Download Fall of the Soviet Union

Fall of the Soviet Union
What are some of the reasons that the
Soviet Union collapses?
Reagan vs. Communism
•“Reagan Doctrine” states US will now stop
communism around the world
•Reagan sends aid to anti-communist
groups in Afghanistan & Latin America
•Reagan invades Grenada when
Communists try to take over the govt.
•1983: Reagan starts a new Arms Race
•Reagan spends billions a space-based
defense system known as SDI or “Star Wars”
Reagan Video
1. What did Reagan say about the Soviet
Union?
2. How many summits did Reagan &
Gorbachev have?
3. Describe SDI, what is your opinion of it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=Uc7O-SLoICw
Collapse of the Soviet Union
•Soviet economy struggling, spending money in
Afghanistan & trying to keep up w/ US in arms race.
•Mikhail Gorbachev begins Glastnost & Perestroika
a call for more openness & economic reforms
•As Soviet satellites in Eastern Europe abandon
Communism, hardliners in Moscow blame Gorbachev
•1991: Hardliners attempt coup but it fails.
•Russian leader Boris Yeltsin says Communism must
end & Soviet Union should break up
•Parts of Soviet Union declare independence.
Gorbachev resigns.
•Russia, led by Yeltsin, also breaks away & the
Soviet Union is dissolved on Dec 26, 1991.
•Pres Bush Sr & Yeltsin declare cold war is over!
• Today, Soviet Union is 15 independent countries. However,
Russian leader Vladimir Putin has “taken back” old Soviet land