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Published byつねたけ のじま Modified over 5 years ago
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Objective: What conditions caused the Cold War to end?
Do Now: What do you think it would be like to live behind a concrete wall and barbed wire? How would you feel about living in such conditions?
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The End of Détente The USSR invades Afghanistan in 1979
President Jimmy Carter and US angry at USSR US condemns Soviet aggression US refuses to participate in the Moscow Olympics of 1980 Détente ends
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President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan was Elected in 1980 Reagan was strongly anti-communist Called the USSR an “evil empire” Meets with Pope John Paul II, both condemn Communism and Soviet rule of Eastern Europe
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Reagan’s actions against Communism
Reagan increases military spending (100 Billion Dollars) Sends aid to the anti-communist Contras in Nicaragua (Sandinistas) Economic pressure on USSR and East European communist nations Invests in new technologies/weapons “Star Wars” Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)
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Try This One!!
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Problems Within the Soviet Union
Poland’s Solidarity Movement resists communist rule (1981) Soviet economy weakening, no money (not as good as the US) New Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev wants to fix the Soviet Union: Glasnost: “openness” of USSR society Summit Meetings between the US and USSR
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The Fall of Communism 1980s: East Europeans begin to protest against Communist rule Gorbachev was unwilling and unable to keep Soviet troops in East Europe 1989: East Germany , Poland and others force communists out 1991: Gorbachev resigns, USSR collapses
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The Results of Communism’s Collapse
Eastern European nations now free Soviet Union breaks into numerous nations, the largest being Russia Former eastern-bloc nations face political and economic problems However, the Cold War was over The US was the world’s only “Superpower”
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Wrap it up!
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