History Revision

Unit 1 Key Topic 3

Beginning of dtente and treaties of 1967 & 1968:
The 1967 Outer Space Treaty meant no nuclear weapons could be placed
in space by either superpower
The 1968 Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty agreed that neither
superpower would supply nuclear weapons to other states or help them
develop them.

SALT 1, Helsinki Conference, Apollo-Soyuz mission:
SALT 1:
o The USA and USSR agreed there would be no more production of
strategic ballistic missiles.
o Both powers stated that submarines carrying nuclear weapons
would only be introduced when the existing stocks of
intercontinental ballistic missiles became obsolete
o The ABM (Anti-Ballistic Missile) Treaty meant that both sides could
have two ABM systems each that would allow them to shoot down
incoming nuclear missiles.
Helsinki Agreements:
o Security
o Co-operation
o Human Rights
o The Helsinki Agreement recognised Soviet control over Eastern
Europe, concluded a trade agreement, and Russia promised to
respect human rights (which it later ignored and confirmed the iron
curtain).
The Apollo-Soyuz mission
o A joint space mission where an American Apollo spacecraft and a
Russian Soyuz spacecraft docked high above the earth
o Demonstrated co-operation in space, different to the race of the 60s
between the superpowers

Kabul Revolution:
April 1978 - dramatic overthrow of gov. & new communist president
Mohammed Taraki wanted to build socialism in Afghanistan became an
ally of USSR.
Opportunity for Brezhnev to extend his power into the oil rich middle
east.
By 1979: civil war broke out between Islamic fighters and the government
so Taraki was forced to accept Hafizullah Amin head of the army - as the
prime minister. October 1979: Amin supporters assassinated Taraki and
Amin claimed Presidency.

Reasons for soviet invasion of Afghanistan:
Amin was communist but rumoured to be an American spy so USSr didnt
trust him, also unpopular with many muslims so if the muslims took over
many nearby Soviet Republics would do the same and become non
communist Islamic States.
Brezhnev believed the USA would tolerate the invasion to prevent war.
Soviets killed Amin and Babrak Kamal became president. Over ten years
1.5 million people died in the disastrous invasion.

President Carters immediate reaction to Soviet invasion of Afghanistan:
Carter Doctrine: USA wouldnt allow USSR to gain territory in the oil-rich
Middle East, formed an alliance with China and Israel to support afghan
rebels so the CIA provided weapons for the Islamic organisation that was
fighting to free Afghanistan from Soviets (Mujahiden), he imposed
economic sanctions that virtually stopped all soviet trade, he ended
diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union.

Failure of SALT 2:
As a consequence of the Afghanistan invasion, the US senate refused to
ratify the treaty so it never became law.

American boycott of Moscow Olympics:
Around sixty countries refused to attend the games as a form of protest of
the invasion and instead created a alternative Olympics in Philadelphia ,
called the Olympic Boycott Games.

What is the Second Cold War:
The period between 1979 and 1985, which represented a new low in
superpower relations.



President Reagans attitude:
Dtente fell apart under President Carter. Reagan (1981) wanted to win
the Cold War by fighting again. He rejected the idea of peaceful co-
existence.

Evil Empire speech:
Speech of March 1983, cold war was a moral war and America had a moral
duty to invest in nuclear wars to fight the aggressive impulses of an evil
empire.

Reagans vision of SDI:
Strategic Defence Initiative (Star Wars, SDI) planned to create an
umbrella that would intercept soviet nuclear missiles in space and destroy
them before they could do any harm.
Broke the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, which effectively ended dtente
and peace in space.

Problems created by SDI:
Broke dtente, USSR could not keep up with the arms race.
Soviet economy was falling and feared computers and new technology
would undermine communism and provide opportunities for opposition.

Shift in the arms race:
The space race became an arms race and the USSR couldnt catch up.

Gorbachevs vision for communism:
He hoped to be communisms saviour as its last leader

Gorbachevs relationship with the west:
At his first meeting with Reagan in 1985 he stated that Reagan was
primitive and he looks like a caveman and is mentally retarded.

Gorbachevs new thinking:
Perestroika (restructuring) economic reforms to make the struggling
soviet economy more efficient.
Glasnost (openness) censorship of the press was to be relaxed.



1985 USA USSR
Strengths Booming economy
Computer technology
Space technology
Conventional military
forces
Leaders of the free world
NATO allies
Warsaw Pact Allies
Greater number of allies
than the USA
Weaknesses Fewer nuclear missiles
than the USSR
Expensive Afghan War
Failing economy
Old technology
Ruined reputation by
Chernobyl

Three Summits and the INF Treaty:
Geneva
o November 1985 Reagan wanted to persuade peace and Gorbachev
(even though he was weaker) wanted Reagan to drop the SDI
programme.
o Personal relationship although no decision on arms control.
Reykjavik
o October 1986 more ambitious Reagan wanted to scrap all ballistic
nuclear missiles but wouldnt drop his SDI programme.
INF Treaty
o Treaty eliminated all nuclear missiles with a range of 500-5500
kilometres.
o First treaty to reduce number of nuclear missiles between
superpowers.

Gorbachevs attitude to Eastern Europe:
December 1988 he announced USSR would no longer solely trade with
communist states over capitalist.
Keen for Eastern European states to have glasnost and perestroika.
Withdrew soviet troops from Eastern Europe to save money.

Break-up of Eastern Bloc:
Gorbachev unable to contain reform.
Importance of:
Ronald Reagan
Mikhail Gorbachev
Leonid Brezhnev
Jimmy Carter
Boris Yeltsin

Important Events:
1967 Outer Space Treaty
1968 Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty
1972 SALT 1
1975 Helsinki Conference
1975 Apollo-Soyuz mission
1978 Kabul Revolution
1979 Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
1980 Moscow Olympic Games
1983 Reagans Evil Empire speech
1983 Reagan proposes SDI
1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games
1985 Geneva Summit
1986 Chernobyl disaster
1986 Reykjavik Summit
1987 INF Treaty
1989 Communist gov. falls in Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia
1989 Fall of the Berlin Wall
1991 Warsaw Pact dissolved
1991 Gang of Eight removes Gorbachev from power
1991 Gorbachev resigns and announces the fall of the Soviet Union