Cold War Part III

Old Pals: Ronald Regan and Mikhail Gorbachev

Events not just in Vietnam Prague Spring Leonid Brezhnev became leader of the Soviet

Union after Khrushchev lost power. In 1968, the reforms of Alexander Dubcek

threatened the single party leadership in Czechoslovakia.– Lifting of censorship and the freeing of artists

The Soviet Union sent 250,000 troops to suppress the revolution.

The Brezhnev Doctrine is introduced which gave the Soviet Union the ability to intervene and protect socialism against internal or external forces.

Prague Spring in action

The Velvet Revolution Also known as the “Gentle Revolution” Various protests began in November 1989 in

Prague. By November 27th a two hour general strike was

held involving all citizens of Czechoslovakia. Warsaw Pact and communist single-party rule

collapsed. By Dec. of 1989, the government was largely

made up of non-communists, the most since since 1948.

Vaclav Havel was elected president on Dec. 29, 1989

Vaclav Havel

Back to China-1970’s When we last studied China-Mao had just died

and the Cultural Revolution was just coming to an end.

Mao died on Sept. 9, 1976 and the Gang of Four attempted to seize power.

The Gang of Four controlled much of the Communist party during the last 10 years of the Cultural Revolution.

Members of the Gang of Four included:– Jiang Qing (Mao’s wife)– Zhang Chunqiao– Yao Wenyuan– Wang Hongwen

The Gang of Four

After Mao dies, the Gang will attempt a coup to seize power

The coup is successful and the Gang is charged with counterrevolutionary activity

The Gang will also be held responsible for the chaos during the final decade of the Cultural Revolution.

The Gang was put on “trial” and all member were sentenced to life in prison.

The Gang of Four

The rise of Deng Xiaoping Became leader of the Chinese communist party

after taking power from Hua Gaofeng (who was Mao’s chosen successor) in 1978.

Deng inherited MANY remaining problems from the Great Leap and Cultural Revolution.

Became the core of the “second generation” of Chinese leadership.

Believed in Socialism with Chinese characteristics. Also believed in a socialist market economy-with

some limited private business ownership. He can be credited with the success of China’s

economy today.

Deng Xiaoping

The 4 Modernizations

Agriculture Industry National Defense Science and technology The goal was to make China an economic

super power by early in the 21st century Economic self-reliance, modernization,

foreign trade and the opening of markets.

“Socialism does not mean shared poverty”.

Deng Xiaoping

Tiananmen Square Protests and Massacre Protests were sparked by the death of Hu

Yaobang, a reformist who was backed by Deng. Hu Yaobang died of a heart attack and the

Chinese people were upset by the slow response by the government in planning the funeral.

Public mourning took place in and around Tiananmen Square.

Over 100,000 demonstrators had gathered and the people began to call for democratic reform. Most people were students and intellectuals.

Tiananmen Square Protests and Massacre cont….Marshall Law was declared on May

20th.Soldiers and tanks were sent to

Tiananmen Square on June 4th to take control of the city.

Massive arrests took place and the number of deaths is not accurately known.

“Tank Man”

Nixon in China

When Nixon took office in 1969, the growing importance of China had to be recognized.

In 1971, the U.S. withdrew its objections for China’s entry into the UN

It was no longer a bi-polar world and the emerging powers (such as China) had to be recognized.

In 1972, Nixon visited Mao in Beijing and initiated diplomatic and economic relations with China.

M.A.D

Throughout the 1960’s and 70’s the arms race began and continued through the 1980’s. Weapons of every type were developed.

By 1986, there were an estimated 50,000 nuclear warheads.

Also throughout the 60’s and 70’s, Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) was the doctrine of retaliation.

Definition of Detente

A relaxing or easing of tension between rivals.

A policy toward a rival nation or bloc characterized by increased diplomatic, commercial and a desire to reduce tensions through negotiation or talks.

Pressure for detente

U.S. diplomatic relations with China put more pressure on the Soviet Union for détente.

SALT I-Strategic Arms Limitation Signed in 1972 by both the U.S. and the

Soviet Union and reaffirmed the goal of “peaceful coexistence”.

The Helsinki Accords was not a formal treaty, but was the high point of détente in 1975.

Can détente continue??

In 1974, Nixon resigns and Gerald Ford takes office.

