END OF THE COLD WAR AND THE DISSOLUTION OF USSR
From detente to the second Cold War, 1969­85.
By the late 1960s, several factors had emerged which made the USA ready to
follow a policy of détente with the USSR;
The growing impact of the Vietnam war.
Nixon and his foreign minister Kissinger abandoned the idea of ‘rolling back’
communism, in favour of a policy of détente and linkage (Sino­Soviet co­
operation in restraining revolutions in the third World for concessions in nuclear
and economic fields). The price was assistance in the US withdrawal from
Vietnam.
In order to avoid new direct US involvements in the developing states Nixon
launched his doctrine (1969). Instead of direct involvement ‘client states’ would
be given US weapons and training.
Soviet economy was declining
Four summits were held 1972­74 but USSR remained suspicious of US motives.
A growing fear that the risk of nuclear war increased.
Growing Soviet concerns about the Sino­Soviet split, by 1969 almost resulting in
a full scale war.
dec 17­09:43
dec 17­11:07
SALT1
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks started in 1969 on the subject of arms control,
not reduction. The existing ‘terror balance’ which was seen threatened by new
developments in arms technology would be restricted by SALT decisions.
With Willy Brandt’s new West German government tension also fell in the
relations between USSR and western Europe. In 1975 the Helsinki agreement
was signed which accepted status quo in Europe.
SALT 1 was signed in 1972; five year freeze on all ICBMs (inter Continental
Ballistic Missile); SLBMs (Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile), and long range
bombers, while each side agreed to have only two ABM (Anti Ballistic Missile)
sites.
Failed to include limitations on MIRVs (Multiple Independently targeted
Reentry Vehicles).
SALT 1 appeased USSR and reduced tensions between the superpowers.
dec 17­11:07
dec 17­11:09
A SECOND COLD WAR 1979
A remaining problem was that even though USSR wanted stability in Europe, it
also wanted to extend its influence in the developing World. Of special interest
were possible allies with naval bases as USSR had no operational bases outside
its own country. As a wave of revolutions spread over the developing World
USSR saw its chance to improve its international position.
MPLA
Problems also arose in relation to SALT 1 because several systems were not
covered by the treaty and Nixon decided to develop these.
UNITA
dec 17­11:09
dec 17­11:10
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GORBCHEVS 'REVOLUTION'
• General secretary of the communist party 1985
• Objectives: to turn the tide of Soviet economy, from stagnation and decline to expansion and growth
• Stop the rearmamentbattle to cut costs
• Concluded this would be possible as USA faced the same problem
dec 18­12:58
The rearmarmentrivalry meaningless and fatal as it undermined the national economy and could result in disaster
• The concept of class struggle abandoned
• Peaceful coexistence and detente
• The global expansion of socialism abandoned
• Chruschevs and Breschnevs doctrines of conquest abandoned
DOMESTIC ARENA
• 'PERESTROIKA' ­ modernisation of the Soviet economy. Increase productivity to achieve a growing general welfare
• 'GLASNOST' ­ open mindness. Problems should be exposed, dicussed and solved in public. Critisism encouraged. Battle against corruption and stagnation. The party also open to critisism
• 'DEMOCRATISATION' ­ a democratisation on all levels in society. Population encouraged to participate
dec 18­13:03
Productivity in USSR was dropping in
the late 70s. The country was looking
more as a developing country with
widespread alkoholism, spoiled
environment, dropping birthrates and
lifeexpectancy.
Gorbachev concluded that the
financial burden of maintaining the
military power was to great and its
effect on the soviet economy would
ultimately undermine soviet security.
• The disarmarments talks with the USA restarted
• The 'Stalinists' of USSR very critical
• 6 summits between USSR­USA
dec 18­13:42
As a superpower USSR also had to
support the east european satellites.
• Economically, credits, cheap
energy, arms.
• Epansionism in thethird world
countries; aid and arms.
• The costs of the military ­ 15% GNP
dec 18­21:28
dec 18­13:48
At his first Central Committee in april
1985, Gorbachev announced his
intention to reopen arms control talks
with the USA.
• withdrawal from Afghanistan
planned
• clear distance from Breschnevs
policy
• appointed the liberal Edward
Shevardnanadze foreign minister
dec 18­21:33
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1983 Reagan announced
USA's aims of SDI(Strategic
Defence initiative) a
antirobotdefence system. The
plans were extremely costy
and scared SU as these would
make an nuclear assault on
USSR possible without
possibilities of retalliation.
Some experts estimate 1983
to have been extremely
dangerous­compared to 1962.
dec 19­10:07
Soon after Gorbachev had taken office USSR started pulling out of the third World. • Afghanistan, Angola
• Ethiopia, Nicaragua ­ USSR assistance stopped
• Vietnam pulled out of Cambodia after SU pressure
• Improved Sino­Soviet relations 1989
dec 19­10:02
Moscow 1988
As USSR had announced its
withdrawal from Afghanistan
without any demands
connected Reagan stated that
his view on SU had changed.
'Gorbimania' in western
Europe.
The same year Gorbachev
announced that SU troops
would gradually be withdrawn
from the east bloc states
dec 19­10:21
SUMMITS 1985­88
In 1985 USA and USSR
reopened disarmarment talks
• Good personal contact
• No clear decisions due to
SDI
• 1986­Iceland;
• No decisions but Gorbachev
suggested; complete
elimination of all ballistic
nuclear missiles within 10 y.
dec 18­21:40
Washington 1987
Agreement ­ all land based
intermediate and short range
nuclear missiles woithdrawn
from Europe­elimination of an
entire category of nuclear
weapons­right for both to
witness the destruction
process
dec 19­10:06
THE GORBACHEV DOCTRINE
USSR disengaging from the
developing World in order to
avoid confrontation with the
USA, based on a desire for
security through cooperation
and improved relations
dec 19­10:28
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THE END OF THE COLD WAR
It was the development in the east european satellites which ended the cold war.
Already in 1985 Gorbachev announced that Soviet troops would not be sent to any eastern European state, either to defend an existing regime or to crush reform communists or mass popular movements.
dec 19­10:31
EAST GERMANY
When Hungary announced it would open the border to Austria in august 1989 it sparked off a crisis in East Germany.
• Thousands left and by September a crisis similar to the one with had resulted in the Berlin Wall
• 18.10 Honecker resigned as leader of the party
• 7.11 the GDR government resigned and the following day the Berlin Wall fell
• Czechoslovakia
• Bulgaria
• Romania
• The Baltic republics
dec 19­10:39
Most regimes in the satellites didn't introduce any liberal reforms but Hungary and Poland di. Solidarity was legalized in january 1989 and in August the parliament elected the first non­communist PM in eastern Europe in over 40 years.
In Hungary multi­party elections were announced.
dec 19­10:35
The summer ­91:
• The Warschawpact and the
economic cooperation
organisation SEV dissolved
• August ­91 coup détat
attempt­failed
• 25.12 Gorbachev resigned
• USSR dissolved on new
years eve.
dec 19­10:48
The Soviet economic
stagnation and the inability of
change ­ keyelements in
ending the Cold War.
jan 2­13:02
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