Cold War Comes to an End

Soviet Reforms• The Soviet Union was struggling to survive by the late

1980’s– Largely due to their economic troubles from the arms race

with the United States• Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev

instituted changes to try to save the country:– Perestroika (“Restructuring”)

• Allowed the Soviet economy to be less communist, and more capitalist

– Glasnost (“openness”)• Allowed more freedom of speech and religion

in the Soviet Union

Communism Falls Apart

• In response to Gorbachev’s reforms, many countries in Eastern Europe began to overthrow their communist governments

• Berlin Wall– Gorbachev orders guards to stand down on Nov. 9th,

1989• Video

– East and West Germany are reunited after the fall of the Berlin Wall

– Became the unofficial symbol of the end of the Cold War

The Soviet Union Collapses

• Following the reforms by Gorbachev, the Soviet Union broke apart– Several Soviet territories declared independence

• The Communist party was outlawed• In December, 1991, Gorbachev resigned

declaring that the Soviet Union no longer existed– The Russian Federation took its place– The Cold War was officially over

Cost of the Cold War

• 45 years• $19.2 trillion dollars• 36,516 killed in Korea• 58,209 killed in Vietnam

Outcome

• U.S. stands alone as the world’s only superpower– Tremendous military and economic advantage

over the rest of the world

Quick Review1. What was causing the Soviet Union to weaken in the late

1980’s?– Their economy was struggling due to the arms race

2. How did Soviet leader Gorbachev try to save the Soviet Union?– Created reforms (perestroika & glasnost) that created more freedoms

3. What became the unofficial symbol of the end of the Cold War?– Fall of the Berlin wall

4. What signaled the official end of the Cold War?– Resignation of Gorbachev and the dissolution of the Soviet Union

5. What was the outcome of the Cold War from the U.S. perspective?– We became the only superpower in the world