The+End+of+the+Cold+War+2

The End of the Cold War (1084-1090)

 * 1) ====== some, Richard Nixon, lost face and __#|power__, still pushed & reinvigorated cold war animosities, zero on communism and USSR, put money into military and proposed Strategic Defense Initiative- protection from nuclear attack ======
 * 2) ====== challenge detente and soviets ability to match spending ======
 * 3) ====== internal change and soviet union and E Europe helped the most ======
 * 4) ====== between 1989-90, nonviolent revolutions, people of E/C Europe gain independence and start Democratic gov. and market-based economy ======
 * 5) ====== downfall of communist due to interrelated __#|economics__ and political developments ======
 * 6) ====== Mikhail S. Gorbachev, helped end war, address failing economy and start revolutions from Czechoslovokia- Soviet Union ======
 * 7) ======tried to save Soviet Unions fall by restucting society and liberalizing society- little he could do - collapsed in 1991======

Revolutions in Eastern and Central Europe

 * 1) ======couldn't connect communism regimes ( in E/C Europe) and socialism- left them weak- born in Moscow and armed by soviet Tanks and Bayonets======
 * 2) ======many thought they lacked legitimacy- never firmly established======

Moscow's Legacies - after war Stalin's "Friendly Gov." might work, conservative political parties lost credibility for not supporting democracy & aiding Nazis

 * 1) ======left wing had solid record against germs., Prestige high after helping end war======
 * 2) ======Nikita Khrushchev's- hopped this might lead to more enlightened communism, - inspired reformers======
 * 3) ======but they invade Hungary 1956 & Czechosl. 1968- dashes hope for human socialism======

Gorbachev's Impact- despite bad economy, arms race with u.s, discontent = rulers to reluctant to confront challenge and help ailing systems

 * 1) ======left to Mikhail to remove Soviet Empire & end cold war======
 * 2) ======made Brezhnev doctrine no longer in force- each county in charge of its own destiny======
 * 3) ======led to overthrow of regimes in Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania & East Germany======

Revolutions in Eastern Europe- the end of communism first came in Poland when pressure was put on the Polish government

 * 1) ======the Polish government agreed t multiple party elections in 1989 and 1990======
 * 2) ======Unrest in Bulgaria forced Todor Zhivkov, longest surviving dictator in Europe, to resign in November 1989======
 * 3) ======Hungarians broke away from the Soviet style political system in 1988 and moved towards democracy======
 * 4) ======Czecholslovakia also broke away from communism and formed two new nations- the Czech Republic and Slokakia======
 * 5) ======Romania set off in a national uprising in 1989 to rid the nation of their dictator who was unwilling to change======
 * 6) ======Erich Honecker, East Germany's leader, was removed from power when many East Germans moved to other countries======
 * 7) ======The Berlin Wall was tore down in late 1989 and in 1990 Germany was once __#|again__ a united nation======

**The Collapse of the Soviet Union**

 * 1) ======Gorbachev came to power in 1985 and removed the nation from the cold war to focus on more important matters======
 * 2) ======He recognized the need form economic reform and the liberalization of Soviet society======

Gorbachev's Reforms- the reforms mainly focused on the terrible economy

 * 1) ======Obsolete technologies resulted in shoddy products, this was due to all resources going to the military======
 * 2) ======Insufficient farming resulted in the need to import grains======
 * 3) ======Infant mortality increased while life expectancy decreased, education systems were worse, and morality decreased======
 * 4) ======under slogan of uskorenie meaning acceleration, Gorbachev tried to shock the economy======
 * 5) ======He thought about new kinds of reforms, especially one that opened the society to public criticism======

Perestroika and Glasnost

 * 1) ======When Gorbachev pushed decentralization profit motive and methods engendered hostility of those whose positions depended on the old system======
 * 2) ======Many comrades of military objected to perestroika and worked to destroy it======
 * 3) ======Glasnost opened the door to public criticism of party leaders and Soviet institutions======
 * 4) ======Long repressed ethnic and naionlist settlements came up posing threats to multiethnic Soviet state======
 * 5) ======Industrial and agriculture continued to decrease---> Soviet economy disintegrated======
 * 6) ======Many minorities contemplated secession======
 * 7) ======in Crimea in August 1991 conspirator group seized power======

Toward an Uncertain Future

 * 1) ======cold war was actually a comfort- kept U.S and Soviet Union from steeping into vacuum of global leadership- could have been perilous and controlling but instead superpowers contest ordered and defined world for almost 50 yrs======
 * 2) ======shaped how people perceived themselves ( ex. capitalist fighting communist)- placed constraints on choices open to them- but still familiar======
 * 3) ======cold war had huge impact in policy-making circles and on the streets======

A future without divisions

 * 1) ======thought war people complain that Nato and Warsaw alliances promote arms race, could turn local conflicts to nuclear wars between superpowers======
 * 2) ======after war they praised them for keeping stability======
 * 3) ======loss of deterrence vs. global disorder and violence was matched by uncertainty on future and declining sense of purpose ( no more ideological struggle)======
 * 4) ======end of communist in Eastern Europe, Soviet Union and increasing market of People's Republic of China- virtually guaranteed end of communism======
 * 5) ======- cuba and N Korea hung on but were very weak======