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Motives and Aims of Western Govs
-elections of Margaret Thatcher in Br 1979 + Ronald Reagan in 1981-rise of new right
-regarded Communism as morally evil system + believed West had moral duty to challenge this
-West no longer prepared to compromise with USSR -
Gorbachev's new thinking + rejection of Marxism-Leninism
-52 year old-young
-rejects many basic assumptions of earlier Soviet foreign policy-response to crisis
-dictated by problems he inherited
-stagnation under Brezhnev + predecessors had terrible consequences
-collapse of détente-new + expensive arms race
-USSR suffering from global over-stretch-fighting unwinnable war in Afg + giving financial + military aid to left-wing regimes in Angola + H of Africa
-15,000 died in Af + $18b a year
-eco needed W input-70% state budget=military -
Problems Gorbachev inherited
-cost of subsidizing the increasingly backward economis of E bloc-$80b in 1970s
-lack of high-tech goods-1985 USSR 8000 computers, USA 6m
-unsustainable 25% of GNP spent on armed forces
-fall in oil price
-$40b a year to bloc, Angola + Afg
-credibility of communism underminded -
Gorbachev aims and programmes
-economic programme Perestroika-lacked clear strategy
-glasnost-greater openness-gov more accountable to public scrutiny
-people should enjoy more freedom + improve living standards -
Actions of Gorbachev to improve East-West relations
-greater economic progress if USSR not involved in expensive arms race part of Cold War strategy
-unlike Stalin, Khru + Brez, G did not conduct foreign policy to Marxist Leninist revolutionary ideology-no longer believed Comm would eventually triumph
-worked to get international co-operation + real co-existence, converge rather than conflict
-co-operative security + normalised relations -
Western powers + relations w/ Gorbachev
-despite hardline approach, Reagan's attitude changed dramatically during second term 1985-89
-believed Gorbachev serious about reform-game changing moment
-reluctant to help USSR-stood passively as Sov economy spiralled
-"zero option" at Reykjavil 1986-agreement year later on elimination of intermediate range missiles from EU
-Reagan's desire to eliminate nuclear weapons proved pivotal + gave signal that bold initiatives reciprocated, not exploited
-Reagan didn't win CW, Gorb abandoned it -
Period: to
Gorbachev and the Four Summits
-Reagan's hardline attitude changed dramatically 2nd term, believed G serious about reform
-Geneva Summit 1985-no agreement on SDI plans, agreed to meet again, reduce nuclear arsenals by 1/2
-Reykjavik 1986-no agreement-USSR wanted end of SDI, Regan refused, focused on arms reduction, not limitation, beyond SALT
-INF Treaty 1987-committed superpowers to remove all IR missile from EU
-Moscow 1988-agreements to extend trade + tech links
-Malta-formally declared Cold War is over -
Chernobyl disaster
-took Gorbachev away from ideas of WR + Brezhnev Doctrine
-domestic and international agendas driven by economy
-USSR economic capacity to support foreign policy diminishing constantly
-priority to economy, impact on foreign
-change-believed economy couldn't survive, so focus changed to support economy
-USSR could no longer afford Cold War confrontation + renounced the idea of inevitable world conflict -
Rejection of Brezhnev Doctrine
-pursuit of eco stability + survival of USSR, revolutionised
-glasnost (greater freedom of expression + openness) could not be contained within boundaries of USSR + spread behind Iron Curtain
-G envisioned glasnost leading to reform + survival of communism across E EU-torrent of nationalism
-July 1989, Sov position "disallowed all possibility of resorting to threat or use of force"-Sinatra Doctrine -
Collapse of Eastern Bloc-effects of rejection of Brezhnev Doc
-Sov gov gave $2b a year to maintain stability in Poland, but banned TU Solidarity continued to operate underground
-GDR, most prosperous, economy stagnating-shortage of consumer goods, Leipzig 12yr waiting list for car
-Comm control crumbled in Poland + Hungary without guarantee of Red Army
-cuts Red Army by 500,000 1987
-15th Feb 1989 all troops gone from Afghanistan
-G "all peoples of E EU free to seek own destinies", by XMAS 1989 all Comm regimes gone -
Roles of Bush + Thatcher - successes
-Bush realised fall of Berlin Wall in Nov 1989 could undermind Gorb + remove him from office
-believed Cold War only brought to end if Gorb remained in office
-continually stressed unification of Ger did not threaten USSR
-Moscow May 1990 Bush assured Gorb that as a member of NATO, unified Ger could not act unilaterally to USSR
-successful, Germany reunited in Oct 1990
-Thatcher supported + encouraged change to Gorb-vital
-She first recognised that Gorb was someone West could do business with -
Fall of USSR 1991
-old style USSR-15 republics, legally independent but governed by Communist Party led from Moscow
-Eastern bloc disintegrated, more seeked genuine independence
-G not use force to resist demands
resignation Dec 1991-USSR ceased to exist