How it Ended
Gorbachev (new soviet union leader) wanted the cold war to be over
He and Regan signed the Intermediate-range nuclear forces treaty
removed 2600 medium range nuclear missiles from europe
took down communist party
troops out of afghanistan
Gorbachev promised not to interfere in Eastern Europe
Arms Race
nuclear power struggle between US and soviet union.
very big expense.. racing to see who could develop the most/best nuclear weapons
very costly to the Soviet Union, their economy was doing bad, and everything was just getting too expensive
Afghanistan
1980's Soviet Union fought a frustrating war in Afghanistan
Soviet Union focused lots of time and money on the war
People got very frustrated with their government
collapse of berlin wall
symbol of the end of the cold war.
1989-death of communism
Gorbachev forced to give up power to Boris Yeltsin who over saw the dissolution of the Soviet Union
first democratic presidential election, Boris Yeltsin won
Yeltsin bans communist party and takes away all their land
countries that had been controlled by the Soviet Union broke away. In december, Russia takes over the USSR seat in the United Nations. this marks the end of the soviet union
cold war coming to an end...
perestoika and glasnot
proposed US and USSR cut in arsenal
Gorbachev
USSR president
proposed US and USSR
perestoika and glasnot means openess and restructuring, talking about the reconstruction of the Soviet Union. "change"
Ronald Reagan, wanted a world free of nuclear weapons.. wanted to persuade the Soviets to be more democratic, have free speech and end communism
change in the 80's... USSR military similar to the US'
military=expensive!
Saudi Arabia increased oil production, bringing down prices, which was bad for soviet union because oil was their main export
4 SUMMITS.
Reagan and Gorbachev met at 4 summits in an attempt to reach an agreement
"Berlin Wall Speech" 1987. "mr gorbachev, tear down that wall"
INF TREATY. (intermediate-range nuclear forces treaty)
elminate class of nuclear weapons, laid framework for the strategic arms reduction talks
Berlin Wall demolition began in 1989
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