The End of the Cold War and the New World Order
Detente
A slight reduction in tension between the two superpowers. An attempt to limit the use
of nuclear arms. Both sides agreed that a nuclear war was unwinnable. The Test Ban
Treaty and Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty showed that co-operation between the US
and USSR was possible. This is not an end to the Cold War, just a lessening of tension
Reasons for detente
● The US experienced economic difficulties from 1971 worsened by the
international oil crisis
● The US pulled out of the Vietnam War in 1973. The failure combined with the
disillusionment with US policy, a result of the student and anti-war movements
reduced the US’s involvement in foreign policy
● The USSR seemed as strong as ever over its satellite states
● Despite the ‘Prague Spring’- protests in Czechoslovakia to allow reforms such as
free speech and the creation of non-communist opposition parties
● But this was reversed as Brezhnev said that no state in Eastern Europe would be
allowed to reject communism- this became known as the Brezhnev Doctrine. The
West did not try to intervene
● Western Europe was less dependent on the US, France left NATO but did not
withdraw from the treaty
● West Germany recognised East Germany as a state in 1972
USSR reasons for detente
● Growth rates in the economy declined
● This made military spending difficult to bear
● Soviet technology fell behind the west
● The USSR needed to trade with the west for grain
● The improved relationship between the US and China posed the risk of the
USSR being isolated so the USSR needed to have a better relationship with the
US
● There were rounds of talks about the Cold War
● Strategic Arms Limitations Talks (SALT I) in 1969 resulted in the Anti-Ballistic
Missile Treaty (ABMT)
● This limited the Anti-ballistic missile systems used in defending areas against
missiles
© 2018 LAUREN ENGELBRECHT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, NO COPYING OR REPRODUCTION OF THIS
BOOK IS PERMITTED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF LAUREN ENGELBRECHT.
, ● The Conference on Security & Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) was attended by
all European states, USA and Canada agreed to accept the treaty
● SALT II resulted in an agreement to cap the number of nuclear warheads that
each side held
● This was not ratified
● Detente was strained further when the USSR invaded Afghanistan
● The US supported its rebels
● This was known as the USSR’s ‘Vietnam War’
● Ronald Reagan was elected president (1980)
● He publically called the USSR and Evil Empire
● He began to increase military spending and support for anti-communist forces
and countries
● This increased perceived Soviet influence and power
● Socialist rebels overthrow the dictatorship in Nicaragua (1979)
● The Islamic Revolution meant that the US lost an ally in the middle east
● There was an increasing risk that a Soviet nuclear strike that could leave the US
unable to respond
● 1981
● Reagan announces the Strategic Defence Initiative
● A plan to develop a system to defend against a nuclear attack
● The USSR responded by increasing its own military spending
● The period of detente was officially over
The War in Afghanistan
● A proxy war
● Historically nepotistic society
● Rebels sought assistance from the US and were rejected so they asked the
USSR
● They received economic and military support from the USSR but did not
intervene
● 25 December 1979
● Soviet forces invaded Afghanistan and seized control of the capital
End of the Cold War
Problems in the Soviet Economy
© 2018 LAUREN ENGELBRECHT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, NO COPYING OR REPRODUCTION OF THIS
BOOK IS PERMITTED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF LAUREN ENGELBRECHT.
, ● The Soviet economy was not strong
● The centrally-planned economy was inefficient and inflexible
● Growth rates and productivity declined
● Collective agriculture was unproductive
● Soviets had to import food
● There were few consumer goods in shops, if there were they were of poor quality
● Major shortages of food
● Housing and healthcare was poor
● People were unmotivated to work
● The war in Afghanistan was a drain on money, resources and lives
● Living conditions did not improve
● Differences between life in the USSR and abroad became more obvious
● Change was needed but there was no scope for criticism and Soviet leadership
was unwilling to change
● Leadership became worried about the threat from the US and renewed the arms
race
● Reagan’s increased defensive spending forced the USSR to keep up
● The announcement of the Strategic Defence Initiative worried the USSR
● The Soviets feared that the US could launch a nuclear strike without fear
● This resulted in creation of automated systems which could launch a Soviet
retaliation without orders from Moscow
● Before and after Gorbachev came to power, scientists and engineers agreed that
the SDI could not accomplish what Reagan hoped, it was a wasted effort
● Americans had a technological edge and may have been able to achieve what
Reagan hoped and the USSR would have to research their own programme
● 1983
● Korean Airline jet was shot down and increased tensions further
● The Afghan war cost the Soviet economy
● Leonid Brezhnev ruled since the expulsion of Khrushchev in 1964
● 1982
● Brezhnev dies and is succeeded by Yuri Andropov
● He dies in 1984 and is succeeded by Konstantin Chernenko
© 2018 LAUREN ENGELBRECHT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, NO COPYING OR REPRODUCTION OF THIS
BOOK IS PERMITTED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF LAUREN ENGELBRECHT.
