 Please take out your notebook and a writing utensil.  Today’s Agenda:  Space Race  Last notebook entry (#13)  Notebook Prep  Final Exam Study Guide

MAIN IDEA: EMPIRE BUILDING The Cold War began to thaw as the superpowers entered an era of uneasy diplomacy WHY IT MATTERS NOW: The United States and the countries of the former Soviet Union continue to cooperate and maintain a cautious peace

 The Soviet Union kept a firm grip on their satellite states. They did not allow these Eastern European countries to direct and develop their own economies. Instead, they developed industries that would only benefit the Soviets. These actions greatly hampered Eastern Europe’s economies.

 After Stalin, more moderate Soviet leaders came to power and allowed Eastern European countries to have a little more independence in the 1950s and 1960s. However, there was growing protest movements in these countries and the Soviets began to lose some power. The Soviet Union was also having conflict with China so that forced them to divert their attention from these Eastern European countries.

 Destalinization and Rumblings of Protest  Stalin died in 1953 and Khrushchev came to power – Khrushchev criticized Stalin for jailing and killing Soviet civilians and called for “destalinization” – to remove all reminders of Stalin in the country (people destroyed monuments and statues)  Khrushchev called for peaceful competition capitalist states

 Although life changed slightly in the Soviet Union, it really didn’t change life in Soviet satellite states  Several Eastern European countries attempted to break free from Soviet control Hungary Czechoslovakia Both failed, but this was the start

 The Soviet-Chinese Split  In 1950, China and Soviet Union signed a treaty of friendship was supposed to last for 30 years (ended much sooner)  China was annoyed that they were always in the Soviets’ shadow and began spreading their own brand of communism in Africa and Asia  Soviets punished China by refusing to share nuclear secrets with the them  Alliance was dissolved and the two countries fought along the border – fragile peace

 Both countries started to back off their policies of brinksmanship and moved towards lowing tensions.

 Brinkmanship Breaks Down  Nuclear war was possible and everyone involved was scared Cuban Missile Crisis U2 Incident

 The US Turns to Détente  People were protesting and the US was scared  Policy of Détente (lessening of Cold War tensions) replaced brinksmanship

 Nixon Visits Communist Powers  First president to visit Communist China (felt a country of a billion people was too big to ignore/not have a friendship with)  Nixon’s not that bad…  Because Nixon met with Chinese leaders, the Soviet Union was scared, led to the signing of SALT (beginning of the end)

 Perestroika - restructuring  Glasnost – transparency, openness

 Nixon’s Visit to China  Wanted to become allies (huge country) AWESOME!  Led to détente (easing of tensions)  Soviet Union felt threatened  As a result, the US met with Soviet Union  SALT (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks)  Nixon and Brezhnev signed  Limited weapons for five years  End of the Cold War  Fall of Berlin Wall – 11/10/1989  Soviet Unions collapsed in 1991 (Christmas Day)