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The Final Decades of the Cold War. 1960s-1990s. Soviet Union relied on their satellites (examples: Poland , Czechoslovakia, Romania), who are starting to resist the control of the Soviet Union. As a result, the Soviet economy begins to weaken.
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The Final Decades of the Cold War 1960s-1990s
Soviet Union relied on their satellites (examples: Poland, Czechoslovakia, Romania), who are starting to resist the control of the Soviet Union. As a result, the Soviet economy begins to weaken. • Stalin dies in 1953-Khruschevcomes to power in the Soviet Union
Cuban Missile Crisis • Background: • US supported an unpopular Cuban dictator in the 1950s • Communist Revolution led by Fidel Castro, occurred and was successful • America stopped trading with Cuba, so Castro turned to the USSR for aid • Bay of Pigs Invasion—1960—failed invasionof Cuba by the U.S.
1962—Khruschev has nuclear missile sites built in Cuba • America responds by sending troops to Florida, ready to invade Cuba • Great Britain, led by Margaret Thatcher is on America’s side • British Prime Minister who supported free trade and less government regulation of business • Closely tied to the USA and supported the rise of British military power • The WORLD IS ON EDGE
Result • Khruschev promises to remove missiles from Cuba/Kennedy decides not to invade Cuba • Closest the world EVER comes to nuclear war • Cuba and USSR ended their relationship in 1991 • USA still has trade embargoes on Cuba today
The USSR Starts to Fail • Relationship ended between China and USSR by 1969 • As a result, relations between USSR and India (led byIndira Gandhi) improve and India starts to develop a nuclearprogram • Nationalism grows in the Warsaw Pact countries • Nationalist revolutionsoccur in Soviet satellites • Economic recovery after WWII had been slow: people resented the Soviet Union • The revolts by Czechoslovakia and Hungary were met with resistance by the USSR
1970s • Cool-down of tension begins • Vietnam war very unpopularin the USA • US and Soviets agree together to reduce tensions • President Nixon aids this by visiting China and the USSR
1980s • Mikhail Gorbachev comes to power in the Soviet Union • **Last Communist President!** • Committed to glasnost(openness) and perestroika (restructuring) of the Soviet economy • In other words, he opened up economy to capitalism • Democratizationof the Soviet Union • Gorbachev opened up eastern European nations to democracywhich led to the break-up of the USSR • Demonstrations in Berlin cause the Wall to be torn down in October of 1989 • President Ronald Regan emphasized the need for this to occur
1990s • Germany officially reunited on October 3, 1990 • June 1991: Yeltsin becomes the 1st elected Presidentin the Soviet Union • Communism has lost control • Communists try a coup to retake country and fail • By December, all 15 Soviet satellites have declared independence, and the Soviet Union collapsed • NATO expands as a result: • Adds: Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary in 1991; Bulgaria, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia joined in 2004