End of the Cold War

1. What is the policy of détente? Why did the US adopt this policy?

Country United States United Soviet Socialists Republic

Leader

Ronald Reagan Mikael Gorbachev

2. What were Glasnost (Openness)
their policies?

Policy: a course or
principle of action
adopted or proposed
by a government, Perestroika (Restructuring)
party, business, or
individual.

3. What was the

impact of their
policies?

4. What did the fall of the Berlin Wall symbolize for Eastern Europe?

5. What was the result of the attempted coup d’état of Gorbachev?

6. Who do you think was more responsible for the collapse of the Soviet Union, Reagan or Gorbachev?
 End of the Cold War
1. What is the policy of détente? Why did the US adopt this policy?

The Vietnam War was a disaster for the United States. That failure and the recognition that the arms race was hurting
both sides of the conflict encourages the US and Soviet Union to move towards a relaxation of tensions, known as
détente. They began greater dialogue and moved to arms control treaties. The era of détente came to an end with the
Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

Country United States United Soviet Socialists Republic

Leader

Ronald Reagan Mikael Gorbachev

2. What were Reagan rejected détente and began a new Glasnost (Openness):
their policies? arms race with huge military spending on Recognizing the huge level of corruption in the
technology. Soviet government, he tried to bring
Policy: a course or accountability through a free press, open
principle of action criticism of the government and some
adopted or proposed
by a government, democratic elements.
party, business, or Perestroika (Restructuring):
individual. The overspending on the military had caused the
Soviet economy to lag. He began to loosen the
government direction of the economy by
allowing some private business.
3. What was the A rejection of détente moved the US to The reforms prompted the Eastern European
impact of their aggressively expand military spending and governments of the Soviet bloc to quickly
policies? attempt to roll back communist government separate from the Soviet Union.
around the world through proxy wars.

4. What did the fall of the Berlin Wall symbolize for Eastern Europe?

Since the beginning of the Cold War and the tension around the division of Germany, the Berlin Wall symbolized the
division between the two ideologies of the East (communism) and West (liberal democracy). The tearing down of the
Berlin Wall indicated the “iron curtain” was being drawn back and communism was on the decline.

5. What was the result of the attempted coup d’état of Gorbachev?

The coup d’etat by the hardline communists in Russia undermined the legitimacy of Gorbachev as head of the Soviet
Union. The rise of Boris Yeltsin led to the break up of the Soviet Union.

6. Who do you think was more responsible for the collapse of the Soviet Union, Reagan or Gorbachev?