The End of the Cold War and the Shape of a New Era: World History 1990- 2006

By: Quinn Reilly and Marisa Pallatto

The End of the Cold War Lasted for 30 years Why did the USSR fall apart?

New US policy Conservative leadership intent

on maintaining status quo Pressure from surrounding areas Hard to hide W. Europe’s

economic success China goes the pragmatist route

and joins global market 1978 The destruction of the Berlin Wall, 1989

The Explotion of the 1980s and 1990s Soviet economy falling apart

Simultaneously: military spending increased Environmental destruction from forced

industrialization Decrees in industrial production

The Age of Reform Mikhail Gorbachev

Withdraws troops from USSR Reduces nuclear arms Takes on Western behavior

Internal change Encourages freedom/criticism End bureaucratic inefficiency

Some companies allowed in to Russia Perestroika: economic reform Political changes Effects of reforms Social Effects -> mainly impacting woman

Mikhail Gorbachev, Cold War

Dismantling of the Soveit Empire

Soviet Bloc countries take this opportunity to revolt Nation’s government

/opens economy Different methods used Ethnic tensions

emerged Difficult to get on “the

right track”

Symbolism in the Breakdown of the Soviet Bloc Latvians strongly

opposed the Soviet, but too afraid to express this

After WWII- strong nationalist movement, but was supprssed Tens of thousands

Latvians were killed Perestroika opened

possiblities for change in the SU Parliament proclaimed a

transition to independance

Renewed Turmoil in the 1990s 1991 – attempted military coup -

>stopped w/ popular demonstrations Gorbachev unable to use authority to

agree on economic goals Becomes Commonwealth of

Independent States Main Issue = should economy turn to

full market system? Vladimir Putin (1999)

Vladimir Putin, 2013

The Spread of Democracy Theme of 20th century = spread of

multiparty democracy w/ freely contested elections Communism, fascism, authoritarianism

replaced w/ democracy Why was democracy/capitalism

attractive?

Democratic Protest and Repression in China Protest for democracy in Beijing by

many young Chinese students in 1989 were crushed by the Chinese army.

The motivation behind the repression of these democratic movements Upset of production, work, studying,

and everyday life for people involved in these protest

Hunger strikes- causing health risk for participants

Protests lead to law breaking and other destructive behavior

Overall protests have only cause turmoil and not solved any problems

Li Peng 1989, made speech in described in this section

Democracy and its Limits Never before had democracy spread so widely

China, N. Korea, an parts of M. East and C. Asia did not adopt Elsewhere political stability and economic success

End of Cold War-> reduced the need for great powers-> democratic reforms US, in particularly, led reform under Jimmy carter Freer market and economic growth

US spread democracy and allied w/ authoritarian regimes Resistance

Russia retreats from full democracy Democracy struggled in Latin America

The Great Powers and New Disputes Changes in the superpowers

US gains power while Russian declines Led to Russian nuclear weapons

Nations threaten US dominance China and Europe-> politically and economically September 11, 2001 – Terrorists frustrated by US

policy What does US do with power?

New threats from emerging nations Intervenes in regional conflicts Starts war against terrorism

The Former Sovit Empire End of US-Soviet rivalry led

to: Regional rivalries flaring up

again Middle East –> constant

conflict India/Pakistan

Regions working together NATO purpose in question European Union looks to

Eastern European countries Economic alliances

Endemic Conflicts Middle East remained a troubled

spot in the 1990s Persian Gulf War (1991): Iraq, under

Hussein, invaded oil-rich Kuwait. US-led UN forces counter Iraq

2003: Invasion of Iraq, led by US and UK, to depose Hussein

Israeli-Palestinian conflict persisted. Tensions between India and

Pakistan escalated in Kashmir from a disputed territory

Map: Persian Gulf War, 1991

Ethnic and Other Conflicts: A New Surge Upsurge of Ethnic conflict post cold war

Potential group identities generate hostilities A number of ethnic groups developed in Europe Brit gov’t limited autonomy France and Spain became more tolerant Australia gov’t (right-wing) rhetorically hostile to

immigrants Within Africa-> Rwanda – Hutus vs. Tutsis

Genocide No policies emerged to push back ethnic conflict

The United States as a Sole Superpower US military commitments remained high after

the Cold War US heavily militarizes –>countries increased

their militaries The growth and success of the European Union

–>potential counterweight to the USA. Economically ahead

Free market Became suspicious of international

agreements

Terrorism, Then and Now Terrorism Epidemic beginning in

late 1960’s Wasn’t major concern in America

until after Sept 11th attack Terrorism was also a major threat

during the decades before WWI Technological advances and new

Social and Cultural issues cause terrorism from these time periods to be different

Targets change due to new security measures and differing motivation and purpose of the attacks

1964 Brinks Hotel Bombing in Vietnam

Terrorism, Then and NowTerrorism before WWI 21st Century Terrorism

-Annihilate centralized states

-Depose capitalist control

-Free people from colonization (in places from Ireland to India)

-Chose powerful/elite targets

-Sometimes bombings of public areas to cause panic

-Often religious extremist

-Indiscriminate attacks on innocent unarmed civilian

-mini bombs, automatic firearms allow for these attacks

- Fewer attacks on high ranking officials because of new advanced security measures

Anti-American Terrorism and Response American interests have been targets of terrorist

attacks since the 1960’s. US policy diverted to the “war on terrorism.” in

response to 9-11 US turned to Iraq and Afghanistan following

September 11th, 2001 attacks. Iraq: accused of amassing weapons of mass

destruction Afghanistan: attack topples Islamic fundamentalist

regime

September 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the Twin Towers