1 / 25

Cartoons of the Day

Cartoons of the Day. The Cold War: Military, Reagan & Gorbachev, and Collapse of the Soviet Union. AMERICA’S MILITARY DURING THE COLD WAR. In Pres. John F. Kennedy’s INAUGURAL ADDRESS, he pledged that the United States would

hana
Download Presentation

Cartoons of the Day

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Cartoons of the Day

  2. The Cold War: Military, Reagan & Gorbachev, and Collapse of the Soviet Union

  3. AMERICA’S MILITARY DURING THE COLD WAR • In Pres. John F. Kennedy’s INAUGURAL ADDRESS, he pledged that the United States would “PAY ANY PRICE, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty”

  4. A STRONG military was key to America’s success in the Cold War During the Cold War, MILLIONS of Americans served in the military, defending freedom in wars and conflicts that were NOT ALWAYS POPULAR. Many were killed or wounded.

  5. As a result of their service, the UNITED STATES and American IDEALS of democracy and freedom ultimately PREVAILED in the Cold War struggle with Soviet communism

  6. VETERANS OF THE COLD WAR • UNLIKE WWII veterans (who returned to a grateful, supportive nation), VIETNAM VETERANS returned often to face INDIFFERENCE or outright HOSTILITY • It was not until SEVERAL YEARS AFTER the war ended that the wounds of the war began to HEAL in America, and Vietnam veterans were RECOGNIZED for their service and sacrifice

  7. HOMELESS VETERANS • 8.2 MILLION Vietnam-era veterans • 429,000 veterans served in BOTH the Korean and Vietnam conflicts • VETERANS AFFAIRS estimates that approx. 107,000 veterans are HOMELESS on any given night • Nearly HALF of homeless veterans served during the VIETNAM ERA. Two-thirds served our country for at least THREE YEARS, and one-third were stationed in a WAR ZONE.

  8. Nixon and Foreign Policy • Richard M. Nixon elected president in 1968 • Nixon’s greatest achievements as President occurred in FOREIGN POLICY • CREATIVE approach to foreign affairs helped ease Cold War TENSIONS • Relied heavily on Secretary of State HENRY KISSINGER

  9. Nixon and Kissinger brought about DÉTENTE (a RELAXATION in tensions) between the UNITED STATES and the world’s two Communist GIANTS – CHINA and the SOVIET UNION.

  10. IMPROVED relationship with China • LIFTED restrictions on travel to China • ENDED trade embargo • Nixon was FIRST PRESIDENT to visit China (1972)

  11. IMPROVED relationship with Soviet Union • Nixon VISITED Soviet Union in 1972, met with Soviet premier • Completed negotiations on SALT I (STRATEGIC ARMS LIMITATIONS TALKS) – froze the number of missiles at 1972 levels

  12. Ford and Carter • After Nixon RESIGNED on August 9, 1974, GERALD R. FORD became president • Ford PARDONED Nixon for all offenses (SPARED HIM from further punishment)

  13. 1976 election won by JIMMY CARTER • Former PEANUT FARMER, GOVERNOR of Georgia, NO national political experience • Carter faced several issues during his presidency, including: • Unstable ECONOMY • BOYCOTT of 1980 Olympics in Moscow • IRAN HOSTAGE CRISIS

  14. REAGAN & GORBACHEV • Reagan elected president in 1980 • Former HOLLYWOOD ACTOR • GOVERNOR of California when elected • OLDEST man to serve as President

  15. Reagan believed in a tough approach toward the Soviet Union (the “EVIL EMPIRE”) • Very costly MILITARY BUILDUP • STRATEGIC DEFENSE INITIATIVE  proposed creation of massive satellite shield in space (nicknamed “Star Wars”)

  16. Reagan INCREASED U.S. military and economic PRESSURE on the Soviet Union • CHALLENGED moral legitimacy of the Soviet Union  example: SPEECH AT BERLIN WALL • Despite fierce anti-Communist attitude, Reagan developed CLOSE FRIENDSHIP with Soviet leader Mikhail GORBACHEV

  17. Gorbachev’s policies • To reform ailing Soviet system, Gorbachev instituted GLASNOST and PERESTROIKA • Glasnost: means “POLITICAL OPENESS” (freedom of speech) • Perestroika: means “RESTRUCTURING”, an economic policy to allow LIMITED free enterprise (capitalism)

  18. END OF THE SOVIET UNION: REASONS FOR COLLAPSE • INCREASING Soviet military EXPENSES to compete with the United States • Rising NATIONALISM in the Soviet republics

  19. Fast-paced REFORMS (market economy) • Economic INEFFICIENCY • Policies of GLASNOST and PERESTROIKA = opening up of the political system

  20. Fall of Berlin Wall, Soviet Union Dissolves • NOVEMBER 9, 1989 – Berlin Wall comes down

  21. Mikhail GORBACHEV RESIGNED the presidency of the Soviet Union on December 25, 1991 and the Soviet Union was DISSOLVED by the next week • Soviet Union was REPLACED by a LOOSE ALLIANCE of former Soviet republics called the COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES

  22. Reagan at Brandenburg Gate

More Related