Political changes in the late 20th century led to the end of the Cold War and collapse of communist governments in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. This was accompanied by economic challenges and social changes like the growth of women's rights movements. New technologies also transformed society and culture, while issues like terrorism and conflicts in Yugoslavia and Kosovo emerged. The late 20th century was defined by major geopolitical shifts with the dissolution of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia, German reunification, and the rise of the European Union.

1. Contemporary Western
World
1970 CE – 2006 CE

2. Key Events
 Political and social changes led to the end of the
Cold War and the fall of communism in Eastern
Europe and the Soviet Union
 Economic challenges helped bring about and
accompanied these sweeping political and social
changes
 Society and culture reflected these changes with
the advent of the women’s movement, the
growth of technology, and a rise in terrorism
around the world
 Energy prices continued to climb as world oil
supplies diminish, causing economic problems
for oil-dependent nations
 The computer and Internet contribute to the
creation of a truly global society
 Film, television, music, and advertising spread
the American way of life throughout the world

3. Decline of the Soviet Union
 By the 1970s, the United
States had entered a
détente with the Soviet
Union
 A détente is the
relaxing of tension
between two nations
 Trade with Soviet Union
was increased
 In 1979, the Soviet Union
invaded Afghanistan,
ending the détente and
intensifying the Cold War
 The United States
refused to participate in
the 1980 Olympics, held
in the Soviet Union
 President Reagan gave
military aid to the
Afghanis (those weapons
would later be used
against the US).
 When Mikhail
Gorbachev came to
power in the USSR in
1985, he brought a
dramatic end to the Cold
War
 Gorbachev agreed to the
INF Treaty (Intermediate-
range Nuclear Force) that
eliminated intermediate-
range nuclear weapons
 Gorbachev also ended
USSR aid to governments
in Eastern Europe, which
led to the overthrow of
most of the communist
regimes
 In 1989, the Berlin Wall
came down and by 1990
Germany was reunified
 Finally, in 1991, the
Soviet Union was
dissolved
Gorbachev

4. Upheaval in the Soviet Union
 The fall of the Soviet Union began in the 1960s, when
Leonid Brezhnev became the dominant leader in the USSR
 The Brezhnev Doctrine was a policy that the USSR would
intervene if communism was threatened in any communist state
 Brezhnev benefitted from the détente and felt secure because
the USSR and US had equal amounts of nuclear arms; Brezhnev
allowed the USSR to have more access to Western culture
 Brezhnev still punished dissidents – people who spoke out
against the communist regime
 The USSR had several problems that led to its decline – the
government, which ran everything, became to big and
cumbersome, which led to inefficiency and indifference
 The ruling class (government workers and leaders) became
complacent and corrupt; they enjoyed a much higher
standard of living than everyone else
 By 1980, the USSR was in deep trouble, which opened the
door to reformers like Gorbachev
Brezhnev

5. End of the Soviet Union
 Gorbachev came to power in 1985 and preached the need
for radical reforms
 The basis of the reforms was perestroika, or restructuring
 Gorbachev tackled economic policy first, by adding limited free
enterprise and some private property
 Gorbachev allowed non-communist political parties to organize
and did away with a provision in the constitution that guaranteed
the Communist party a “leading role” in government
 He also created a state presidency, he was the first and last
president of the USSR
 As Gorbachev reduced government intrusion, tensions
emerged between Russians and non-Russians who lived in
territories ruled by the USSR
 In 1989 and 1990, several USSR territories began to call for
independence, including: Soviet Georgia, Latvia, Estonia,
Moldavia, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and Lithuania
 Gorbachev was arrested in 1991 by Communist leaders who
feared the loss of their privilege and power; they tried to
seize power but failed because of the efforts of Boris
Yeltsin, the president of the Russian Republic, led efforts to
resist the rebel forces
 After this attempt, numerous Russian territories voted for
independence; the USSR was officially declared over in
December of 1991; Gorbachev resigned on December 25,
1991 and turned over control of Russia to Boris Yeltsin
Boris Yeltsin
Yeltsin introduced a
free market economy,
but the transition was
difficult. Organized
crime grew, Yeltsin
attacked the
Chechens, who
wanted to secede
from Russia, and
Russia was in turmoil.
Yeltsin was defeated
by Vladimir Putin
in 2000, who is still
leading Russia today.

