Pearson Edexcel · GCSE · History

    Course version: 1HI0 · Version from Sept 2016

    Key topic 3: The end of the Cold War, 1970–91 - 2 The end of détente and…

    Full specification wording

    Option P4: Key topic 3: The end of the Cold War, 1970–91 - 2 The end of détente and the ‘Second Cold War’: The significance of Reagan and Gorbachev in reducing tensions.

    The reduction of Cold War tensions in the late 1980s was significantly driven by the working relationship between US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.

    Checked against the Pearson Edexcel 1HI0 specification (opens in a new tab) on .

    • Point 3 of 3
    • 4 key terms

    Study notes

    From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    The idea

    The reduction of Cold War tensions in the late 1980s was significantly driven by the working relationship between US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Gorbachev recognised that the USSR's economy was failing and could not sustain the arms race, leading him to seek better relations with the West. Reagan, despite his earlier hardline stance, was willing to negotiate with a reformist Soviet leader. Their series of summit meetings, notably Geneva (1985), Reykjavik (1986), and Washington (1987), built mutual trust. The Washington Summit resulted in the landmark Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, which eliminated an entire class of nuclear missiles, marking a crucial step in ending the Cold War.

    What earns the marks

    • Identify Gorbachev's realisation that the Soviet economy required a reduction in military spending.
    • Explain Reagan's willingness to engage in diplomacy despite his earlier "evil empire" rhetoric.
    • Describe the importance of the summit meetings (Geneva, Reykjavik, Washington, Moscow) in building personal trust between the leaders.
    • Detail the terms of the 1987 INF Treaty, which abolished land-based intermediate-range nuclear missiles.
    • Analyse how the combined leadership of both men shifted the Cold War from confrontation to cooperation.

    Common mistakes and how to put them right

    • Attributing the reduction in tensions solely to Gorbachev's reforms.

      Put it right: Emphasise that Reagan's willingness to negotiate and compromise was equally vital to the diplomatic breakthrough.

    • Confusing the INF Treaty with SALT or START agreements.

      Put it right: Specify that the INF Treaty (1987) uniquely eliminated an entire category of intermediate-range missiles, rather than just limiting them.

    • Assuming Reykjavik was a failure because no treaty was signed.

      Put it right: Note that while no agreement was reached at Reykjavik, it laid the essential groundwork for the subsequent INF Treaty.

    Exam tips

    • Use the summit meetings chronologically to demonstrate the developing relationship and trust between Reagan and Gorbachev.
    • Highlight the INF Treaty as the most concrete evidence of their success in reducing tensions.
    • When evaluating significance, balance the roles of both leaders, showing how Gorbachev's need for reform met Reagan's diplomatic flexibility.

    Try the lesson

    The start of the Option P4: Key topic 3: The end of the Cold War, 1970–91 - 2 The end of détente and the ‘Second Cold War’: The significance of Reagan and Gorbachev in reducing tensions. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    Have a go first

    Which significant agreement was signed by Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev in Washington in December 1987?

    Listen

    The reduction of Cold War tensions in the late 1980s was significantly driven by the working relationship between US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Gorbachev recognised that the USSR's economy was failing and could not sustain the arms race, leading him to seek better relations with the West. Reagan, despite his earlier hardline stance, was willing to negotiate with a reformist Soviet leader. Their series of summit meetings, notably Geneva (1985), Reykjavik (1986), and Washington (1987), built mutual trust. The Washington Summit resulted in the landmark Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, which eliminated an entire class of nuclear missiles, marking a crucial step in ending the Cold War. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Identify Gorbachev's realisation that the Soviet economy required a reduction in military spending. Explain Reagan's willingness to engage in diplomacy despite his earlier "evil empire" rhetoric. Describe the importance of the summit meetings (Geneva, Reykjavik, Washington, Moscow) in building personal trust between the leaders. Detail the terms of the 1987 INF Treaty, which abolished land-based intermediate-range nuclear missiles. A common slip: Attributing the reduction in tensions solely to Gorbachev's reforms. Instead, Emphasise that Reagan's willingness to negotiate and compromise was equally vital to the diplomatic breakthrough. Exam tip: Use the summit meetings chronologically to demonstrate the developing relationship and trust between Reagan and Gorbachev.

    See it

    A top-down flowchart. Two starting boxes sit at the top: one reads 'Gorbachev: Soviet economy failing', which leads to 'Seeks better relations with the West'; the other reads 'Reagan: willing to negotiate with a reformist leader'. Both of these lead into a box reading 'Summit meetings build mutual trust'. From that box, three boxes branch out: 'Geneva (1985)', 'Reykjavik (1986)' and 'Washington (1987)'. The Washington box leads to 'INF Treaty: eliminates a class of nuclear missiles', which finally leads to 'Reduced Cold War tensions'.
    Shows how Gorbachev's economic concerns and Reagan's willingness to negotiate led through the summit meetings to the INF Treaty and reduced tensions.

    Put the events in order

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

    1. 1. Geneva summit meeting between Reagan and Gorbachev
    2. 2. Washington Summit resulted in the INF Treaty
    3. 3. Reykjavik summit meeting between Reagan and Gorbachev

    Key words

    Say what each word means before you turn the card.

    Summit meetings

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

    INF Treaty

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

    Arms race

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

    Diplomacy

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

    See every definition
    Summit meetings
    A series of meetings between Reagan and Gorbachev, notably Geneva (1985), Reykjavik (1986) and Washington (1987), which built mutual trust.
    INF Treaty
    The landmark Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, resulting from the Washington Summit, which eliminated an entire class of nuclear missiles.
    Arms race
    A competition in weapons build-up that Gorbachev recognised the failing Soviet economy could not sustain.
    Diplomacy
    Negotiation between the two leaders, which Reagan was willing to engage in with a reformist Soviet leader despite his earlier hardline stance.

    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 top-down flowchart. Two starting boxes sit at the top: one reads 'Gorbachev: Soviet economy failing', which leads to 'Seeks better relations with the West'; the other reads 'Reagan: willing to negotiate with a reformist leader'. Both of these lead into a box reading 'Summit meetings build mutual trust'. From that box, three boxes branch out: 'Geneva (1985)', 'Reykjavik (1986)' and 'Washington (1987)'. The Washington box leads to 'INF Treaty: eliminates a class of nuclear missiles', which finally leads to 'Reduced Cold War tensions'.

    • 1Box 1

    • 2Box 2

    • 3Box 3

    0 of 3 labelled

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