TOPIC 6 IEB GR 12 PAGE 1
,TOPIC 6 IEB GR 12 PAGE 2
,TOPIC 6: THE END OF THE COLD WAR (THE COLLAPSE OF THE SOVIET UNION) AND A NEW WORLD ORDER
(GLOBALISATION): 1989 TO THE PRESENT
What events led to the end of the Cold War?
Challenges facing the USSR by the early 1980s
ECONOMIC FAILURE:
o From the late 1960s, the Soviet economy began to fail. There was no improvement in industry and
agriculture kept failing throughout the 1970s.
o The West became more advanced in technology, especially in electronics, which made the Soviet Union
fall behind even in the military.
o The USSR had a command economy, meaning the government controlled everything, not private people.
This system was inefficient because central planning was too slow, needed huge money support, and didn’t
allow personal choice. This destroyed motivation and creativity.
o The economy became weak because there was less investment in new technology, buildings, and research.
o People’s quality of life became worse compared to the Western world. There were almost no consumer
goods, constant shortages, and collective farms failed. This caused a big black market where people
secretly bought goods.
o There was corruption everywhere, and workers became unproductive, often not working or suffering from
alcoholism. Many citizens lost faith and felt that communism had failed them.
o The USSR reached zero economic growth, couldn’t build new weapons, and even struggled to pay soldiers
in the military.
o The oil price had dropped dramatically since 1980.
LEADERSHIP:
o Soviet leaders seemed 'backward-looking' and trapped in
Soviet ideology, partly because they were very old. Three
successive Soviet leaders, aged 76, 80, and 83, had died
in office in the three years between 1982 and 1985. These
leaders were
▪ Leonid Brezhnev (1964–1982)
▪ Yuri Andropov (November 1982 – February 1984)
▪ Konstantin Chernenko (February 1984 – March
1985).
MILITARY DEMANDS / COLD WAR:
1. War in Afghanistan (1979–1989): The Soviet Union’s involvement in Afghanistan severely drained its economy and strained
its military resources, limiting the country’s ability to improve living standards. The war also damaged relations with the
United States, as the SALT II arms control treaty was not approved and tensions increased. When Mikhail Gorbachev
became the Soviet leader, he recognized the negative impact of the war and withdrew Soviet troops between 1988 and
1989.
2. Relations with China (PRC): During this period, relations between the USSR and China were very tense.
Relations with China (PRC) were extremely tense during this period due to ideological and geopolitical conflicts. After the Sino-
Soviet split in the 1960s, both nations competed for influence over the global communist movement. China opposed the Soviet
invasion of Afghanistan and saw the USSR as an aggressive, expansionist power threatening regional stability. Border disputes,
competition for leadership in the socialist world, and differing approaches to communism caused mistrust and hostility. This
tension limited Soviet influence in Asia and forced the USSR to divert resources to maintain military readiness along its eastern
borders.
3. U.S.–Soviet Relations:
The Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT I in 1972 and SALT II in 1979) were early signs of underlying problems within the USSR.
SALT I (1972)
TOPIC 6 IEB GR 12 PAGE 3
, • Signed by USA President Nixon
(Cartoons=the guy with the big nose and T/C hair gap)
• and USSR leader Brezhnev.
• Goal: Stop the growth of nuclear weapons.
o The first agreement that set limits on certain types of
nuclear weapons, such as intercontinental ballistic
missiles (ICBMs) and submarine-launched missiles.
• Result: Both sides agreed not to build more missile
launchers.
SALT II (1979)
• Signed by USA President Carter and Brezhnev.
• Goal: Limit new types of weapons (better bombs, missiles).
• But: The USA did not officially approve it after the USSR
invaded Afghanistan.
• Still, both sides followed the rules.
Why Were SALT Talks Important?
• They reduced tension during the Cold War.
• Helped avoid nuclear war.
• It showed both superpowers were willing to cooperate.
