The Cold War Thaws

The Soviets Dominate Eastern Europe Destalinization and Rumblings of Protest Khrushchev denounced Stalin and began policy of destalinization Destroyed monuments and urged “peaceful competition” with capitalist states View did not change in satellite countries Examples: Hungary and Czechoslovakia

From Brinkmanship to Detente Brinkmanship Breaks Down This policy followed by Ike, JFK, and LBJ led to one terrifying incident after another U-2 incident, Cuban Missile Crisis, assassination of JFK, Vietnam War The United States Embraces Détente US began backing away from direct confrontation with the Soviets Détente replace brinkmanship  came from realistic politics and handling other nations in a practical and flexible manner Began under Nixon, who was also the first American to visit Communist China and Soviet Union since the start of the Cold War Signed SALT I Treaty in 1972

Détente Cools Under Nixon and Ford, US relations with China and the USSR improved Yet in 1970s, President Jimmy Carter was concerned over the harsh treatment of Soviet protesters threatened to prevent a second round of SALT negotiations 1979  SALT II signed but not ratified Reagan Abandons Détente Took office 1981  vehemently anti-Communist 1983, announced Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) to protect America from enemy missiles Transfer of power in USSR brought a new policy toward the US and the final thaw in the Cold War.

1983 – Star wars March 23, Reagan outlined his Strategic Defense Initiative, or "Star Wars," a space-based defensive shield that would destroy attacking missiles far above the Earth's surface. Soviets forced to spend heavily to match the program causing near economic collapse.

1985 – Gorbachev comes to power On March 11, Mikhail Gorbachev came to power in the Soviet Union. Gorbachev ushered in an era of reform Economic reform- restructuring Glasnost: means openness, allowed greater free expression and criticism of Soviet policies

1987 -- INF On December 8, 1987, Reagan and Gorbachev signed the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty It mandated the removal of more than 2,600 medium-range nuclear missiles from Europe

1989 – Berlin Wall Falls On September 10, Hungary opened its border with Austria, allowing East Germans to flee to the West. After massive public demonstrations in East Germany and Eastern Europe, the Berlin Wall fell on November 9.

Fall of Berlin Wall

Fall of Berlin wall

1990 – German Unification At a September 12 meeting in Moscow, the United States, Soviet Union, Great Britain, France and the two Germanys agreed to end Allied occupation rights in Germany. On October 3, East and West Germany united as the Federal Republic of Germany.