Bell Work• A paragraph (5-7 sentences)

answering the following question:

• Why did the Soviet Union fall? Can one person cause the downfall of an empire?

Well, Certainly not this guy…

The Cold War

The Fall of the Soviet Union

Four Reasons for the Decline of the Soviet Union

1. The Arms Build-up2. Ethnic Unrest in the Soviet Union3. Independence Movements in former Soviet

satellites4. Global decline of Communism

Leaders of the Major Powers

• United States1. President Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)2. President George H.W. Bush (1989-1993)• Soviet Union1. General-Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev (1985-

1991)• United Kingdom1. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (1979-1990)

Ronald Reagan

• 40th President of the United States

• Domestic Policies included lowering taxes and shrinking the size of government. This was a stark contrast to the U.S.S.R.

• Foreign Policies included huge increases in military spending, and an aggressive approach to the totalitarian Soviet regime.

Berlin Wall & Brandenburg Gate

Reagan’s ‘Berlin Wall’ Speech

• President Reagan’s Speech at the Brandenburg Gate along the Berlin Wall is considered to be one of his and America’s greatest ever.

• Listen to how he challenges Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev.

A few years later…

Mikhail Gorbachev• Domestic Policies of Perestroika and

Glasnost to ensure more civil liberties. • Perestroika - Restructuring –

especially of the economy. Radical changes to the Soviet Union. It was an attempt to overcome economic stagnation.

• Glasnost – Openness – included Freedom of Speech and other civil liberties.

• Foreign Policies included disarmament and shrinking of the military. Got along famously with Margaret Thatcher, and to a lesser extent with Ronald Reagan.

Gorbachev’s 1988 Speech to the U.N.• “Freedom of choice is a universal

principle to which there should be no exceptions”.

• “Our country is undergoing a truly revolutionary upsurge…Under the badge of of democratization, restructuring has now encompassed politics, the economy, spiritual life, and ideology”.

• “The Soviet Union has made a decision on reducing its armed forces. In the next two years, numerical strengths will be reduced by 500,000 persons, and the volume of conventional arms will also be cut considerably”.

• “No one intends to underestimate the serious nature of the disagreements, and the difficulties of the problems which have not been settled.”

Margaret Thatcher• Domestic Policy in the U.K. was

similar to Reagan’s ideas of smaller government.

• Lowered inflation by decreasing the money supply.

• Took on several Trade Unions. • Lowered income taxes.• Privatization was also important.• Foreign Policy included the 1982

Falklands War, which Britain won handily.

• Along with Reagan, took a hard stance against the U.S.S.R., earning her the nickname “The Iron Lady”.

For Example…

Thatcher’s Last Address to Parliament

• Dubbed “Thatcher’s Last Stand Against Socialism”.

• Give at the House of Commons in London during Prime Minister’s questions.

• Listen to how she attacks the opposition and even accuses their policies of being socialist.

Quiz

Quiz• 1. Identify the three leaders we talked about.• 2. Identify where the three speeches were given.• 3. Reasons for the fall of the Soviet Union:

a. The Arms Build-up T/Fb. Global Warming T/Fc. Ethnic Unrest in the Soviet Union T/Fd. President George H.W. Bush’s increase in military spending

T/Fe. Independence Movements in former Soviet satellitesf. Australian Wars T/Fg. Global decline of Communism T/F