 starter activity
Watch this extract from a recent documentary on the Soviet invasion of
Afghanistan (1979). List reasons why it is sometimes described as the USSR’s
Vietnam
USSR’s Vietnam
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Soviet military lost the media war
Became embroiled in a civil war
Conscript army
Clash of cultures
Guerrilla warfare
Brutalising & demoralising effect of the war on
soldiers
High levels of desertions
Why did Détente come
to an end in 1979?
 Aims
To identify & evaluate the reasons why
Détente ended
To study the impact of the Soviet Invasion
of Afghanistan
 Your task
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Read p.151 and note down the reasons why neoconservatism grew in influence in the late 1970s
 Read the biography of Jimmy Carter. Identify
achievements in his presidency. How fair is the
neo-conservative interpretation of his
administration?
Growth of neo-conservatism
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Naiveté of Carter – lacked foreign policy experience,
over-emphasis on human rights
Aftershock of Vietnam War
Technological and economic superiority of USA
Divisions within Carter administration
Rise of neo-conservative leaders, esp. Reagan
 Your task
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Read p.153 and list the reasons for the end of
Détente. Highlight and explain which you feel
was the most important.
Reasons for end of Détente
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Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
Soviet influence in Third World
US anti-communist support
Soviet violations of human rights
Failure to ratify SALT II
Ill-health of Brezhnev
US hostage crisis in Iran
Growth of neo-conservatism in USA
Strengthening of Soviet military influence over
Politburo
 Your task
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Sort the cards your teacher gives into a diamond
9 format.
Be prepared to explain your decisions.
 Extension. How similar are the reasons for
the end of Détente to those of the start of Cold
War?
 Your task
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Read p. 154 on the Soviet Invasion of
Afghanistan and note the causes and
consequences of the conflict.
Causes of the conflict
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US supported deposed Shah of Iran
USSR feared spread of Muslim Fundamentalism
Brezhnev feared covert support of anti-Soviet
rebels
Mujahadin,
anti-Soviet
rebels in
Afghanistan
Shah of Iran
 Your task
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Study sources N, P & O on p.155 and complete
the evidence table your teacher provides.
 To what extent was Afghanistan the true
cause of the ending of Détente?
 Extension
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Read p.379-403 in Isaacs and take notes on the
positive and negative impacts of Reagan’s
contribution to Cold War politics
 Homework
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Essay question: ‘How advantageous was the
policy of Détente to the management of the
USA’s Cold War diplomacy with the USSR in the
1970s?’
 Plenary
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Reasons for growth of neo-conservatism
Reasons for end of Détente
How significant was the war in Afghanistan?
Who would you blame more for ending of
Détente Carter or Reagan?