End of the Cold War A.The Soviet Union after Stalin B.Détente C.Perestroika D.Collapse of the...

End of the Cold War

A. The Soviet Union after StalinB. DétenteC. PerestroikaD. Collapse of the Soviet Union

A. The Soviet Union after Stalin

• Stalin dies in 1953 - succeeded by Nikita Khrushchev and then Leonid Brezhnev

• Destalinization – policy of purging (getting rid of) Stalin’s memory from the Soviet Union

• Eastern European countries will try to overthrow Communist governments: Poland, Hungary, & Czechoslovakia (not successful)

B. Détente

• President Nixon’s policy of reducing Cold War tensions

• U.S. & Soviet Union will work together to try to prevent their conflict from destroying the world b/c of huge costs

• Nixon will visit the Soviet Union and sign the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) Treaty to limit nuclear weapon development

• Détente will end under Presidents Carter & Reagan and tensions will increase again until Gorbachev takes control of the Soviet Union

C. Perestroika

• Mikhail Gorbachev will take control of Soviet Union in 1985.

• Will try to follow policy of Glasnost (openness)

• Ex: books will be published that were previously banned.

• Perestroika – Policy of allowing private business ownership. Will inspire freedom in the Soviet Union & Eastern European countries (will finally be freed)

• Led to the collapse of the Soviet Union, the end of Communism in Eastern Europe, and the end of the Cold War

• Democratization will begin under Gorbachev

D. Collapse of the Soviet Union

• As the Communist Party loosens control over the government & economy, republics will call for independence

• 15 republics will declare their independence & on Christmas Day 1991, the Soviet Union ceases to exist