Option P4: Key topic 3: The end of the Cold War, 1970–91 - 2 The end of détente and the ‘Second Cold War’ — Edexcel GCSE History
Test yourself on Option P4: Key topic 3: The end of the Cold War, 1970–91 - 2 The end of détente and the ‘Second Cold War’ with PEARSON EDEXCEL GCSE practice questions.
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Option P4: Key topic 3: The end of the Cold War, 1970–91 - 2 The end of détente and the ‘Second Cold War’ explained
The 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan was a turning point that destroyed détente and triggered the 'Second Cold War'.
Read the full explanation
The USSR intervened to prop up a communist government, but the USA viewed this as aggressive expansionism threatening Middle Eastern oil supplies. In response, the Carter Doctrine was announced, stating the USA would use military force to defend its interests in the Persian Gulf, marking a return to containment. Furthermore, the USA led a boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics, supported by over 60 nations, which deeply embarrassed the USSR and highlighted global condemnation. The USSR retaliated by boycotting the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. These events significantly escalated tensions, ending arms control efforts and renewing intense superpower hostility.
Reagan and the ‘Second Cold War’, the Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI).
Ronald Reagan became US President in 1981, adopting a tough anti-communist stance that characterised the 'Second Cold War'. He famously described the Soviet Union as an "evil empire" and significantly increased US military spending. A central element of this renewed hostility was the Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI), announced in 1983. Nicknamed 'Star Wars', SDI was a proposed system of space-based lasers intended to intercept and destroy incoming Soviet nuclear missiles. This undermined the principle of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) and placed immense economic pressure on the USSR, which could not afford to compete with American technological advancements, thereby escalating Cold War tensions.
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. 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.
Your focus
- Explain the reasons for the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and its immediate impact on superpower relations.
- Describe the key principles of the Carter Doctrine and its significance for US foreign policy.
- Analyse the political and cultural impact of the 1980 and 1984 Olympic boycotts on the Cold War.
Show all 9 objectives
- Describe Ronald Reagan's approach to the Soviet Union during the 'Second Cold War'.
- Explain the purpose and proposed mechanics of the Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI).
- Evaluate the impact of SDI on the Cold War balance of power and the Soviet economy.
- Identify the motivations of Reagan and Gorbachev for seeking a reduction in Cold War tensions.
- Describe the key summit meetings between the two leaders and their outcomes.
- Evaluate the significance of the INF Treaty in the context of the arms race.
Option P4: Key topic 3: The end of the Cold War, 1970–91 - 2 The end of détente and the ‘Second Cold War’ exam tips
Marking Points
- The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979 aimed to support the pro-Soviet government against Mujahideen rebels.
- The invasion definitively ended the period of détente, leading the US Senate to refuse the ratification of the SALT 2 treaty.
- The Carter Doctrine (1980) committed the USA to using military force, if necessary, to protect its national interests and oil supplies in the Persian Gulf.
- The USA funded and armed the Mujahideen fighters in Afghanistan, engaging in a proxy war against the Soviet Union.
- The US-led boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics, joined by over 60 countries, was a significant cultural and diplomatic blow to the Soviet Union.
- Identify Reagan's aggressive rhetoric, such as calling the USSR an "evil empire".
- Explain the massive increase in US defence spending under Reagan, which funded new weapons systems and military expansion.
- Describe the Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI) as a proposed space-based anti-missile system.
- Analyse how SDI threatened the balance of power by undermining the concept of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD).
- Evaluate the economic impact of SDI on the Soviet Union, which struggled to match US technological and financial resources.
- 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.
Examiner Tips
- 💡Link the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan directly to the failure of SALT 2 to demonstrate how military actions impacted diplomatic treaties.
- 💡Use the Carter Doctrine as evidence of the USA's shift from détente back to a hardline policy of containment.
- 💡Discuss the Olympic boycotts to show how Cold War rivalry extended beyond politics and military into culture and sport.
- 💡When discussing the 'Second Cold War', explicitly link Reagan's rhetoric and policies to the breakdown of détente.
- 💡Use SDI as a key example of how technological competition placed unsustainable economic strain on the Soviet Union.
- 💡Remember to mention the nickname 'Star Wars' as it highlights the futuristic and ambitious nature of the SDI project.
- 💡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.
Common Mistakes
- Stating that US troops fought directly against Soviet troops in Afghanistan; the USA provided covert funding and weapons to the Mujahideen, making it a proxy war.
- Confusing the dates and locations of the Olympic boycotts; the USA boycotted Moscow in 1980, and the USSR boycotted Los Angeles in 1984.
- Believing the Carter Doctrine applied globally; it specifically targeted the defence of the Persian Gulf region and its oil reserves.
- Mistake: Claiming SDI was a fully operational system. Correction: Clarify that SDI was a proposed research programme and was never fully built or deployed.
- Mistake: Confusing the First and Second Cold War. Correction: Ensure the 'Second Cold War' is specifically linked to the breakdown of détente following the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and Reagan's subsequent policies.
- Mistake: Stating that SDI involved launching nuclear weapons from space. Correction: Explain that SDI was a defensive system designed to use lasers to destroy incoming Soviet missiles.
- Mistake: Attributing the reduction in tensions solely to Gorbachev's reforms. Correction: Emphasise that Reagan's willingness to negotiate and compromise was equally vital to the diplomatic breakthrough.
- Mistake: Confusing the INF Treaty with SALT or START agreements. Correction: Specify that the INF Treaty (1987) uniquely eliminated an entire category of intermediate-range missiles, rather than just limiting them.
- Mistake: Assuming Reykjavik was a failure because no treaty was signed. Correction: Note that while no agreement was reached at Reykjavik, it laid the essential groundwork for the subsequent INF Treaty.