THE COLD WAR COMES TO AN END

Modern World History

Destalinization

Stalin dies in 1953 Nikita Khrushchev

named Premier Denounces the

jailing/execution of Soviet citizens

Monuments to Stalin torn down

Stalingrad renamed Volgograd

Not Tough Enough

Hungary & Czechoslovakia attempt Revolutions Khrushchev &

Brezhnev put down revolutions violently

Tanks & Infantry restore pro-Soviet governments

Detente

Détente: foreign policy that sought to ease relations with the Communist world by increasing diplomatic, commercial, and cultural contact with Cold War enemies

Nixon to China (Feb. 1972) Nixon: “we want the Chinese

with us when we sit down and negotiate with the Russians.”

Strategic Arms Limitation Talks SALT (May 1972) Signed by Nixon & Brezhnev

Helsinki Accords limit ICBMs Signed in Aug. 1975 33 UN nations sign

The Evil Empire Crumbles

Mikhail Gorbachev (1985) Young (54) Promoted Glasnost

Openness, the free-flow of ideas and information

Churches reopened, censorship relaxed, prisoners released, etc

Promoted Perestroika Economic restructuring Goal: improve efficiency Goal: productivity

Promoted Democratic Reforms Result: election of new

legislature

The Evil Empire Crumbles

Ethnic Tensions Boil Over Baltic Nations

authority March 1990 Gorbi institutes economic

sanctions Troops kills 14 & wounds

100s Jan. 1991

Yeltsin criticizes Gorbi’s use of force

The Evil Empire Crumbles

August Coup Fails (1991) Hardliners – fearful of losing control Military detains Gorbi in the Black

Sea Tanks roll into Moscow Yeltsin leads popular opposition Military unwilling to fire on citizens Gorbi returns & resigns Communist Parliament votes to end

control 15 Soviets declare independence

Dec. 1991