The End of Cold WarThe End of Cold War

COLD WAR VISIONCOLD WAR VISION

““There is a bear in the There is a bear in the woods…”woods…”

COLD WARRIORCOLD WARRIOR Soviet invasion of

Afghanistan Russians on the move… The “Evil Empire”• Huge peacetime military

buildup:– New generation of nuclear

weapons:• Western Europe, “Star

Wars”

COLD WAR VISIONCOLD WAR VISION

““Peace through Peace through strength!”strength!”

AMERICA INTERVENES ABROADAMERICA INTERVENES ABROADFOR PEACE AND DEMOCRACYFOR PEACE AND DEMOCRACY

Support for anti-Soviet forces in Afghanistan Weapons to

mujahedeen through Pakistan

Soviet “Vietnam” in Afghanistan

• Terrorism and Middle East

• Reagan’s assertive American projection of Reagan’s assertive American projection of force…force…

THE SOVIET UNIONTHE SOVIET UNION

Soviet Union’s problems: Succession of aging leaders

who die Economic difficulties and a

society in deep stagnation… Mikhail Gorbachev

“Perestroika” and “glasnost” Americans re-invent

themselves, Russians try to reform…

MUCH IMPROVED MUCH IMPROVED RELATIONS!RELATIONS!

Mikhail Gorbachev Arms reduction treaties and

negotiations Relaxation of tensions Multiple visits to each other’s

countries Soviet Union Home front

Openness to public debate and dissent in Soviet Union

A loosening of control in Eastern Europe

…legacy of Hungary and Czechoslovakia

Poland as flashpoint

• Will the Soviet Union Will the Soviet Union invade? invade?

REAGAN’S 1987 SPEECHREAGAN’S 1987 SPEECH

““Mr. Gorbachev, tear down Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”this wall!”

Why are there graves next to Berlin Wall?

"This wall will fall. Beliefs become reality."

THE COLD WAR ENDS…THE COLD WAR ENDS…

Berlin Wall pulled down by local German people

The Soviet Union spins beyond control…

THE SOVIET UNION THE SOVIET UNION DISSOLVESDISSOLVES The Soviet Union in crisis…

Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin The End: Fall of 1991

Soviet Union, created in 1917, is in serious disarray…

Forces unleashed by Gorbachev cannot be controlled!

Soviet Union Soviet Union becomes the becomes the

“Commonwealt“Commonwealth of h of

Independent Independent States”States”

END OF SOVIET END OF SOVIET UNION:UNION:

Major event in world history!