1. The Cold War Thaws

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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.

9. Fall of Berlin Wall

10. Fall of Berlin wall

11. 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.