Gorbachev's new thinking

Alternative transcript:

- Strategic Defence Initiative - ability to destroy missiles whilst in air Gorbachev economic position in 1980s (Soviets) • Huge sums spent on developing arms to keep pace with USA ● Investment in Soviet economy low, Chernobyl, Afghanistan ● Barely any industrial growth in Soviet Union or satellite states in mid-1980s Gorbachev's new thinking Perestroika - 'reconstruction' used in Gorbachev era to describe his programme for reorganising and restructuring the Soviet state ● Proposed Soviet state and economy reformed to include practices that made capitalism successful Glasnost - 'openness' or 'transparency' in 1980s and 1990s, used to describe Gorbachev's new, more open attitude to government and foreign relations Attitude towards weapons spending ● Reduce spending on arms and defence and withdraw from Afghanistan Also no longer get involved in domestic affairs of other communist countries ● More openness and less corruption in government People not need to fear the state or fear expressing their opinions O Policy of glasnost allow opposition to government and give people better understanding on how country run Gorbachev leader in 1985 relations between US end Soviet Unions changed Soviet leader not looking to expand communism ● Determined to reform Soviet Union from inside Work with us to reduce Cold War tensions O No longer involved in matters about other communist states - rejection of Brezhnev Doctrine, known as Sinatra Doctrine Bring further limitations on nuclear weapons - new thinking in action Reagan saw real opportunity to end Cold War and adopt more open approach to Soviet Union, whilst sticking to overall aim ● Impact of Gorbachev's 'new thinking' on Cold War: ● Relations between USA and USSR improved No longer wanted to expand communism - wanted to reform Soviet Union from inside Gorbachev needed to opt out of arms race if he was to improve Soviet Union - money needed to go elsewhere More opportunity for openness and discussion Had not used tanks to end protest and unrest in hungary ● Geneva Summit November 1985 Before the Geneva Summit, Gorbachev appointed a new foreign minister. Eduard Shevardnadze, to replace the old hardliner, Andrel Gromyko. At Geneva, Gorbachev and feagan met for the first time. Outcome No formal agreements but Reagan and Gorbachev established a good working relationship, and a mutual desire to improve relations between their countries. Reykjavik Summit October 1986 Gorbachev was worried about the danger that nuclear weapons posed to the world. His desire to reduce the world stockpile of nuclear arms may well have been strengthened when the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine exploded in April 1986. Large swathes of the Soviet Union and beyond were affected by nuclear fallout. In Reykjavik, Gorbachev proposed phasing out nuclear weapons if the Americans gave up their SDI program. Outcome Both leaders knew that the Americans could not agree to give up SDI. Once again, the meeting broke up with no formal agreement but an improvement in relations. Washington Summit December 1987 Gorbachev had now accepted that the Americans were not going to scrap SDI, and that his country's best interests lay in agreements on disarmament, reducing spending on weapons and better relations with the West Outcome This was the first US-Soviet summit to lead to the signing of a formal treaty-the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Force (INF) Treaty. The treaty said that both countries would abolish all land-based missiles with a range of 500-5,500 km. Moscow Summit 1988 In this summit, some complex detail related to the INF treaty was resolved. Later in the year, Gorbachev travelled to the USA, where he made a speech at the United Nations announcing a reduction in Warsaw Pact troops and that Soviet forces would leave Afghanistan. Malta Summit 1989 At Malta, Gorbachev met with the new American president, George Bush. Outcome No new agreements were made, but both the USA and the Soviet Union saw this meeting as marking the end of the Cold War. Washington 1990 Presidents Bush and Gorbachev agreed on START - Treaty for the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Arms. Reduce arms over 7 years.