AQA · A-Level · History

    Course version: 7042 · Version from Sept 2017

    The summits between the USA and the USSR, including Geneva, Reykjavik,…

    Full specification wording

    2R The Cold War, c1945–1991 – The ending of the Cold War, 1985–1991 (A-level only): The summits between the USA and the USSR, including Geneva, Reykjavik, Washington and Moscow; Reagan; star wars; Bush and the US response

    The late 1980s witnessed a transformation in US-Soviet relations, driven by a series of pivotal summits.

    Checked against the AQA 7042 specification (opens in a new tab) on .

    • Point 2 of 4
    • 4 key terms

    Study notes

    From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    The idea

    The late 1980s witnessed a transformation in US-Soviet relations, driven by a series of pivotal summits. At Geneva (1985), Reagan and Gorbachev established a crucial personal rapport, though no major agreements were signed. Reykjavik (1986) saw dramatic proposals for nuclear disarmament, ultimately stalling over Reagan's refusal to abandon the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI, or 'Star Wars'). However, this paved the way for the Washington summit (1987), where the historic Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty was signed. The Moscow summit (1988) further solidified this détente. Following Reagan, President George H.W. Bush initially paused to reassess policy but soon responded positively to Soviet concessions, culminating in the Malta Summit (1989) which effectively declared the Cold War over.

    What earns the marks

    • Evaluate the significance of the Geneva (1985) and Moscow (1988) summits in building trust between Reagan and Gorbachev.
    • Analyse how Reagan's commitment to the Strategic Defense Initiative ('Star Wars') caused the collapse of talks at Reykjavik (1986) but pressured the USSR economically.
    • Assess the importance of the Washington summit (1987) and the signing of the INF Treaty in reducing nuclear stockpiles.
    • Explain George H.W. Bush's initial 'pause' in 1989 and his subsequent diplomatic response to the changing Soviet landscape.

    Common mistakes and how to put them right

    • Claiming the INF Treaty was signed at Reykjavik.

      Put it right: The INF Treaty was signed at the Washington summit in 1987; Reykjavik ended without a formal agreement due to disagreements over SDI.

    • Assuming George H.W. Bush immediately continued Reagan's rapid pace of diplomacy.

      Put it right: Bush initiated a strategic 'pause' upon taking office in 1989 to reassess US-Soviet relations before re-engaging.

    • Stating that 'Star Wars' was a fully operational defence system.

      Put it right: SDI was a proposed, theoretical missile defence system that never became fully operational, though its economic threat was highly significant.

    Exam tips

    • When evaluating Reagan's role, balance his hardline anti-communist rhetoric and SDI funding with his willingness to negotiate and build a personal relationship with Gorbachev.
    • Use the specific outcomes of each summit to trace the chronological development of the end of the Cold War, rather than grouping them as a single event.
    • Contrast the diplomatic approaches of Reagan and Bush to demonstrate a nuanced understanding of the US response to Soviet decline.

    Try the lesson

    The start of the 2R The Cold War, c1945–1991 – The ending of the Cold War, 1985–1991 (A-level only): The summits between the USA and the USSR, including Geneva, Reykjavik, Washington and Moscow; Reagan; star wars; Bush and the US response lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    Have a go first

    What was the primary obstacle that prevented a comprehensive arms reduction agreement between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev at the 1986 Reykjavik Summit?

    Listen

    The late 1980s witnessed a transformation in US-Soviet relations, driven by a series of pivotal summits. At Geneva (1985), Reagan and Gorbachev established a crucial personal rapport, though no major agreements were signed. Reykjavik (1986) saw dramatic proposals for nuclear disarmament, ultimately stalling over Reagan's refusal to abandon the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI, or 'Star Wars'). However, this paved the way for the Washington summit (1987), where the historic Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty was signed. The Moscow summit (1988) further solidified this détente. Following Reagan, President George H.W. Bush initially paused to reassess policy but soon responded positively to Soviet concessions, culminating in the Malta Summit (1989) which effectively declared the Cold War over. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Evaluate the significance of the Geneva (1985) and Moscow (1988) summits in building trust between Reagan and Gorbachev. Analyse how Reagan's commitment to the Strategic Defense Initiative ('Star Wars') caused the collapse of talks at Reykjavik (1986) but pressured the USSR economically. Assess the importance of the Washington summit (1987) and the signing of the INF Treaty in reducing nuclear stockpiles. Explain George H.W. Bush's initial 'pause' in 1989 and his subsequent diplomatic response to the changing Soviet landscape. A common slip: Claiming the INF Treaty was signed at Reykjavik. Instead, The INF Treaty was signed at the Washington summit in 1987; Reykjavik ended without a formal agreement due to disagreements over SDI. Exam tip: When evaluating Reagan's role, balance his hardline anti-communist rhetoric and SDI funding with his willingness to negotiate and build a personal relationship with Gorbachev.