6. Fall of the USSR

7. Eastern Europe
 As a result of Gorbachev’s policies, revolutions broke out throughout Eastern
Europe, which had been under Soviet Control since World War II. These four
countries demonstrate how the independence process worked in Eastern Europe.
Poland Czechoslovakia Romania Germany
Worker’s protests
in Poland led to
demands for
change. Lech
Walesa organized
a national trade
union known as
Solidarity. Walesa
was arrested in the
1980s, but his
movement
continued. In
1988, Poland held
free elections and
a new non-
communist
government was
elected, ending
communist rule in
Poland.
Communists used
repression to maintain
power in Czechoslovakia
from the 1960s to the
1980s. In 1988 and 1989,
mass demonstrations
took place throughout the
country, in December of
1989, the Communist
government collapsed.
Vaclav Havel became
the new president . In
1993, the country was
divided between the
Czechs and Slovaks, two
ethnic groups that had
been in conflict. The new
countries were the Czech
Republic and Slovakia.
In 1965, Nicolae
Ceausescu was the
dictator of Romania;
his economic policies
led to a sharp drop in
living standards. In
December 1989, the
secret police
murdered thousands
of demonstrators, and
the army refused to
support Ceausescu,
who was quickly
caught and executed.
A new government
formed after his
death.
The secret police had been
used to rule East Germany for
nearly 20 years. In 1989,
many East Germans fled the
country. Mass demonstrations
broke out in 1989, and the
communist regime fell. The
government opened their
border to the west, and
hundreds of thousands of East
Germans swarmed across the
border. People on both sides
began tearing the wall down,
until the government ordered
it pulled down. In East
Germany’s first free election,
the Christian Democrats won
50% of the vote; soon after,
East and West Germany were
reunified on October 3, 1990.

8. Disintegration of Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia was made up of six republics and two
provinces, held together by communist rule from
World War II until the 1980s.
In 1990, the republics began to lobby for
independence. Slobodan Milosevic wanted to
redraw the borders to include the Serbian minority
in a new Serbian state.
Negotiations failed, and Slovenia and Croatia
declared their independence in June, 1991. In
September, the Yugoslavian army attacked
Croatia.
The army was dominated by Serbians, who turned
to Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1992, after recapturing
one-third of Croatia’s territory. By 1993, Serbians
controlled 70% of Bosnian territory.
The Serbs followed a policy of ethnic cleansing –
killing or forcibly removing Bosnian Muslims from
their lands. By 1995, 250,000 Bosnians had been
killed. Two million others were left homeless.
In 1995, the Croatian army regained much of their
territory. Air strikes by NATO forces were launched
against the Serbs in retaliation for Serb attacks on
civilians. A peace treaty was signed in December
of 1995.

9. War in Kosovo
 Peace in Bosnia did not end the region’s conflicts.
 A new war erupted in 1998 over Kosovo, a province within
Yugoslavia.
 Kosovo’s inhabitants were mainly ethnic Albanians.
 In 1989, Milosevic stripped Kosovo of it’s autonomous
status, bringing it under the control of Yugoslavia
 The Albanians founded the Kosovo Liberation Army
(KLA) and began a campaign against Serbian rule in
Kosovo
 In 1999, Albanians in Kosovo gained autonomy from Serbia.
Elections in 2000 brought an end to Milosevic’s rule.
 In 2002 Serbia and Montenegro formed a loose union and
dropped the name “Yugoslavia”

10. Europe
 Between the 1950s and 1970s, Europe experienced almost full employment
 An economic downturn occurred in the 1970s and early 1980s; inflation and
unemployment rose dramatically
 The Western European nations moved toward a union of their economies after
1970; called the European Economic Community, in 1973 it included Great
Britain, Ireland, and Denmark; by 1986, Spain, Portugal, and Greece were
members
 In 1994, the Treaty on European Union went into effect, which solidified the
European Union (EU)
 The EU created a common currency, called the Euro; 12 or the 15 member
nations abandoned their currency in favor of the Euro in 2002
 France’s deteriorating economic situation in the 1970s caused a political shift
to the left; by 1981 the Socialists were the chief political party in France, led
by Francois Mitterrand
 Mitterrand increased the minimum wage, instituted a 39-hour work week, and
imposed higher taxes on the rich
 The government also socialized the steel, space, and electronics industries,
along with banks and insurance firms
 The socialist polices did not work well and France continued to decline, and
conservatives took over the government by 1993

11. Reunification of Germany
 In 1969, the Socialist Democrats replaced the Christian
Democrats as the leading party in West Germany
 In December 1972, the German Chancellor, Willy Brandt,
signed a treaty with East Germany that led to greater
cultural, personal, and economic contacts between the two
countries; Germany was fully reunified in the 1980s
 Problems with reunification arose when West Germany
realized the costs of rebuilding eastern Germany were far
higher than anticipated; the government had to raise taxes
 East Germany also had vast unemployment problems, as
the economy essentially collapsed after communist rule
ended
 Germans also increased attacks on foreigners, as for years
illegal immigrants and foreigners seeking refuge found
haven in Germany because of its liberal immigration laws

12. England and Thatcherism
 Between 1964 and 1979, Great Britain’s Conservative Party
and Labour Party alternated being in power
 The parties had to face intense fighting between Catholics
and Protestants in Northern Ireland
 The economy was struggling and labor strikes were frequent
 In 1979, the Conservative Party came to power and made
Margaret Thatcher the Prime Minister
 Thatcher promised to limit social welfare, restrict union power,
and end inflation; she was able to break the power of the
unions and control inflation
 Her policies were known as Thatcherism; the economic
outlook improved, but old industrial areas were beset by high
unemployment, poverty, and violence
 Thatcher lost her position as Prime Minister in 1990