• Marked the beginning of détente – a cooling down of Cold War hostility.
Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) – 1983
Was a defence program launched in 1983 by US President Ronald Reagan. It aimed
to protect the United States from Soviet nuclear missiles. The plan was to create a
space-based shield using advanced technology such as lasers and satellites that
would shoot down Soviet missiles before they could reach American territory.
Because this idea sounded like something from a science-fiction movie, people
started calling it “Star Wars.”
Main Goals
• To make Soviet nuclear weapons useless by destroying them in the air
• To force the USSR into spending more money trying to catch up with the USA in technology
SDI was designed not only for protection but also as a strategic pressure tactic. Reagan knew that the Soviet economy was
already weak, so he hoped that forcing the USSR into a new arms race would damage them even more.
Why Was SDI Important?
SDI increased Cold War tension because it showed Reagan’s very strong anti-communist position. He had already called the
Soviet Union the “evil empire,” and SDI proved that he wanted the USA to maintain total military superiority.
The USSR became worried and frightened by SDI because:
• They did not have the technology to build a similar defence system
• They could not afford another expensive arms race with the USA
To try to compete, the USSR had to increase spending on its military even though their economy
was already struggling. This extra pressure weakened the Soviet Union further.
Historians believe that SDI helped speed up the collapse of the USSR because it forced them to
waste money they did not have.
Did SDI Succeed?
The space-laser technology was never fully created, so SDI failed as a real working defence
system. However, it succeeded politically because it increased pressure on the Soviet economy
and helped bring the Cold War closer to an end.
4. Brezhnev Doctrine – 1968 to 1982
Named after: Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev
(The guy with big eyebrows)
TOPIC 6 IEB GR 12 PAGE 4
, What was it?
• A Soviet policy that said:
• The USSR had the right to use military force to control and protect communist governments if they tried to move
away from Soviet-style communism.
It meant no socialist country was allowed to make political changes without Soviet approval. It gave the USSR a
reason to use force to keep other communist countries loyal.
Example:
• In 1968, the USSR invaded Czechoslovakia during the Prague Spring because the country was trying to become freer
and more democratic.
Why was it important?
• It justified Soviet control over Eastern Europe.
• It caused fear among other communist countries that wanted change.
• It lasted until Gorbachev ended it in the 1980s as part of his more open, peaceful approach.
RISE OF NATIONALISM:
• Nationalism is the belief that people who share the same culture, history, or language should control their own land
and government, instead of being ruled by another country or group.
• It weakened the USSR because many different republics wanted
independence and no longer wanted to be controlled by Moscow.
• The USSR was comprised of 15 republics, and the Russian people
made up just under 50% of the population.
o Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania,
Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan,
Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
o These republics were all part of the Soviet Union (USSR)
until it collapsed in 1991, after which they became
independent countries.
• Despite appearing homogenous, the reality was a strong
undercurrent of nationalism that intensified after Gorbachev’s
reforms, leading to secessionist movements in the non-Russian
states. The Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) were forced
to join the USSR in 1940 during World War II.
• The Baltic Republics were three small countries that were
occupied by the USSR from 1940 until they regained
independence in 1991.
GORBACHEV'S REFORMS IN THE USSR
Mikhail Gorbachev (Leader from 1986):
(the guy with the birthmark)
• Mikhail Gorbachev became the new Soviet leader in 1986. He was 54 years old, a lawyer, and General Secretary of
the Communist Party.
• He was very different from previous leaders: young, confident, well-travelled, charming, and good at speaking.
• His goal was to reform (fix) the Soviet system, not destroy it. But later his reforms helped cause the USSR to break
apart.
• He faced big challenges because the Soviet economy was in a bad condition, and people in Eastern Europe were
unhappy and wanted change.
• He believed in socialism, but he also wanted to improve relations with China (PRC) and reduce tension with the
USA.