In 1977, Jimmy Carter takes office.SALT II is signed 1979.Carter focuses on human rights, but

meanwhile both the U.S. and the Soviet Union reinforced their nuclear and military strength.

Brezhnev Era in the Soviet Union

Also known as the Brezhnev Stagnation for the lack of economic growth.

Officially lasted from 1965-1985, but was most intense in the 1970’s.

Tried to improve the standard of living for the Soviet people, but allowed the the economy to begin to lag behind western countries.

Dealt with issues such as Prague Spring and the beginnings of Soviet involvement in Afghanistan.

Soviet Leader Brezhnev

Afghanistan-The Soviet Union’s VietnamBeginning in 1979, the Soviet Union

invades Afghanistan, based on the request of the Afghan government.

Lasted until 1989, involving 100,000 Soviet troops.

Carter proclaimed that this was “the most serious threat to world peace since 1945” and a “stepping stone in their possible control over much of the world’s oil supplies”.

Mujahideen (Islamic guerrillas) stand on top of a Soviet helicopter they brought down. The mujahideen fought against the Soviet military occupation of Afghanistan). They used guerrilla-war tactics to ambush Soviet troops.

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Reagan is Elected

In January 1981, Ronald Reagan took office.

Reagan’s position was to take a “hard line” on the Cold War.

He openly called the Soviet Union:– “the focus of evil in the modern world”– “an evil empire with dark purposes”.

Nuclear Arms Control

Both the U.S. and the Soviet Union continue to build arms:– Strategic long-range missiles– Continental ballistic missiles– Launched from land, sea or air– Guided missiles– Continuous testing of nuclear weapons

Nuclear Powers and Capacity

#1 The United States#2 The United Kingdom#3 The Soviet Union#4 France#5 China#6 IndiaToday: Israel, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq,

Libya and North Korea

Star Wars (not the movie)

On March 23 1983, Reagan announces his plan for the interception of long-range missiles from both the ground and space.

Reagan hoped this would end the threat of nuclear attack

Called “Star Wars” by the press, Strategic Defense Initiative by Reagan.

Over 10 years, $50 Billion was spent on this initiative.

In 1993, Clinton renamed “Star Wars”, Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO)

''What if free people could live secure in the knowledge ... that we could intercept and destroy strategic ballistic missiles before they reached our own soil...?”

-Ronald ReaganMarch 1983

The Soviet Union--1985 Mikhail Gorbachev rises to power in the Soviet

Union Perestroika: drastic modification of the centrally

planned command economy inherited by Stalin Glasnost: openness, which would be linked to

economic reform. Changes were brought about that had not been

seen since the revolution. The world realizes that the USSR had been

struggling economically for money years behind the façade of the arms and space race and the Cold War itself.

Gorbachev and Reagan

Gorbachev becomes very popular in the West

In 1981, Reagan administration focuses on arms limitations, now called START (Strategic Arms Reduction Talks)

Gorbachev sees détente as a real way to achieve peace

The leaders meet multiple times to attempt to deduce long-range nuclear weapons.

“Mr. Gorbachev tear down this wall!”

-Ronald Reagan, June 12, 1987

The Collapse of Communism Some events prior to the collapse

Détente and Gorbachev’s “open” policies. Centrally planned economies had stagnated

since the 1970’s. Lech Walesa rose to power in Poland calling

for free elections. In 1989, Hungary opens it’s boarders to

Germans. Revolutions continue to spread to

Czechoslovakia and Bulgaria.

The Berlin Wall

On November 9, 1989--Germans on both sides of the wall began to tear it down.

On October 3, 1990--Germany officially reunited.

The Collapse of the Soviet Union Boris Yeltsin elected to the legislature in

1989 was opposed to Gorbachev. Gorbachev was intent on keeping the “union”

in tact, Yeltsin demanded independence for the Baltic states.

On December 22nd, 1991 the republics of the Soviet Union agreed to its dissolution.

Gorbachev resigns and Yeltsin becomes the first popularly elected president.

Boris Yeltsin

Questions to consider:

Why did the Soviet Union collapse?Was the Soviet system always

destined to fail?If communism failed, could capitalism

also fail?What becomes of all the weaponry

produced during the Cold War?In the end-who won the Cold War?