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The End of the Cold War
Quick questions on Reagan and the revival of confrontation explained: H2 History
5short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What is the revival of confrontation?Show answer
After the collapse of detente at the end of the 1970s, the early 1980s saw a sharp revival of Cold War tension, the Second Cold War. The Reagan administration adopted a far more confrontational posture toward the Soviet Union, denouncing it in stark ideological terms and committing to a major military build-up. Reagan increased defence spending substantially, deployed new missiles, and announced the Strategic Defense Initiative, a research programme for a space-based missile defence system. The aim was to confront the Soviet Union from a position of strength and to reverse what American hardliners saw as the concessions of detente.
What is the dismissive trap?Show answer
Treating Reagan as irrelevant ignores the real economic pressure of the build-up; balance is required.
What is q1?Show answer
Explain what is meant by the Second Cold War. [4 marks]
What is q2?Show answer
Explain how the Reagan military build-up affected the Soviet Union. [12 marks]
What is q3?Show answer
"External pressure, not internal decline, ended the Cold War." How far do you agree? [20 marks]
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