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The End of the Cold War

3 dot points across 3 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How did Gorbachev's reforms help bring the Cold War toward its end?

Explain how Gorbachev's reforms and new thinking helped to ease tension and bring the Cold War toward its end
A clear N(A)-Level answer on Gorbachev's reforms and the end of the Cold War. The problems facing the Soviet Union, glasnost and perestroika, his new thinking on relations with the West, and how these reforms helped end the rivalry.
9 min answer →

Why did the communist governments of Eastern Europe collapse so quickly in 1989?

Explain why the communist governments of Eastern Europe collapsed in 1989 and how this brought the Cold War close to its end
A clear N(A)-Level answer on the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe in 1989. Discontent under communist rule, Gorbachev's decision not to intervene, the wave of revolutions, and how the loss of Eastern Europe brought the Cold War toward its end.
9 min answer →

How did the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union finally end the Cold War?

Explain the significance of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union in bringing the Cold War to an end
A clear N(A)-Level answer on the end of the Cold War. Why the Berlin Wall mattered and fell, the reunification of Germany, the break-up of the Soviet Union, and how these events finally ended the long superpower rivalry.
9 min answer →