Detente
A slight reduction in tension between the two superpowers. An attempt to limit the use
of nuclear arms. Both sides agreed that a nuclear war was unwinnable. The Test Ban
Treaty and Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty showed that co-operation between the US
and USSR was possible. This is not an end to the Cold War, just a lessening of tension
Reasons for detente
● The US experienced economic difficulties from 1971 worsened by the
international oil crisis
● The US pulled out of the Vietnam War in 1973. The failure combined with the
disillusionment with US policy, a result of the student and anti-war movements
reduced the US’s involvement in foreign policy
● The USSR seemed as strong as ever over its satellite states
● Despite the ‘Prague Spring’- protests in Czechoslovakia to allow reforms such as
free speech and the creation of non-communist opposition parties
● But this was reversed as Brezhnev said that no state in Eastern Europe would be
allowed to reject communism- this became known as the Brezhnev Doctrine. The
West did not try to intervene
● Western Europe was less dependent on the US, France left NATO but did not
withdraw from the treaty
● West Germany recognised East Germany as a state in 1972
USSR reasons for detente
● Growth rates in the economy declined
● This made military spending difficult to bear
● Soviet technology fell behind the west
● The USSR needed to trade with the west for grain
● The improved relationship between the US and China posed the risk of the
USSR being isolated so the USSR needed to have a better relationship with the
US
● There were rounds of talks about the Cold War
● Strategic Arms Limitations Talks (SALT I) in 1969 resulted in the Anti-Ballistic
Missile Treaty (ABMT)
● This limited the Anti-ballistic missile systems used in defending areas against
missiles
© 2018 LAUREN ENGELBRECHT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, NO COPYING OR REPRODUCTION OF THIS
BOOK IS PERMITTED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF LAUREN ENGELBRECHT.
, ● The Conference on Security & Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) was attended by
all European states, USA and Canada agreed to accept the treaty
● SALT II resulted in an agreement to cap the number of nuclear warheads that
each side held
● This was not ratified
● Detente was strained further when the USSR invaded Afghanistan
● The US supported its rebels
● This was known as the USSR’s ‘Vietnam War’
● Ronald Reagan was elected president (1980)
● He publically called the USSR and Evil Empire
● He began to increase military spending and support for anti-communist forces
and countries
● This increased perceived Soviet influence and power
● Socialist rebels overthrow the dictatorship in Nicaragua (1979)
● The Islamic Revolution meant that the US lost an ally in the middle east
● There was an increasing risk that a Soviet nuclear strike that could leave the US
unable to respond
● 1981
● Reagan announces the Strategic Defence Initiative
● A plan to develop a system to defend against a nuclear attack
● The USSR responded by increasing its own military spending
● The period of detente was officially over
The War in Afghanistan
● A proxy war
● Historically nepotistic society
● Rebels sought assistance from the US and were rejected so they asked the
USSR
● They received economic and military support from the USSR but did not
intervene
● 25 December 1979
● Soviet forces invaded Afghanistan and seized control of the capital
End of the Cold War
Problems in the Soviet Economy
© 2018 LAUREN ENGELBRECHT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, NO COPYING OR REPRODUCTION OF THIS
BOOK IS PERMITTED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF LAUREN ENGELBRECHT.
, ● The Soviet economy was not strong
● The centrally-planned economy was inefficient and inflexible
● Growth rates and productivity declined
● Collective agriculture was unproductive
● Soviets had to import food
● There were few consumer goods in shops, if there were they were of poor quality
● Major shortages of food
● Housing and healthcare was poor
● People were unmotivated to work
● The war in Afghanistan was a drain on money, resources and lives
● Living conditions did not improve
● Differences between life in the USSR and abroad became more obvious
● Change was needed but there was no scope for criticism and Soviet leadership
was unwilling to change
● Leadership became worried about the threat from the US and renewed the arms
race
● Reagan’s increased defensive spending forced the USSR to keep up
● The announcement of the Strategic Defence Initiative worried the USSR
● The Soviets feared that the US could launch a nuclear strike without fear
● This resulted in creation of automated systems which could launch a Soviet
retaliation without orders from Moscow
● Before and after Gorbachev came to power, scientists and engineers agreed that
the SDI could not accomplish what Reagan hoped, it was a wasted effort
● Americans had a technological edge and may have been able to achieve what
Reagan hoped and the USSR would have to research their own programme
● 1983
● Korean Airline jet was shot down and increased tensions further
● The Afghan war cost the Soviet economy
● Leonid Brezhnev ruled since the expulsion of Khrushchev in 1964
● 1982
● Brezhnev dies and is succeeded by Yuri Andropov
● He dies in 1984 and is succeeded by Konstantin Chernenko
© 2018 LAUREN ENGELBRECHT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, NO COPYING OR REPRODUCTION OF THIS
BOOK IS PERMITTED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF LAUREN ENGELBRECHT.
