1. END OF THE COLD WAR
Chapter 33 Section 4

2. NEW LEADERSHIP 1985 – Mikhail Gorbachev becomes leader of Soviet Union
Economic Conditions:
Agricultural production down
Limited/poor quality of goods,
Little incentive for workers to work harder/produce more
Shortages; rationing
Severe housing crisis

3. NEW IDEAS Perestroika – economic “restructuring”
Closed unprofitable state run factories; limited private ownership
Cut defense budget
Glasnost – “openess” in regard to nation’s political and social problems
Media and public allowed greater freedom to criticize the gov’t

4. REAGAN’S VIEW OF USSR
Early in Presidency, thought Soviet Union was the “Evil Empire”
ongoing threat to freedom and democracy
Led to the Reagan Doctrine
Strategic Air Defense Initiate (SDI)
1983
Idea to create a “missile shield” to protect the US from a nuclear attack
To be a deterrent to war; make nuclear weapons obsolete
Dubbed “Star Wars” by the media
Nuclear Freeze Movement – halt production, testing, and deployment of nuclear weapons by the superpowers

7. NEGOTIATIONS Gorbachev’s View:
Arms race = costly (already in economic trouble; fighting a war in Afghanistan)
Reduction might help Soviet economy
BUT - SDI is worrisome; leaves USSR vulnerable to attack
Deal-breaker!
Reagan:
Agreed to meet in 1985, then again in 1986
Turns out they liked each other

8. OUTCOME
1987 – Both leaders signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty)
Both countries agreed to remove and destroy all missiles with a range of miles
Both sides would have to destroy missiles and be allowed to inspect each other’s missile bases