Review Cold War Hot Spots Resistance to Soviet

Review Cold War Hot Spots

Resistance to Soviet Oppression • Hungary 1956 • Czechoslovakia 1968 • Afghanistan 1979 -1989 (Soviet Union’s Vietnam War) • Soviet Union had to use extreme force to crush the resistance to their rule.

Hungarian Uprising 1956

Czechoslovakia 1968

Afghanistan 1979 -1989

Detente • Détente is a French term, meaning a relaxing or easing • it is primarily used in reference to the general reduction in the tension between the Soviet Union and the United States and a thawing of the Cold War

Nixon on the Road • Nixon visited China to ease the tension • Nixon also signed Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) with the Soviet Union to lower armaments, and ease the tension

• Mikhail Gorbachev: – Grandfather was tortured by Stalin’s NKVD Secret police – Gorbachev eventually became a member of the Communist Party – In 1985 he became Secretary General

Perestroika • Perestroika was a policy designed to revitalize the Soviet economy by opening it up to more free enterprise (becoming more capitalist). • Similar to Lenin’s New Economic Policy • The Arms Race had nearly bankrupted the Soviet economy

Glasnost • Glasnost: A policy of Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev which called for more openness with the nations of West, and a relaxing of restraints on Soviet citizenry.

“Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” Ronald Reagan

Aim: What unintended consequences did Glasnost have? Collapse of the communist regimes Communist regimes in Eastern Europe saw what was going on in the USSR. They were also warned that their communist governments would be no longer supported by the military force from the USSR. The mood changed and led to the collapse in a domino effect. The following countries declared their independence from the Soviet Union o Poland - 1989 o East Germany - 1989 o Czechoslovakia – 1989 o Romania – 1989 o Hungary – 1989 o Bulgaria – 1989 o The Baltic republics – 1990

Quiz • Enjoy!