13. United States
Nixon &
Watergate
Carter Regan Clinton
In 1968, Richard Nixon
was elected president and
the U.S. shifted to the
political right.
Nixon promised “law and
order” would prevail and
he would end segregation
issues in the south.
Nixon used illegal methods
to gain political information
about his opponents, which
eventually led to the
Watergate scandal. Men
working for Nixon’s re-
election campaign broke
into the Democratic
National Headquarters and
tried to install listening
devices.
Nixon lied to the public
about his role, which led to
his resignation in 1974.
Jimmy Carter
became president in
1976. His
administration was
faced with two
devastating
problems. The first
was high inflation
and a decline in
American earnings,
especially in wages.
The second was the
Iran Hostage
Crisis, when Iran
took 52 Americans
hostage in Iran.
Carter was unable to
gain their release,
which led to his loss
to Ronald Regan in
1980.
Termed the “Regan
Revolution”, Ronald
Regan was elected in
1980. He cut back on
welfare, decreased
spending on food
stamps, school lunch,
and jobs programs. He
also oversaw the largest
peace time military
buildup in US history.
Total spending rose from
$631 billion to over $1
trillion by 1987. Regan
produced record budget
deficits, which exist
when government
spends more than it
collects in revenue. He
tripled the amount of
government debt in six
years.
George Bush succeeded
Regan as president, but
economic problems and
the deficit led to a loss in
his second election.
Bill Clinton was
elected president in
1992, and oversaw a
long economic
revival. He was able
to end the deficit and
left a surplus when
he left office in 2000.
Clinton’s term was
marred by
presidential
misconduct that
eventually led to his
impeachment; he
was tried but not
convicted by the
Senate, in an
intensely partisan
struggle.

14. Western Society & Culture
Women’s
Movement
Terrorism Science &
Technology
In the 1970s, the
number of women in the
workforce went from
less than 30% to more
than 44%
The women’s liberation
movement fought for
the Equal Pay Act,
because women were
earning less than men
for the same jobs
A backlash occurred in
the 1990s, when many
women advocated a
return to traditional
roles
Acts of terrorism increased
throughout the world in the
20th century
Militant nationalists in
Northern Ireland, known as
the Irish Republican
Army (IRA), used terrorist
attacks against Great Britain
in their efforts to reunite
Northern Ireland with
Ireland
Other areas of the world
were also affected by
terrorism. The United States
was attacked on September
11, 2001, by the terrorist
group Al Qaeda, led by
Osama Bin Laden.
The attacks were used as
justification for wars in both
Iraq and Afghanistan.
Scientific and technological
advancements
revolutionized the world in
the 20th century.
The space race led to the
United States sending a
crew to the moon in 1969,
and the start of the shuttle
program, which were
manned flights into space.
Technological advances also
caused problems, including
having a negative impact on
the environment, and the
development of genetically
enhanced foods, which
some people fear will harm
humans.

15. Society & Culture
Religious
Revival
Trends in Art Popular
Culture
Sports,
Television &
Politics
During the 20th
century, Christianity
saw a revival, with
increasing attendance
at worship services
and increased church
membership through
the 1990s.
Since the end of World
War II, the United States
has dominated the art
world. Abstractionism
became a popular art
form, along with other
forms of modern art. Pop
art, which took images of
popular culture and
transformed them
emerged. People like
Andy Warhol found
success in modern art.
Postmodernism also
emerged, and was
marked by a revival of
traditional elements and
techniques in art.
Emerging technologies
also allowed artists to
create new art forms,
including interactive art
and a resurgence of
photography.
In the 20th century the
United States was the
dominant force in
shaping popular culture.
Through television,
music, and movies, the
United States has spread
its ideals and values to
millions around the
world.
Movies were important
vehicles for spreading
American ideas and
culture. Music was also
popular, which led to
artists around the world
transforming music.
Increasing technology
has increased the
influence of music,
movies, and television in
conveying popular
culture.
In the postwar years,
sports became a major
product of popular
culture and the leisure
industry. The Olympic
Games saw an increase
in the number of sports
and participants
throughout the 20th
century.
Sports have become
politicized, as sports like
soccer are used to
increase nationalism; the
Olympics have been used
the same way, to
increase feelings of
loyalty and national
pride.
Warhol Pop Art

17. Summary
Conflict Change Regionalism Cooperation
• Serb forces
carry out
“ethnic
cleansing” of
Muslims
• Terrorist
becomes a
regular aspect
of modern
society
• Soviet troops
crush a reform
movement in
Czechoslovakia
• Nicolae
Ceausescu is
arrested and
executed
• The Soviet Union
adopts a policy of
perestroika under
Gorbachev
• Lech Walesa
becomes the first
freely elected
president of an
Eastern European
nation in 40 years
• The national debt
triples in the U.S.
during Ronald
Reagan’s
presidency
• Television, movies,
and music spread
American culture
throughout the
world
• Ethnic Albanians
declare Kosovo
an independent
province
• Bosnian Serbs
fight Bosnian
Muslims and
Croats
• Bands of
German youths
attack
immigrants
• Intense fighting
breaks out
between
Protestants and
Catholics in
Northern
Ireland
• British women
hold anti-
nuclear protest
• American
culture spreads
through popular
media
• East Germany
and West
Germany are
reunited into
one nation
• The Soviet
Union and
United States
sign the INF
Treaty