POST WWII SUPERPOWERS

1961-1991THE COLD WAR

HEATS UP

NIXON EXTENDS A HAND

Nixon In China

• Nixon sought détente, an easing of tensions with the Soviets and Communist Chinese

• Nixon becomes the 1st President to visit China. This action is an attempt to normalize relations with the Communist power. It will eventually lead to the trade relationship we share today

• Nixon sought détente, an easing of tensions with the Soviets and Communist Chinese

• Nixon becomes the 1st President to visit China. This action is an attempt to normalize relations with the Communist power. It will eventually lead to the trade relationship we share today

Trip to the Soviet Union

• Part of Détente• Resulted in a series of nuclear disarmament treaties:

Antiballistic Missile Treaty (ABM) and the Strategic Arms Limitations Treaty (SALT I)

• Part of Détente• Resulted in a series of nuclear disarmament treaties:

Antiballistic Missile Treaty (ABM) and the Strategic Arms Limitations Treaty (SALT I)

• Jimmy Carter, elected in 1976, insisted on world Civil Rights, which endangered détente

• He is holding a the Soviets to American Human Rights standards– He also signed SALT II,

which limited nukes and launches

– Many thought this weakened our defenses

– Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979

– U.S. feared Soviet invasion threatened Persian Gulf oil supplies.

Soviet Invasionof Afghanistan

• 1979, Soviet military forces invade Afghanistan.

• U.S. supported and trained the Mujahedeen Afghan fighters who years later become Al Qaeda.

• Carter imposes economic sanctions on the Soviets and boycotts the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympic Games.

• So much for detente

• 1979, Soviet military forces invade Afghanistan.

• U.S. supported and trained the Mujahedeen Afghan fighters who years later become Al Qaeda.

• Carter imposes economic sanctions on the Soviets and boycotts the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympic Games.

• So much for detente

Iranian Hostage Crisis• Since the ’50, the US

supported the shah of Iran– He was against

communism– He gave us access to oil– ’79 – the shah was

overthrown by a revolution led by religious leader Ayatollah Khomeini (strict Muslim)

– Carter welcomed the shah into the US to undergo cancer treatment• Iran demanded his

return

• We refused to send the shah back– Iranian student supporters of

Khomeini took the US Embassy and 52 hostages

– Trade the shah for the people?• Carter refused• Hostages were held

for 444 days– Carter banned all

trade with Iran and severed political ties

– Hostages released on inauguration day in 1981 (Reagan)

Arms Buildup

• Reagan believed that an arms buildup would bring a quick end to the Cold War.

• B-1 Bomber program intensified

• MX (Minuteman) missile program intensified to match Soviet SS-20 mobile missile units.

• Conventional forces were rearmed with new and improved weaponry.

• Reagan believed that an arms buildup would bring a quick end to the Cold War.

• B-1 Bomber program intensified

• MX (Minuteman) missile program intensified to match Soviet SS-20 mobile missile units.

• Conventional forces were rearmed with new and improved weaponry.

Strategic DefenseInitiative (SDI)

Reagan Doctrine

• The US government will support any group resisting communist takeover around the globe:

Contras- Nicaragua

Mujihadeen- Afghanistan

Solidarity- Poland

• The US government will support any group resisting communist takeover around the globe:

Contras- Nicaragua

Mujihadeen- Afghanistan

Solidarity- Poland

Reagan DoctrineIran-Contra

• The Iran-Contra scandal of 19861.Secretary of Defense Casper Weinberger arranged to

sell antitank and antiaircraft missiles to the Iranians for help freeing American hostages in Lebanon.

2.Colonel Oliver North then diverted the funds from the sell to support Nicaragua’s Contra rebels in their civil war against the Sandinistas.

3.This sell was against stated US policy and concealed from the American public.

4.Reagan claimed he had no knowledge of the affair.5.Reagan temporarily suffered a sharp, but temporary,

drop in popularity polls. Thus, even this scandal did not stick to him or become another Watergate.

• The Iran-Contra scandal of 19861.Secretary of Defense Casper Weinberger arranged to

sell antitank and antiaircraft missiles to the Iranians for help freeing American hostages in Lebanon.

2.Colonel Oliver North then diverted the funds from the sell to support Nicaragua’s Contra rebels in their civil war against the Sandinistas.

3.This sell was against stated US policy and concealed from the American public.

4.Reagan claimed he had no knowledge of the affair.5.Reagan temporarily suffered a sharp, but temporary,

drop in popularity polls. Thus, even this scandal did not stick to him or become another Watergate.

Fall of the Soviet Union

• Mikhail Gorbachev (1984-1991)

• Last Soviet leader• Glasnost (openness)• Perestroika

(restructuring)

• Mikhail Gorbachev (1984-1991)

• Last Soviet leader• Glasnost (openness)• Perestroika

(restructuring)

U.S.-Soviet Relations

• Reagan called the USSR “the evil empire.”• Four major

summits between USSR and the US.

• Reagan called the USSR “the evil empire.”• Four major

summits between USSR and the US.

U.S.-Soviet Relations

• June 12, 1987, Reagan asked Gorbachev to “tear down this wall (Berlin Wall).”

• June 12, 1987, Reagan asked Gorbachev to “tear down this wall (Berlin Wall).”

Fall of the Berlin WallNovember 1989

Fall of the Soviet Union

• Boris Yeltsin led a pro-democracy movement in Russia after a coup attempt to overthrow Gorbachev.

• Renamed the nation Russia in 1992

• Boris Yeltsin led a pro-democracy movement in Russia after a coup attempt to overthrow Gorbachev.

• Renamed the nation Russia in 1992

Fall of Satellite Nations

Former Soviet satellites formed democracies and free market economies.

Former Soviet satellites formed democracies and free market economies.

Commonwealth of Nations

• Twelve former Soviet republics realigned into this loose confederation dominated by Russia.

• Replaced the Soviet Union in 1992

• Twelve former Soviet republics realigned into this loose confederation dominated by Russia.

• Replaced the Soviet Union in 1992