TOPIC 6 IEB GR 12 PAGE 5
,TOPIC 6 IEB GR 12 PAGE 2
,TOPIC 6: THE END OF THE COLD WAR (THE COLLAPSE OF THE SOVIET UNION) AND A NEW WORLD ORDER
(GLOBALISATION): 1989 TO THE PRESENT
What events led to the end of the Cold War?
Challenges facing the USSR by the early 1980s
ECONOMIC FAILURE:
o From the late 1960s, the Soviet economy began to fail. There was no improvement in industry and
agriculture kept failing throughout the 1970s.
o The West became more advanced in technology, especially in electronics, which made the Soviet Union
fall behind even in the military.
o The USSR had a command economy, meaning the government controlled everything, not private people.
This system was inefficient because central planning was too slow, needed huge money support, and didn’t
allow personal choice. This destroyed motivation and creativity.
o The economy became weak because there was less investment in new technology, buildings, and research.
o People’s quality of life became worse compared to the Western world. There were almost no consumer
goods, constant shortages, and collective farms failed. This caused a big black market where people
secretly bought goods.
o There was corruption everywhere, and workers became unproductive, often not working or suffering from
alcoholism. Many citizens lost faith and felt that communism had failed them.
o The USSR reached zero economic growth, couldn’t build new weapons, and even struggled to pay soldiers
in the military.
o The oil price had dropped dramatically since 1980.
LEADERSHIP:
o Soviet leaders seemed 'backward-looking' and trapped in
Soviet ideology, partly because they were very old. Three
successive Soviet leaders, aged 76, 80, and 83, had died
in office in the three years between 1982 and 1985. These
leaders were
▪ Leonid Brezhnev (1964–1982)
▪ Yuri Andropov (November 1982 – February 1984)
▪ Konstantin Chernenko (February 1984 – March
1985).
MILITARY DEMANDS / COLD WAR:
1. War in Afghanistan (1979–1989): The Soviet Union’s involvement in Afghanistan severely drained its economy and strained
its military resources, limiting the country’s ability to improve living standards. The war also damaged relations with the
United States, as the SALT II arms control treaty was not approved and tensions increased. When Mikhail Gorbachev
became the Soviet leader, he recognized the negative impact of the war and withdrew Soviet troops between 1988 and
1989.
2. Relations with China (PRC): During this period, relations between the USSR and China were very tense.
Relations with China (PRC) were extremely tense during this period due to ideological and geopolitical conflicts. After the Sino-
Soviet split in the 1960s, both nations competed for influence over the global communist movement. China opposed the Soviet
invasion of Afghanistan and saw the USSR as an aggressive, expansionist power threatening regional stability. Border disputes,
competition for leadership in the socialist world, and differing approaches to communism caused mistrust and hostility. This
tension limited Soviet influence in Asia and forced the USSR to divert resources to maintain military readiness along its eastern
borders.
3. U.S.–Soviet Relations:
The Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT I in 1972 and SALT II in 1979) were early signs of underlying problems within the USSR.
SALT I (1972)
TOPIC 6 IEB GR 12 PAGE 3
, • Signed by USA President Nixon
(Cartoons=the guy with the big nose and T/C hair gap)
• and USSR leader Brezhnev.
• Goal: Stop the growth of nuclear weapons.
o The first agreement that set limits on certain types of
nuclear weapons, such as intercontinental ballistic
missiles (ICBMs) and submarine-launched missiles.
• Result: Both sides agreed not to build more missile
launchers.
SALT II (1979)
• Signed by USA President Carter and Brezhnev.
• Goal: Limit new types of weapons (better bombs, missiles).
• But: The USA did not officially approve it after the USSR
invaded Afghanistan.
• Still, both sides followed the rules.
Why Were SALT Talks Important?
• They reduced tension during the Cold War.
• Helped avoid nuclear war.
• It showed both superpowers were willing to cooperate.