    See it

    A vertical flowchart of seven steps. The first node is the Geneva summit of 1985, where Reagan and Gorbachev established a personal rapport but signed no major agreements. An arrow leads to Reykjavik in 1986, where dramatic nuclear disarmament proposals stalled over Reagan's refusal to abandon SDI, or 'Star Wars'. An arrow leads to the Washington summit of 1987, where the INF Treaty was signed. An arrow leads to the Moscow summit of 1988, which further solidified détente. An arrow leads to Bush's initial 'pause' to reassess policy. An arrow leads to Bush responding positively to Soviet concessions. A final arrow leads to the Malta Summit of 1989, which effectively declared the Cold War over.
    The sequence of US-Soviet summits from Geneva in 1985 to Malta in 1989, showing how each led to the next and how Bush's initial pause gave way to a positive response.

    Put it in order

    Put these steps in the order they happen.

    1. 1. Malta Summit (1989): Cold War effectively declared over
    2. 2. Bush responds positively to Soviet concessions
    3. 3. Washington summit (1987): INF Treaty signed
    4. 4. Bush: initial 'pause' to reassess policy
    5. 5. Geneva (1985): Reagan and Gorbachev establish personal rapport; no major agreements
    6. 6. Reykjavik (1986): dramatic nuclear disarmament proposals stall over Reagan's refusal to abandon SDI ('Star Wars')
    7. 7. Moscow summit (1988): détente further solidified

    Put the events in order

    Put these events in the order they happened, earliest first.

    1. 1. Reykjavik summit stalled over Reagan's refusal to abandon SDI
    2. 2. Geneva summit between Reagan and Gorbachev
    3. 3. Malta Summit effectively declared the Cold War over
    4. 4. Washington summit where the INF Treaty was signed
    5. 5. Moscow summit further solidified détente

    Key words

    Say what each word means before you turn the card.

    Nuclear Disarmament

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Presidential Leadership

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Diplomacy

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Technological Competition

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    See every definition
    Nuclear Disarmament
    Dramatic proposals for this were made at Reykjavik, though the summit stalled over Reagan's refusal to abandon the Strategic Defense Initiative.
    Presidential Leadership
    Reagan built a personal relationship with Gorbachev, while Bush initially paused to reassess policy before responding positively to Soviet concessions.
    Diplomacy
    A series of pivotal summits transformed US-Soviet relations, from Geneva through Reykjavik, Washington and Moscow to Malta.
    Technological Competition
    The Strategic Defense Initiative, or 'Star Wars', was a proposed missile defence system whose economic threat pressured the USSR.

    Label the diagram

    Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.

    The diagram again, with 3 boxes numbered instead of named. A vertical flowchart of seven steps. The first node is the Geneva summit of 1985, where Reagan and Gorbachev established a personal rapport but signed no major agreements. An arrow leads to Reykjavik in 1986, where dramatic nuclear disarmament proposals stalled over Reagan's refusal to abandon SDI, or 'Star Wars'. An arrow leads to the Washington summit of 1987, where the INF Treaty was signed. An arrow leads to the Moscow summit of 1988, which further solidified détente. An arrow leads to Bush's initial 'pause' to reassess policy. An arrow leads to Bush responding positively to Soviet concessions. A final arrow leads to the Malta Summit of 1989, which effectively declared the Cold War over.

    • 1Box 1

    • 2Box 2

    • 3Box 3

    0 of 3 labelled

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