1. Threats to Détente Lesson starter Describe the consequences of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (4 marks) Today we will understand the events that threatened Detente

2. The following events are evidence of how Détente had come to a halt by the 1980s (2010 paper)

3. USSR invades Afghanistan in 1979 to protect Communist government from Mujeheddin (Muslim Rebel) attack USA back Muslim Rebels

4. Mujaheddin

5. 1980 Ronald Reagan is new President of USA and is fiercely anti- Communist

6. Mid 1970s African Civil Wars on Angola and Mozambique Russians back one side, USA back anti – Communist forces

7. 1978 Nicaragua (South America) government overthrown by Communists USA concerned

8. Reagan gave the go-ahead to create a new nuclear weapon, the neutron bomb He increased defence spending He publicly called the USSR the ‘Evil Empire’

9. Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI) Plan to build a laser shield around US ‘Star Wars' Not a realistic possibility but it worried Soviets

10. Fortunately Gorbachev (1985 onwards) was realistic He knew USSR defence spending could not compete with USA He knew he would have to come to terms with Reagan