LEARNING INTENTIONS

• Describe major changes in the Soviet Union in the 1980s

• Explain what is meant by Glasnost and Perestroika

In the 1980s the USSR went through many changes which would ultimately lead to the end of the Cold War. What were these and why did they

happen?

At the start of the 1980s it seemed as though the Cold War would go on forever.

The end of détente led to major problems in relations between the two countries. However

change was coming.

The Olympics were a key example of this.

The USA refused to participate in the

1980 Moscow Olympics, and the Soviet Union did the same in the 1984 Los Angeles

Olympics.

Both sides also went through significant political change.

In the USA right-wing politician Ronald Reagan was elected

President. Reagan – a former movie actor –

was very anti-Communist.

The Soviet Union also had several changes in

their political leadership.

The most significant was the appointment of Mikhail Gorbachev as General Secretary of the Communist Party.

Gorbachev once told his wife, Raisa, when speaking about the

USSR, that “we can’t go on living like

this.”

Under his leadership, the Soviet Union went

through massive political and

economic reforms.

Gorbachev tried to build better

relationships with western leaders, including Ronald

Reagan and Margaret Thatcher.

Gorbachev met Reagan several times, and

proposed plans such as phasing out nuclear

weapons.

Gorbachev also made several reforms in the Soviet Union, notably:

• Perestroika

• Glasnost

• Democratisation

• Ending Brezhnev Doctrine

Perestroika

Perestroika means a change in the economy to allow more private

companies to be set up.

This is a big change in a Communist country. It

had only a small influence but was very

symbolic.

Glasnost

Glasnost means ‘openness’. As the

Soviet Union was a very secret state, Gorbachev wanted it to have less

secrets.

This meant many things, including having a more

free media.

Democratisation

This change allowed more people to

influence politics and the Communist Party.

For instance more candidates were

allowed in elections.

Ending Brezhnev Doctrine

The Brezhnev Doctrine was that the Soviet

Union would intervene in any Communist

country which might support capitalism.

Gorbachev said that this would no longer

happen.

All of these changes had a huge impact.

They changed the way the Soviet Union was

viewed by other countries.

Also they allowed revolutions to take place across Eastern

Europe.