• Marked the beginning of détente – a cooling down of Cold War hostility.
Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) – 1983
Was a defence program launched in 1983 by US President Ronald Reagan. It aimed
to protect the United States from Soviet nuclear missiles. The plan was to create a
space-based shield using advanced technology such as lasers and satellites that
would shoot down Soviet missiles before they could reach American territory.
Because this idea sounded like something from a science-fiction movie, people
started calling it “Star Wars.”
Main Goals
• To make Soviet nuclear weapons useless by destroying them in the air
• To force the USSR into spending more money trying to catch up with the USA in technology
SDI was designed not only for protection but also as a strategic pressure tactic. Reagan knew that the Soviet economy was
already weak, so he hoped that forcing the USSR into a new arms race would damage them even more.
Why Was SDI Important?
SDI increased Cold War tension because it showed Reagan’s very strong anti-communist position. He had already called the
Soviet Union the “evil empire,” and SDI proved that he wanted the USA to maintain total military superiority.
The USSR became worried and frightened by SDI because:
• They did not have the technology to build a similar defence system
• They could not afford another expensive arms race with the USA
To try to compete, the USSR had to increase spending on its military even though their economy
was already struggling. This extra pressure weakened the Soviet Union further.
Historians believe that SDI helped speed up the collapse of the USSR because it forced them to
waste money they did not have.
Did SDI Succeed?
The space-laser technology was never fully created, so SDI failed as a real working defence
system. However, it succeeded politically because it increased pressure on the Soviet economy
and helped bring the Cold War closer to an end.
4. Brezhnev Doctrine – 1968 to 1982
Named after: Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev
(The guy with big eyebrows)
TOPIC 6 IEB GR 12 PAGE 4
, What was it?
• A Soviet policy that said:
• The USSR had the right to use military force to control and protect communist governments if they tried to move
away from Soviet-style communism.
It meant no socialist country was allowed to make political changes without Soviet approval. It gave the USSR a
reason to use force to keep other communist countries loyal.
Example:
• In 1968, the USSR invaded Czechoslovakia during the Prague Spring because the country was trying to become freer
and more democratic.
Why was it important?
• It justified Soviet control over Eastern Europe.
• It caused fear among other communist countries that wanted change.
• It lasted until Gorbachev ended it in the 1980s as part of his more open, peaceful approach.
RISE OF NATIONALISM:
• Nationalism is the belief that people who share the same culture, history, or language should control their own land
and government, instead of being ruled by another country or group.
• It weakened the USSR because many different republics wanted
independence and no longer wanted to be controlled by Moscow.
• The USSR was comprised of 15 republics, and the Russian people
made up just under 50% of the population.
o Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania,
Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan,
Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
o These republics were all part of the Soviet Union (USSR)
until it collapsed in 1991, after which they became
independent countries.
• Despite appearing homogenous, the reality was a strong
undercurrent of nationalism that intensified after Gorbachev’s
reforms, leading to secessionist movements in the non-Russian
states. The Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) were forced
to join the USSR in 1940 during World War II.
• The Baltic Republics were three small countries that were
occupied by the USSR from 1940 until they regained
independence in 1991.
GORBACHEV'S REFORMS IN THE USSR
Mikhail Gorbachev (Leader from 1986):
(the guy with the birthmark)
• Mikhail Gorbachev became the new Soviet leader in 1986. He was 54 years old, a lawyer, and General Secretary of
the Communist Party.
• He was very different from previous leaders: young, confident, well-travelled, charming, and good at speaking.
• His goal was to reform (fix) the Soviet system, not destroy it. But later his reforms helped cause the USSR to break
apart.
• He faced big challenges because the Soviet economy was in a bad condition, and people in Eastern Europe were
unhappy and wanted change.
• He believed in socialism, but he also wanted to improve relations with China (PRC) and reduce tension with the
USA.
TOPIC 6 IEB GR 12 PAGE 5
