1. Arms Race & the End of the Cold War
Lecture # 7 Objective~ Intense competition between US & the USSR…and the end

2. Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD)
Arms Race –
1945 U.S. A-Bomb
1949 USSR
1953 both had h- bombs
Espionage ~ U-2 spy planes
Col. Francis Gary Powers’ plane was shot
down over Soviet airspace (1960)

3. Space Race 1950s-60s USSR launched Sputnik 1957
USA launched satellite 1958
Soviets were 1st to orbit in space
US~ 23 days later
U.S. sent 1st person to moon Neil Armstrong
A rocket that could launch a satellite could also launch a nuclear warhead at a target.
In 1961 Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet was the first man to orbit the earth – the Soviets had the lead. For Khrushchev it was a triumph for communismThe economy, science, culture and the creative genius of people in all areas of life develop better and faster under communism.’ Khrushchev
Race would continue until 1980’s
‘ The Sputniks prove that communism has won the
competition between communist and capitalist countries.’

4. Brinkmanship (1960s) to Détente (1970s-80s)
Détente - Reducing tension/prevent nuclear war
1972- Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT I)
1991—Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START)
Reagan
Star Wars (Strategic Defense Initiative SDI)
Caused by
1.Fear of Nuclear war “cooling down”
limit number of submarines & missiles
2. Widespread popular protests
3. Financial

5. Gorbachev Tries Reform
late 1980s
Perestroika~ free market reforms (private ownership)
Glasnost~ “openness” freedom of expression
Open political criticism, freedom of press…democracy
Allowed Reforms in E. Satellite countries
Glasnost- Openness, free flow of ideas & information, more freedomDemocratic movements spread
NATO got more powerful, Warsaw lost power
Perestroika- Restructuring economy less govt. control, allowed private businesses
E. Germany
Czech
Hungary
Poland
Romania

6. The Fall of the U.S.S.R~ 1991 Command Economy
Collectivization = Unproductive
Fell behind in space/arms race
U.S. = Lone Superpower
We win!!!

7. Communism Around the World
China
Influenced by Soviet changes
Economic BOOM
Growth Rates Increased
Vietnam
Opened in the 1990’s
Diplomatic Relations with United States
North Korea
Isolation
Cuba
Economy deteriorated
Poor standard of living
Many believed that Communism would die with Castro