End of the Cold War and Fall of the USSR

Reagan's Military Build-Up

Period: May 10, 1982 to Apr 7, 1986

$1.5 trillion spent, inclusive of funds for Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) capable of shooting missiles down mid-flight, Possible end of arms race

Gorbachev's Rise to Power

Mar 11, 1985

Gorbachev announces temporary moratorium on nuclear testing

Dec 5, 1985

Reykjyavik Summit

Oct 12, 1986

Gorbachev made sweeping concessions, accepted Reagan's Zero Option Plan and proposed abolishment of all uclear weapons within 10 years, Not end of Cold War in terms of arms race due to Reagan's unwillingness to scrap SDI

Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty

Dec 8, 1987

Drastic reduction of Soviet weapons relative to the Americans'

Gorbachev's UN Speech

Dec 7, 1988

Announced that international relations would be free of ideology, Possible end of Cold War if defined as an ideological conflict

Solidarity-led coalition wins Polish Elections

Jun 4, 1989

Possible End of Cold War as defined by a division in Europe

Sinatra Doctrine

Oct 25, 1989

Granted Eastern Europeans greater freedom

Fall of Berlin Wall

Nov 9, 1989

Marked end of Cold War as defined by division in Europe

Secession of Soviet republics

Mar 11, 1990

Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Georgia, Ukraine, Armenia

Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty

Nov 19, 1990

Unilateral reduction of Soviet armed forces by half a million men, Could represent End of CW in terms of a conventional arms race

Drafting of Union Treaty

Nov 23, 1990

Gave more autonomy to soviet republics in an attempt to prevent secession

August Coup

Aug 18, 1991

Cemented Boris Yeltsin's political position, weakened Gorbachev's

Fall of the USSR

Dec 26, 1991