Mr. Lahasky - APUSH Period 9 - Lecture #47 - Cold War IV - Conclusion

Summary

The video delves into the final chapter of the Cold War, focusing on the shift in American attitudes during the 1980s under President Ronald Reagan. It discusses Reagan's hawkish stance, military escalation, and support for anti-communist forces worldwide, including in Latin America and Afghanistan. The video also examines the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, driven by internal reforms and external pressures from the U.S. Despite the Soviet collapse, the ideological struggle between democracy and authoritarianism continues, with modern tensions between the U.S. and Russia mirroring Cold War dynamics.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Cold War began to shift in the 1970s with a general easing of tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, marked by a reduction in hostilities, proxy wars, and nuclear arms.
• 😀 By 1980, Americans, weary of détente and fearful of communism, elected Ronald Reagan, who promised a renewed global fight against communism and a stronger American stance on the world stage.
• 😀 Reagan's election in 1980 marked a shift towards a more hawkish U.S. policy, with a strong focus on opposing Soviet expansion and spreading American influence.
• 😀 Reagan's campaign used strong imagery, including a notorious commercial comparing Soviet threats to a 'bear in the woods,' emphasizing the danger posed by communism.
• 😀 President Reagan significantly increased military spending and revived the arms race, focusing on advanced weapons systems like the Strategic Defense Initiative, despite skepticism about its practicality.
• 😀 Reagan’s policies also included covert support for anti-communist forces in places like Afghanistan and Latin America, often backing authoritarian regimes to prevent the spread of communism.
• 😀 The Iran-Contra affair exemplified Reagan’s commitment to supporting anti-communist forces, where arms were sold to Iran to fund Nicaraguan counter-revolutionaries, even though it was illegal and controversial.
• 😀 The U.S. provided substantial support to Afghan resistance groups (Mujahideen), which played a key role in driving out the Soviet Union, though this created long-term instability in the region.
• 😀 In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev became Soviet leader and introduced reforms like Glasnost and Perestroika, which destabilized the Soviet Union and led to demands for greater freedoms and independence across Eastern Europe.
• 😀 The Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991 was driven by internal reform, economic failure, and external pressures, marking the definitive end of the Cold War, but the ideological struggle continued with Russia’s new role on the global stage.

Q & A

What marked the beginning of a shift in American attitudes toward the Cold War in the 1980s?

In the 1980s, Americans began to lose interest in détente, the policy aimed at easing Cold War tensions. This shift was largely due to concerns over the growing threat of communism, especially after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the Iranian hostage crisis, leading to the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980.

What was Ronald Reagan's main approach to the Cold War once he took office?

Ronald Reagan took a hawkish stance against the Soviet Union, renewing the global struggle against communism. He advocated for a stronger military, a renewed arms race, and a more aggressive foreign policy to counter the spread of communism, notably through support of anti-communist groups in Central Asia and Latin America.

How did Reagan's military spending affect the Cold War dynamics?

Reagan's massive increase in military spending, including the development of new technologies like the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), reignited the arms race with the Soviet Union. This contributed to the Soviet Union's economic strain, which played a role in its eventual collapse.

What was the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), and why was it controversial?

The Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) was a proposed defense system that aimed to use space-based satellites and lasers to protect the U.S. from Soviet ICBMs. While the concept was never fully realized and was largely considered science fiction, it was controversial due to its high cost and questionable feasibility.

What role did the United States play in supporting anti-communist groups during the 1980s?

The U.S. provided significant support to anti-communist groups worldwide, such as the Contras in Nicaragua and the mujahideen in Afghanistan. This support included weapons and financial aid, aiming to counter Soviet influence and communist uprisings, though it often led to controversial outcomes.

How did U.S. support for the mujahideen in Afghanistan impact the Soviet Union?

U.S. support for the mujahideen in Afghanistan contributed to the Soviet Union's military defeat in the region. The Soviet withdrawal in 1989 marked a significant blow to Soviet power, though it also contributed to instability in the region, leading to a power vacuum and the rise of groups like the Taliban.

What were the major causes of the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991?

The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 resulted from a combination of internal political and economic issues, including the reforms of Mikhail Gorbachev, political unrest in Soviet republics, and the external pressure exerted by the U.S. through the arms race and proxy wars.

What reforms did Mikhail Gorbachev implement, and how did they contribute to the collapse of the Soviet Union?

Mikhail Gorbachev implemented two major reforms, glasnost (political openness) and perestroika (economic restructuring), which aimed to modernize the Soviet system. However, these reforms destabilized the USSR, as they led to calls for greater political freedoms and independence in Soviet republics, ultimately contributing to the union's collapse.

How did the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Germany in 1989 reflect the end of the Cold War?

The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 symbolized the end of the Cold War's division of Europe. It was followed by the reunification of Germany in 1990, signaling the decline of Soviet influence in Eastern Europe and the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Did the Cold War truly end with the Soviet Union's collapse, or did the ideological struggle continue?

While the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991 marked the end of the Cold War in its traditional form, the ideological struggle between democracy and authoritarianism continued, particularly with the rise of Russia as a powerful, authoritarian nation. The U.S. and Russia still engage in conflicts, including proxy wars and cyber warfare, suggesting that tensions persist in new forms.