Edexcel 2008 specs Unit 3 controversy 2

2. Triumphalists Critics
• Impact of Reagan’s foreign policy
on USSR ended Cold War
▫ Reagan’s hard-line stance
▫ Pressure on USSR
▫ SDI, military spending
 Supported by Thatcher
• USSR long term issues re over-
commitment to military spending
▫ Worsened by Afghanistan
• Reagan little impact
▫ USSR already knew it couldn’t
continue
▫ May have delayed end of Cold
War

3. • Divided
• Some say US pressure big impact
▫ Covert actions of CIA especially
▫ Gorbachev gave in to pressure
 Russian nationalists especially hold this view
 US aim long term = destroy USSR, weaken Russia
• Others defend Gorbachev
▫ New Political Thinking important
 Alternative to superpower conduct based on fear and
confrontation

4. • Polish Pope
▫ Solidarity in Poland
▫ Christian faith strong
• Encouragement to stand up for human rights
• Role can be over-stated
▫ Influential in Poland
▫ Elsewhere Catholicism not as strong
 Eastern Orthodox, Protestantism

5. • Another area of debate...
• Triumphalists:
▫ Difficult to trust because of his aims
 Retain status as Superpower
 Maintain global interests
 Increase influence by more especially via non-military means
▫ Reforms designed to strengthen USSR
 By revitalising both economy and political leadership
• Critics disagree...
Spitting Image view of
Gorbachev and USSR

6. • Some see him as hero ending Cold War
• Gorbachev = the difference
▫ Gorbachev’s intentions, attitudes to West
 Key factor
 Reduced tensions, fear
• New Political Thinking:
▫ Alternative conduct of relations
 No longer based on fear, confrontation
 Prepared to make concessions

7. • Soviet system itself
▫ Weaknesses in communism as an
ideology
 Undermined Soviet system
 Collapse of communism “inevitable”
• People Power!
▫ Consequence of failure of communist
regimes
▫ Regimes lost touch
 With people, even own politics

8. • Some argue only possible because of Gorbachev
▫ People Power only able to develop because of change
in Soviet leadership
 New Political Thinking
 Gorbachev again
• Or a generational shift..?
▫ Based on new evidence from USSR
▫ Attitudes of Soviet people changed
 Memories of World War II faded, died
 No need defend against Nazism
▫ No need spread communist ideology
▫ No need adhere strictly to CPSU

9. End of
Cold
War
Generational
Shift
Reagan
Communism
Failed
Economics
People
Power
Gorbachev
Internal Factors
External Factors