The Cold War: Vietnam, Détente,
and Reagan.
Agenda
1. Bell Ringer: Identify ways you can group documents.
2. Lecture: Vietnam and End of Cold War (20)
3. Primary Interpretation, Hawk vs. Dove. (20) Writing
Exercise
4. What led to the downfall of the Soviet Union? Analysis
5. Political Cartoons during the Cold War (10)
6. Compare and Contrast: Leaders during the Cold War
(10)
7. AP Practice Questions (10)
8. Reagan tells Jokes about the Soviet Union… (5)
After Kennedy
• Lyndon Johnson elected in
1964, a gradual increase in
troops would occur under
his leadership.
• While the war is initially
supported, over time as war
continues, support wanes.
• First instance of graphic
footage shown to the
public. What is seen prior?
• 1968 is the pivotal year.
Escalation of Vietnam
• French were involved in
conflict since 1955.
• We aided the French, then
made it our own conflict in
the mid 1960s.
• It lasts nearly ten years,
with the final blow coming
when Saigon is taken by the
Viet-Cong in 1975 and
South Vietnam falls to
Communism.
• By 1968 we would have
over 500,000 troops there.
Draft is active in USA.
Détente and an End to Vietnam
• By this time, Era of détente
begins.
– A relaxing of aggression
towards the United States.
• Nixon goes to China in 1972,
a Communist country.
• Soviets take notice, and
wonder if Nixon is
attempting to steal China
from the Russians.
• Soviets invade Afghanistan
in 1979, turned into “their”
Vietnam.
Reagan’s stance on Communism
• He was strongly against
Communists, and after
the détente of the
1970s he moves to
make America fight
Communism once
again.
• He wanted to increase
military strength of the
USA.
Star Wars
• The Strategic Defense
Initiative was a program
designed to create a
“forcefield” around the
USA.
• Focused on strategic
defense OF the borders,
not against the Soviets.
• ICBM’s to x-rays, some
of this stuff was
unrealistic.
Mikhail Gorbachev
• Came to power and
completely changed the
Soviet Union.
• He changed the policy
of a closed society in
favor of political and
economic reform.
• Withdrew forces from
Afghanistan in 1988,
major defeat for
Soviets.
Perestroika and Glasnost
• Glasnost – Openness of the government.
– It is meant to discourage corruption by creating a
government that has no secrets.
• Perestroika – Restructuring of the
government.
– It was thought that it would make Communism
more efficient by incorporating free-market
aspects.
– In the end Communism would collapse.
Fall of the Wall
• Reagan famously said,
“Gorbachev, tear down
this wall”
• The wall finally opened
up in November, 1989.
• Many Eastern Germans
would leave for the West.
• The Soviet Union would
collapse in 1991, signaling
the end of the Cold War.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjWDrTX
MgF8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjWDrTXM
gF8
Tear down this wall
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3A7LSkMRp
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Soviet Jokes