Lecture Notes: The End of the Cold War (1991)

Overview

1980s: USA vs. USSR tension with 12,000+ nuclear missiles.
Detente: Relaxation period in the 1970s (e.g., SALT I treaty).
Reagan's Presidency (1980):
- Hard stance against the USSR.
- Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI):
  - Aim to launch defense systems into space.
  - Intended to shoot down nuclear missiles with lasers (dubbed "Star Wars").
  - Though SDI wasn’t realized, it increased the divide between US and the Soviet Union.
- Soviet response strained their stagnant economy since the 1970s.

1979: Soviet troops invaded Afghanistan to support the Communist regime.
US and Allies Support: Afghan rebels assisted by the USA, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan.
Outcome: Soviets controlled major cities but lost the guerilla war, leading to economic depression.
Duration: 9-year conflict.

Gorbachev’s Rise (1985): Brought significant reforms.
Economic Crisis: Since the late 1960s-70s, was characterized by limited foreign trade and stifled agriculture.
- Eastern European Soviet Bloc’s growing discontent (e.g., The Prague Spring of 1968).
Reform Policies:
- Perestroika (Restructuring): Reduced central economic planning.
- Glasnost (Openness): Allowed public criticism of the government.
- End to Military Intervention: Stopped using military to support Communist governments in Soviet-influenced regions.
Aftermath:
- Democratic reforms spread in Eastern Europe and Soviet states (e.g., Lithuania, Georgia).
- 1989: Berlin Wall falls, and Germany reunified.
- 1991: Soviet legislature votes to dissolve the Soviet Union, marking the end of the Cold War.

Recommendations for AP Exams:
- Grab AP World Review Guide (link in the description).
- Includes unit review videos, practice questions, practice exams, and answer keys.

End of the lecture on key factors leading to the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War.