Transcript The End of the Cold War

The End of the Cold War
VA/US HISTORY
KATHERINE LACKS
Review
 The Cold War started after WWII when the US and
USSR became the world superpowers
 USSR: communist
 US
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Political system: democracy
Economic system: capitalism
Review
 US policy towards the USSR had been containment
 Why we entered Korean War, Iraq and Middle East
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conflicts, Vietnam
Nixon ended the Vietnam War with Vietnamization
He became the first POTUS to visit China and USSR
Signed SALT with the USSR (Strategic Arms Limitation
Treaty)
Nixon then resigned from office after the Watergate
Scandal, making him the only POTUS to ever quit the job
Ford, Nixon’s 2nd VP, became President
US under Ford
 Pardoned Nixon
 Signed the Helsinki Accords
 Agreement between 35 states, including the US, Canada, and
all European states except Albania and Andorra to improve
relations between NATO countries and the communist bloc
 Helped reduce Cold War tensions and push towards détente
(the easing of strained relations, especially in a political
situation)
US under Ford
 Ford prevented a new war in the Middle East by
giving aid to both Israel and Egypt
 Ford did not want to run again in 1976, but he was
encouraged to by his party
 He was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter of
Georgia
Carter: Domestic Affairs
 Environment: expanded the national park system
included protection of 103 million acres of Alaskan
lands
 Created the Department of Education, bolstered the
Social Security system, and appointed record
numbers of women, blacks, and Hispanics to
Government jobs
Carter: Foreign Affairs
 Championed human rights issues
 Camp David Accords: Truce between Israel and
Egypt
 Established full diplomatic relations with China
 Completed negotiation of SALT II with the Soviet
Union
 1979: gave aid (money and weapons) to Afghanistan
to help them fight off the invading Soviets
Carter: Foreign Affairs
 Iran Hostage Crisis
 Iranians seized 66 hostages of the U. S. embassy staff in
Tehran, Iran on Nov. 4, 1979
 Missions to save the Americans failed
 consequences of Iran's holding Americans captive, together
with continuing inflation at home, contributed to Carter's
defeat in 1980
 Six Americans escaped and of the 66 who were taken hostage,
13 were released on Nov. 19 and 20, 1979; one was released on
July 11, 1980, and the remaining 52 were released on Jan. 20,
1981, the day Carter left office
US Under Reagan
 Carter lost the 1980 Presidential Election to
Republican Ronald Reagan from California by a
landslide
New Conservatism
 Reduced public faith in the government’s ability to
solve social and economic problems, the growth of
religious fundamentalism, and the dissemination of
neoconservative thought all combined to invigorate
conservatism.
 The rapid and substantial growth of evangelical and
fundamentalist Christian churches and
organizations, as well as increased political
participation by some of those groups, encouraged
significant opposition to liberal social and political
trends.
Reagan
 “Government is not the solution to
our problems, government is the
problem” (1st Inaugural)
 Goals:
 Get American government off the backs
of the people
 Restore US prestige internationally by
building up US defenses
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Ex. SDI (Star Wars Defense System)
US under Reagan
 He entered the presidency during the greatest
recession since the Great Depression
 Reagan obtained legislation to stimulate
economic growth, curb inflation, increase
employment, and strengthen national
defense.
 He embarked upon a course of cutting taxes and
Government expenditures
 This rejuvenation of the American economy became
known as supply-side economics or “Reaganomics”
Reagan: Foreign Affairs
 Very active in foreign affairs
 “Reagan Doctrine” = support Freedom Fighters
(anti--communists)
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Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador
Invasion of Grenada
Panama, arrest strong man president
Arm groups fighting USSR in Afghanistan
CIA involvement
Reagan: Foreign Affairs
 The Reagan Administration’s NSC arranges secret
arms for Iran to fund covert military aid to Contra
(anti communist) forces in Nicaragua’s civil war. (In
violation of US Law)
NSC Iran Contra point
man Oliver
North testifies
before
Congress.
Reagan: Foreign Affairs
 Maintained a working relationship with Soviet leader
Mikhail Gorbachev
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negotiated a treaty that would eliminate intermediate-range
nuclear missiles (INF Treaty)
Glasnost: Openness; Soviet policy permitting open discussion
of political and social issues at the end of the Cold War
Perestroika: Restructuring of the Soviet economy to help the
people in the mid-1980s
Reagan: Foreign Affairs
Reagan: Foreign Affairs
 Reagan traveled to
West Berlin in 1987 to
commemorate the
750th anniversary of
the city
 He made a speech at
the Brandenburg Gate
of the Berlin Wall and
challenged Gorbachev
 USSR = “Evil
Empire”
Reagan: Foreign Affairs
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“We welcome change and openness; for we believe that
freedom and security go together, that the advance of
human liberty can only strengthen the cause of world
peace. There is one sign the Soviets can make that would
be unmistakable, that would advance dramatically the
cause of freedom and peace. General Secretary
Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for
the Soviet Union and eastern Europe, if you seek
liberalization, come here to this gate. Mr. Gorbachev,
open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this
wall!”
–Ronald Reagan
Reagan: Foreign Affairs
 In November 1989, the Soviets announced that the
people of East and West Berlin could once again
unite, and the Berlin Wall was torn down
The End of the Cold War
 Reagan is viewed as one of the most successful US
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presidents
The Soviet Union was officially dissolved on December
25, 1991 during the presidency of George H. W. Bush
The former communist country re-adopted its original
name, Russia
Minorities were freed and given their own countries :
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine, Azerbaijan,
Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan,
Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova
Boris Yeltsin became the 1st President of the new Russia
is 1991
George H. W. Bush
 Incumbent in Election of 1988, won
 From TX
 “No new taxes”
 Gulf War 1990 – 91
Election of 1992
 George H. W. Bush (Rep, Texas)
 Bill Clinton (Dem, Arkansas)
 Ross Perot (Ind, Texas)
 Perot and Bush split the Rep vote; Bill Clinton wins
 Bill Clinton (1993 – 2000)
Bill Clinton – Domestic Issues
 Contract with America (with House Speaker Newt
Gingrich) – transferred means tested programs to
state level
 Tried to create national health care system, failed
 Oklahoma City Bombing
 Impeachment trial
Bill Clinton – Foreign Affairs
 The Balkans
 Haiti
 North Korea
 Somalia (Battle of Mogadishu)
George H. W. Bush (2000 – 2009)
 No Child Left Behind
 9/11
 Afghanistan
 Iraq
 Patriot Act