History (9245) | Détente and the collapse of communism, c1969-1991

🌍 History Study Notes: Détente and the Collapse of Communism (c1969-1991)

Welcome to this critical chapter in Cold War history! Don't worry if this period seems complicated—we're going to break down how two global superpowers (the USA and the USSR) went from trying to be friends to fighting again, and then how one of them simply collapsed.
This study helps us understand how massive conflicts can end, and why economic and political reforms sometimes lead to revolution instead of stability.

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Part 1: The Era of Détente (The Great Thaw), c1969–1979

What was Détente?

Détente (pronounced day-TAHNT) is a French word meaning the easing of strained relations.
Think of the Cold War as a shouting match. Détente was when both sides decided to take a deep breath, lower their voices, and try talking instead of yelling.

Why Did Détente Happen?

By the late 1960s, both the USA and the USSR realized that endless competition was unsustainable.

• The Cost of the Arms Race: Building atomic bombs and massive armies was incredibly expensive. The USSR especially struggled to keep up financially.
• Fear of M.A.D.: Both sides knew that a full-scale war meant Mutually Assured Destruction (M.A.D.). If one side attacked, both would be completely destroyed. This fear encouraged cautious diplomacy.
• Internal Issues: Leaders (like Nixon in the USA and Brezhnev in the USSR) needed stability to focus on problems at home.

Key Achievements of Détente

The most important feature of Détente was the effort to control the deadly nuclear arms race.

1. SALT I (1972) – Strategic Arms Limitation Talks

This was the first major agreement between the superpowers.

• It limited the number of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) and Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBMs) that each side could have.
• Simple Analogy: If nuclear weapons are deadly racing cars, SALT I was the agreement to stop building faster cars and put a cap on the number they already owned.

2. Helsinki Accords (1975)

Signed by 35 nations (including the USA and the USSR), this was a huge moment for security in Europe. The agreement was structured around three key "Baskets":

• Basket 1 (Security): All borders in Europe were officially recognized (including those dividing East and West).
• Basket 2 (Cooperation): Encouraged economic, scientific, and cultural links (trade and exchange programs).
• Basket 3 (Human Rights): This was the most challenging basket for the USSR. Signatories promised to respect human rights, including freedom of speech, religion, and movement. This basket later gave critics in the Soviet Bloc a legal basis to challenge their communist governments.

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Part 2: The End of the Thaw and the Second Cold War (1979–1985)

The Collapse of Détente: Afghanistan (1979)

Détente did not last because the basic mistrust between communism and capitalism remained. The breaking point was the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

Step-by-Step Breakdown: The Afghan Crisis

1. The communist government in Afghanistan was weak and facing an uprising from local rebels (*mujahideen*).
2. In 1979, the USSR invaded Afghanistan to prop up the friendly communist regime and prevent a hostile Islamic government from taking power on its border.
3. US President Jimmy Carter viewed this as Soviet expansionism, breaking the rules of Détente.

The US Response:

• President Carter issued the Carter Doctrine, stating the USA would use military force if necessary to protect its interests in the Middle East.
• The USA boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics.
• Crucially, the USA began secretly arming the Afghan rebels (the mujahideen).

The Rise of Reagan and the "Evil Empire"

When Ronald Reagan became US President in 1981, he firmly rejected Détente, believing the USSR was inherently evil and couldn't be trusted. This marked the start of the Second Cold War.

The Arms Race Relaunched: SDI

Reagan dramatically increased military spending and proposed the most controversial weapons program of the era:

• SDI (Strategic Defense Initiative): Nicknamed "Star Wars" by the media.
• SDI was a massive program designed to use ground and space-based systems to shoot down incoming Soviet nuclear missiles before they could hit the USA.
• Accessibility Note: SDI was never fully built, but the *idea* of it terrified the Soviet leaders. They knew their struggling economy could never afford to develop similar technology, putting them at a massive disadvantage.

Did you know? Reagan famously called the Soviet Union the "Evil Empire" in 1983, a phrase that showed just how far relations had deteriorated since the days of SALT I.

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Part 3: Gorbachev and the Reforms (The Beginning of the End)

A New Leader in a Weakened State

In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev became the leader of the USSR. He inherited a nation in deep trouble:

• The economy was stagnant and failing to provide basic goods.
• The war in Afghanistan was unwinnable and draining resources.
• Soviet technology lagged decades behind the West (especially due to the challenge of SDI).

Gorbachev realized the Soviet system needed radical change to survive.

Gorbachev's Two Key Reforms

Gorbachev introduced two policies aimed at saving communism, but they ended up speeding up its collapse.

1. Glasnost (Openness)

Glasnost meant allowing more transparency and freedom of speech.
Before Glasnost, the government controlled all information. Under Glasnost, people could criticize government officials and problems (like corruption or poor services) openly.

• The consequence: Once people were allowed to speak, they didn't just criticize poor services—they started questioning the legitimacy of the entire communist system.

2. Perestroika (Restructuring)

Perestroika involved fundamental economic restructuring. Gorbachev tried to inject small elements of capitalism (like allowing private small businesses) to boost the failing Soviet economy.

• The consequence: These changes were slow and confusing. They created more instability and economic chaos instead of quick improvements, leading to widespread public frustration.

Memory Trick: Think Glass (Glasnost = seeing through the government) and Pocket (Perestroika = fixing the economy/pockets).

Ending the Brezhnev Doctrine

Perhaps Gorbachev's most important decision was concerning Eastern Europe (the Soviet satellite states).

• Previous Soviet leaders relied on the Brezhnev Doctrine, which stated the USSR had the right to intervene militarily to keep communist regimes in power (e.g., Czechoslovakia, 1968).
• Gorbachev publicly announced that the Soviet Union would no longer interfere in the internal affairs of Eastern Bloc countries.
• This announcement was the green light for the collapse of communism in Europe.

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Part 4: The Collapse of Communism and the End of the Cold War (1989–1991)

The Domino Effect (1989)

Once Eastern Europeans knew the Soviet army would not stop them, peaceful revolutions swept across the region in 1989.

• Poland: Led the way, with the Solidarity trade union winning elections.
• Hungary and Czechoslovakia: Also peacefully transitioned away from communist rule.
• Romania: The only revolution that involved significant violence, resulting in the execution of its dictator, Nicolae Ceaușescu.

The Fall of the Berlin Wall (November 1989)

The most iconic moment of the Cold War's end was the destruction of the Berlin Wall, which had symbolized the division between East and West since 1961.

• Faced with massive protests and Hungary opening its border with Austria, the East German government announced that citizens could travel freely.
• Confused border guards allowed crowds to pass, and people immediately began tearing the wall down.
• Importance: The Fall of the Wall symbolized the end of the Iron Curtain and led directly to the reunification of Germany in 1990.

The Final Collapse of the USSR (1991)

The reforms that worked in Eastern Europe backfired spectacularly in the USSR itself.

• Economic Chaos: Perestroika failed to fix the economy, leading to food shortages and mass anger.
• Rise of Nationalism: Inspired by the freedom in Eastern Europe, various Soviet republics (like Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia) demanded full independence.
• The August Coup (1991): Hardline communists attempted to overthrow Gorbachev and restore the old system. The coup failed spectacularly due to lack of public and military support. This showed that the communists had lost all power.

Following the failed coup, the republics declared independence one by one. In December 1991, Gorbachev resigned and the Soviet Union officially dissolved. The Russian Federation replaced the USSR.

This marked the definitive end of the Cold War—not through a massive battle, but through economic collapse and the popular will for freedom.