END OF COLD WAR ESSAY
Explain to what extent Gorbachev's reforms in the Soviet Union during the 1980s contributed
to political changes that occurred in South Africa after 1989. Support your line of argument
with relevant evidence.
Gorbachev's reforms in the Soviet Union during the 1980s contributed to a greater extent to
political changes that occurred in South Africa after 1989. The Soviet Union stopped
supporting the liberation movements in Africa and the ANC could no longer receive
military training, weapons or financial and moral support from the USSR which made them
weak and could not continue with the armed struggle against the NP. The reforms removed
the global communist threat and there was no more reason for the US to continue supporting
the NP, as a result the NP lost the west’s support and the west began encouraging
negotiations between the ANC and NP. Furthermore, the battle of Cuito Cuanavale helped
the NP realise that peaceful negotiations were possible. The NP could no longer use the
Communist threat propaganda to rally support from the West and without communism as a
threat, the NP and ANC began negotiations to make extensive political changes that ended
apartheid in South Africa.
The Cold War had a significant impact on the USSR both politically and economically. In
1985, Mikhail Gorbachev came into power. He was not a hardliner, and he hoped to
revitalize the USSR’s economy by increasing industrial output and technology in relation to
market expansion. In this way, he launched the USSR on a dramatic new course. His dual
programme of Perestroika and Glasnost introduced major changes in economic practice,
internal affairs and international relations. His programme of Glasnost gradually brought
back capitalism in the country allowing freedom of speech, media and elections. His
programme of Perestroika aimed to restructure the economy by allowing privately owned
businesses and foreign investments. It also included the Soviet withdrawal from the 'Space
Race' against the USA. The aim of the reforms was to save the economy, but the total
opposite happened. The policies became unpopular with many hardliner communists which
resulted in the fifteen republics having numerous underlying differences. As a result, people
all over Eastern Europe and within the USSR started demanding democratic elections and
criticising their governments. This led to the collapse of communist control in the Eastern
bloc and multi-party elections which led to the introduction of capitalism. The Communist
governments in Eastern Europe collapsed. By the end of 1989, as a result of nationalist
demands, the USSR began to disintegrate one by one, starting with Russia. The people in
Eastern Berlin also took advantage of the weakened USSR and communism. They protested
for freedom and for the removal of the Berlin wall. The Berlin wall was destroyed in 1989,
which was a symbol of the Cold War, symbolizing the end of Communism. This affected
countries world-wide who had been reliant on the USSR for both ideological and financial
support. Communism became impossible as a viable alternative to capitalism and was
Explain to what extent Gorbachev's reforms in the Soviet Union during the 1980s contributed
to political changes that occurred in South Africa after 1989. Support your line of argument
with relevant evidence.
Gorbachev's reforms in the Soviet Union during the 1980s contributed to a greater extent to
political changes that occurred in South Africa after 1989. The Soviet Union stopped
supporting the liberation movements in Africa and the ANC could no longer receive
military training, weapons or financial and moral support from the USSR which made them
weak and could not continue with the armed struggle against the NP. The reforms removed
the global communist threat and there was no more reason for the US to continue supporting
the NP, as a result the NP lost the west’s support and the west began encouraging
negotiations between the ANC and NP. Furthermore, the battle of Cuito Cuanavale helped
the NP realise that peaceful negotiations were possible. The NP could no longer use the
Communist threat propaganda to rally support from the West and without communism as a
threat, the NP and ANC began negotiations to make extensive political changes that ended
apartheid in South Africa.
The Cold War had a significant impact on the USSR both politically and economically. In
1985, Mikhail Gorbachev came into power. He was not a hardliner, and he hoped to
revitalize the USSR’s economy by increasing industrial output and technology in relation to
market expansion. In this way, he launched the USSR on a dramatic new course. His dual
programme of Perestroika and Glasnost introduced major changes in economic practice,
internal affairs and international relations. His programme of Glasnost gradually brought
back capitalism in the country allowing freedom of speech, media and elections. His
programme of Perestroika aimed to restructure the economy by allowing privately owned
businesses and foreign investments. It also included the Soviet withdrawal from the 'Space
Race' against the USA. The aim of the reforms was to save the economy, but the total
opposite happened. The policies became unpopular with many hardliner communists which
resulted in the fifteen republics having numerous underlying differences. As a result, people
all over Eastern Europe and within the USSR started demanding democratic elections and
criticising their governments. This led to the collapse of communist control in the Eastern
bloc and multi-party elections which led to the introduction of capitalism. The Communist
governments in Eastern Europe collapsed. By the end of 1989, as a result of nationalist
demands, the USSR began to disintegrate one by one, starting with Russia. The people in
Eastern Berlin also took advantage of the weakened USSR and communism. They protested
for freedom and for the removal of the Berlin wall. The Berlin wall was destroyed in 1989,
which was a symbol of the Cold War, symbolizing the end of Communism. This affected
countries world-wide who had been reliant on the USSR for both ideological and financial
support. Communism became impossible as a viable alternative to capitalism and was
