slow down the nuclear arms race
What it involved:
+Limited the number of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) and Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBMs) each side could have
+limits on Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) systems
+Did not reduce existing weapons, but stopped further growth
Why it mattered:
+Marked a step towards détente — the easing of Cold War tensions in the 1970s
+willing to negotiate and cooperate on arms control
+Helped reduce the risk of nuclear war by slowing the arms race.
Impact:
+Provided a framework for future arms control talks (like SALT 2).
+Improved communication and trust between the USA and USSR
1975 – Helsinki Accords
1975
aiming to improve East-West relations during détente.
What it involved:
+Agreed to respect existing borders in Europe
+Promoted cooperation on trade, science, and technology
+Committed to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms
Problems and impact:
- USSR and Eastern Bloc mostly ignored the human rights part
-However, the West used the Accords to pressure the USSR on human rights abuses
-Showed a mix of cooperation and tension in Cold War diplomacy
1975 – Apollo–Soyuz Mission
The Apollo–Soyuz Test Project was a joint space mission between the USA and the USSR.
What happened:
-An American Apollo spacecraft docked with a Soviet Soyuz capsule in space
-The crews conducted joint experiments and shared goodwill messages
-first international human spaceflight mission
Why it mattered:
-Symbolised a rare moment of cooperation during the Cold War
-Showed that despite tensions, the two superpowers could work together peacefully
-Helped build trust during the period of détente in the 1970s
Impact:
-Encouraged future scientific cooperation
-Improved communication and understanding between the USA and USSR
1979 – SALT 2 Negotiated (but never ratified)
1979
Following SALT 1, the USA and USSR negotiated SALT 2 to continue limiting nuclear weapons.
What it involved:
-Aimed to reduce and limit strategic nuclear weapons further than SALT 1.
-Included limits on ICBMs, SLBMs, and bombers.
-Sought to prevent development of new missile systems.
Why it wasn’t ratified:
-Signed by Carter and Brezhnev in 1979 but never officially approved by the US Senate.
-After the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979, US political opinion turned strongly against it.
-The USA withdrew support and condemned the USSR, effectively abandoning SALT 2.
Impact:
-Marked the end of détente and the start of renewed Cold War tensions.
-Arms race escalated again in the 1980s under Reagan.
December 1979 – Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
December 1979 – Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
USSR sent troops to Afghanistan to support the communist government, which was struggling against a growing rebel group called the Mujahideen
** Why the USSR invaded:**
-keep a friendly communist government in power
-prevent Afghanistan from becoming an Islamic fundamentalist state that might inspire rebellion in nearby Soviet republics
-maintain Soviet influence and control in the region
Western reaction:
-The USA and its allies saw it as Soviet expansionism and a threat to the Middle East.
-US responded by:
-Boycotting the 1980 Moscow Olympics.
-Increasing military aid to the Mujahideen (via Pakistan and others).
-Ending détente and stepping up the arms race
Impact:
-Started a long and costly war for the USSR (1979–1989).
-Drained Soviet resources and morale
-Contributed to increasing tensions
-Played a part in the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union
1980 – US Boycotts Moscow Olympics
Protest against Afghanistan invasion.
In response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (1979)
What happened:
-What happened:
- boycott was a political protest against the afghansitan situation
- Olympics were significantly weakened by the absence of many Western athletes
Why it mattered:
-Showed how Cold War tensions extended beyond politics and military into culture and sport.
-non-violent way for the USA and allies to express disapproval of Soviet aggression
-Increased hostility and further damaged US–Soviet relations
Impact:
_Soviet Union responded by boycotting the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
-Demonstrated the use of soft power and diplomacy
1983 – Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), aka “Star Wars”
1983
US President Ronald Reagan announced the SDI, a plan to develop a missile defence system in space.
What it involved:
-Using satellites and lasers to detect and destroy incoming nuclear missiles before they reached the USA.
-Aimed to create a shield against a Soviet nuclear attack
-mostly a technology research program, never fully built
Why it mattered:
-threatened to undermine the Cold War balance of terror based on MAD
-MAD relied on both sides knowing a nuclear attack would lead to guaranteed retaliation.
-If the USA could stop missiles, it could attack without fear of being destroyed
Impact:
-Forced the USSR to spend heavily trying to keep up, worsening their economy
-Increased Cold War tensions
Played a part in pushing the USSR towards arms reduction talks later in the decade.
1984 – USSR Boycotts LA Olympics
1984 – USSR Boycotts Los Angeles Olympics
In response to the 1980 US-led boycott of the Moscow Olympics
What happened:
-USSR cited security concerns and alleged anti-Soviet sentiment in the USA
- dozen communist countries joined the boycott
-Many top athletes from the Eastern Bloc were absent.
Impact:
-increased tensions
1985 – Gorbachev Becomes Soviet Leader
1985
Mikhail Gorbachev became General Secretary of the Communist Party, leading the USSR during its final years.
Key reforms introduced:
-Perestroika: Changing how the Soviet economy worked to make it run better by allowing some businesses to act more like in a market (like private businesses).
Glasnost: Letting people speak more freely, allowing newspapers and TV to say more things, and making the government more open and honest.
Impact:
-Led to greater political freedom and criticism of the government.
-Sparked nationalist movements in Soviet republics.
-Unintentionally accelerated the collapse of Soviet control in Eastern Europe
1987 – INF Treaty
1987 – INF Treaty
Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty was signed by Gorbachev (USSR) and Reagan (USA)
What it involved:
-Both countries agreed to destroy all their medium-range nuclear missiles (those that could reach targets in Europe).
Why it mattered:
-Marked a major step in reducing Cold War tensions.
-Helped build trust between the USA and USSR.
-Showed that arms control and cooperation were possible.
🌍 Impact:
-Removed thousands of missiles from Europe.
-Symbolised the beginning of the end of the Cold War.
-Paved the way for further arms reduction agreements.
1989 – Eastern European Countries Break Free
1989 – Eastern European Countries Break Free
In 1989, countries like Poland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia had peaceful revolutions to end communist rule.
What happened:
-Gorbachev’s policy of non-intervention (no longer using force to keep control).
He wanted to focus on reforming the USSR instead of controlling Eastern Europe.
Impact:
-Marked the collapse of Soviet influence in Eastern Europe
-Paved the way for the end of the Cold War.
-Led to the fall of the Berlin Wall and German reunification.
November 1989 – Fall of the Berlin Wall
Mass protests in East Germany and pressure from the public forced the East German government to open the border between East and West Berlin.
What happened:
-Thousands of East Germans gathered at the Wall demanding freedom
-9 November, border guards allowed people to cross freely
-Berlin Wall, a symbol of division since 1961, was physically torn down soon after
Why it mattered:
-Marked the end of division between East and West Germany.
-Showed the collapse of communist control in Eastern Europe.
🌍 Impact:
-Led to German reunification in 1990.
-Encouraged other Eastern Bloc countries to fully break away from Soviet influence.
1990 – Germany Reunified
After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, East and West Germany officially became one country again on 3 October 1990.
1991 – End of the USSR
What happened:
-Gorbachev’s reforms (Perestroika and Glasnost) had weakened central control
-Economic problems, growing nationalism, and calls for independence grew in many Soviet republics
-On 25 December 1991, Gorbachev resigned as Soviet leader.
-Within days, the USSR broke up into 15 independent countries, including Russia.
Impact:
-Cold War officially ended
-Former Soviet countries began to form their own governments and economies, many turning to the West.
