2023 9174 H2 History Paper 1 Theme I Topic 3 End of the Cold War

9174/01 H2 History Paper 1 Theme I: THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COLD WAR (1945 – 1991) Topic 2: Manifestations of the Global Cold War 1 Topic 3: End of the Cold War SAJC History Unit, 2023 Syllabus Overview 2 Syllabus Content 3 Syllabus Learning Outcomes 3 3. End of the Cold War 3 3.1 The USA’s policy of renewed confrontation and containment: the USA’s role in arms control negotiations, the Strategic Defence Initiative programme, the Reagan Doctrine 3 Detente in the 1970s 3 Soviet Opportunism in the Third World 4 The Unrelenting Nuclear Arms Race 4 The Space Race 6 The Arms Race 7 3.1.1 The USA’s Role in Arms Control Negotiations 8 Stalemate in Arms Control Negotiations 9 INF Talks 9 START 10 3.1.2 The Strategic Defense Initiative 10 Ronald Reagan and His Policies 10 Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI) 12 3.1.3 The Reagan Doctrine 13 The Reagan Doctrine in the Third World 13 3.2 Decline of the USSR and shifts in Soviet foreign policy: economic problems, Gorbachev’s ‘New Thinking’, the Sinatra Doctrine 14 3.2.1 The USSR before Gorbachev: A Systemic Crisis 15 The Soviet Political Regime: An Authoritarian Political Structure 15 A Centrally Planned Economy 16 Features of Soviet Economic Planning 18 Inherent Structural Flaws of the Soviet Economy 18 Economic relations with Eastern Europe 19

9174/01 H2 History Paper 1 Theme I: THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COLD WAR (1945 – 1991) Topic 2: Manifestations of the Global Cold War 2 Conclusion 19 3.2.2 Gorbachev’s ‘New Thinking’ 20 Initiatives to End the Nuclear Arms Race 20 The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty 21 Strategic Arms Reduction Talks / Treaty (START) 22 Role of the USSR in International Politics 22 Soviet Withdrawal from Afghanistan 22 Improved Sino-Soviet Ties 23 The ‘Gorbachev Doctrine’ in the Third World 23 3.2.2 The “Sinatra Doctrine” 23 Relaxation of Soviet Control over Eastern Europe 24 An Overview of the “Sinatra Doctrine” in Eastern Europe (excluding Poland and East Germany) 25 Rise of Charter 77 and Velvet Revolution (Czechoslovakia) 25 Hungarian pro-democracy movement in the 1980s 26 Bulgarian pro-democracy movement in the 1980s 27 Romania’s violent transition to democracy in the 1980s 28 Consequences of Gorbachev’s ‘New Thinking’ in Foreign Policy 30 3.2.3 Eastern European movements and revolutions in the 1980s: Poland and East Germany 30 Rise of Solidarity Movement and Crisis in Poland, 1980 30 East German Pro-Democracy Movement in the 1980s and the Fall of the Berlin Wall 32 3.3 Historical interpretations of end of the Cold War: Western triumphalist, Soviet initiative and ‘People Power’ debates 33 Western Triumphalism 34 Soviet Initiative 35 “People Power” 36 3.4 Who won the Cold War 33 Capitalism and Democracy Won the Cold War 34 The USSR / Communism was the Bigger “Loser” 34 Syllabus Overview In this theme, students will study the Cold War which resulted from the USA and USSR emerging as ideologically-opposed superpowers after the Second World War. These tensions, which largely began in Europe, extended to other parts of the world,

9174/01 H2 History Paper 1 Theme I: THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COLD WAR (1945 – 1991) Topic 2: Manifestations of the Global Cold War 3 where it interacted with forces such as nationalism and decolonisation to bring profound changes to domestic politics in these countries, which in turn shaped the development of the Cold War. Furthermore, students will examine how the Cold War order initially def ined by bipolarity, developed to feature more complex dynamics with China’s rise as a Cold War actor in Asia. Syllabus Content End of the Cold War ● The USA’s policy of renewed confrontation and containment: the USA’s role in arms control negotiations, the Strategic Defence Initiative programme, the Reagan Doctrine ● Decline of the USSR and shifts in Soviet foreign policy: economic problems, Gorbachev’s ‘New Thinking’, the Sinatra Doctrine ● Eastern European movements and revolutions in the 1980s: Poland and East Germany ● Historical interpretations of end of the Cold War: Western triumphalist, Soviet initiative and ‘People Power’ debates Syllabus Learning Outcomes Students are able to: ● evaluate the manifestation of the Cold War conflict across different contexts over time, and its impact on the Cold War 3. End of the Cold War 3.1 The USA’s policy of renewed confrontation and containment: the USA’s role in arms control negotiations, the Strategic Defence Initiative programme, the Reagan Doctrine Detente in the 1970s ● Détente in the Cold War refers to the period of improved relations and relaxation of tensions between the superpowers during the 1970s under US President Nixon. It was marked by Nixon’s visit to Moscow in 1972 (first visit by a US President), the “Vietnamization” of the Vietnam War and also an increase in arms control negotiations and agreements. ● In spite of the increased superpower cooperation that détente heralded in various fields, the US -Soviet relationship essentially rema ined a competitive

9174/01 H2 History Paper 1 Theme I: THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COLD WAR (1945 – 1991) Topic 2: Manifestations of the Global Cold War 4 one. Although the nuclear arms race was, to some extent, abated by the institutionalisation of arms control negotiations, it nonetheless continued. ● The superpowers maintained their rivalry across the Third World. Newly forged economic ties between the US and USSR were drawn into politics. There were also changes to America’s leadership and foreign policy. All of these ultimately served to undermine the fragile superpower accommodation that had been established. ● As mistrust returned to the superpower relationship, each side saw the other as trying to take advantage of détente to achieve unilateral gains in the Cold War. ● Strains in superpower relations were also evident in the spate of third world conflicts most notably Yom Kippur in 1973, the Angolan Civil War (1975-91), the Nicaragua situation (1979) and of course, Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. Soviet Opportunism in the Third World ● The Soviet leadership did not see détente as an end unto itself. Instead, they saw this as an opportunity to strengthen the USSR vis-à-vis the US. In a way, it could be understood as a continuation of the Soviet policy of ‘peaceful coexistence’ that emerged during the Khrushchev years. ○ This, of course, was not a passive doctrine and encompassed the imperative of consolidating and expanding the boundaries of communism whenever possible. The USSR had certainly not eschewed its ideological struggle against the West, and détente actually marked the height of Soviet involvement within the Third World. ● As a result, the USSR strengthened its ties with its clients, Cuba, East Germany and Vietnam. Moreover, East German and Cuban advisors were sent to African states such as Angola, Mozambique, South Yemen and Ethiopia to assist in revolutionary struggles throughout the 1970s. ○ It supported Vietnam’s invasion of Cambodia in 1978 and procured a naval base at Cam Ranh Bay. Its invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 (ostensibly to defend communism there), reawakened American fears of Soviet expansionism and dealt the coup-de-grace to a détente already crumbling under pressure from various fronts. The Unrelenting Nuclear Arms Race ● By the start of détente, the USSR achieved rough parity with the US and was poised to take the lead in the nuclear arms race. Another key motiv e for the

9174/01 H2 History Paper 1 Theme I: THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COLD WAR (1945 – 1991) Topic 2: Manifestations of the Global Cold War 5 Soviet détente with the US had been its desire to improve its position in the nuclear arms race both quantitatively as well as qualitatively. ● Technological advancements made this a distinct possibility. The Soviets now possessed M