The Cold War Era and the Dissolution of the Soviet Union
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The Cold War: US vs. USSR Geopolitical Tension
The Cold War was a period of geopolitical tension between the Soviet Union with its satellite states (the Eastern Bloc), and the United States with its allies (the Western Bloc) after World War II (WWII).
Ideological Divide
United States – Western BlocCAPITALISM | Soviet Union – Eastern BlocCOMMUNISM |
Basically, the two superpowers battled for influence in the fields of science, industry, sports, and military. The USSR started setting up pro-Soviet governments in satellite countries, and both the US and the USSR were very strict regarding their policies.
Key Events of the Cold War
- 1949: Europe is divided into two blocs, separated by the Iron Curtain. The USSR tests its first atomic bomb. The US creates NATO (a military alliance between the countries of the Western Bloc).
- 1954: Beginning of the Vietnam War.
- 1960: The USSR points its missiles at Western Europe; the US points its missiles at the Soviet Union.
- 1962: Cuban Missile Crisis.
- 1975: The Vietnam War is won by the Communists.
- 1988: The US and USSR begin peace agreements.
- 1991: Beginning of the dissolution of the Soviet Union, marking the end of the Cold War.
The Dissolution of the Soviet Union (USSR)
USSR stands for: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
The Era of Stagnation (1964–1985)
This was a 20-year period under the leadership of Leonid Brezhnev. Leaders were comfortable in their positions and did not feel the need to implement change and innovation.
In 1985, the 8th and final leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, was elected General Secretary of the Communist Party.
Stagnation led to a high military budget that Gorbachev attempted to fix with his reforms:
Gorbachev's Reforms: Perestroika and Glasnost
Perestroika (Restructuring)Decentralized economic controls and encouragement of enterprises to become self-financing. | Glasnost (Transparency)The power of the Communist Party was reduced, and multi-candidate elections took place. It also permitted criticism of government officials and allowed the media freer dissemination of news and information. |
Following the resignation of Mikhail Gorbachev, the USSR dissolved into 15 independent states, marking the federation’s downfall and officially ending the Cold War.
- Lithuania became the first independent country in March 1990.
- The Soviet Union was finally dissolved on December 25th, 1991.