Evaluate the role played by Gorbachev in ending the Cold War.
Level
A Level
Year Examined
2022
Topic
International history, 1945–92
👑Complete Model Essay
Evaluate the role played by Gorbachev in ending the Cold War.
Evaluating Gorbachev's Role in Ending the Cold War
Mikhail Gorbachev’s ascent to power in 1985 marked a turning point in the Cold War. While his intention was to reform the communist system, his policies inadvertently triggered a chain reaction that ultimately led to its demise. This essay will argue that while other factors contributed, Gorbachev's reforms, coupled with his refusal to use force to maintain Soviet control, played a pivotal role in ending the Cold War.
Gorbachev's Reform Agenda: A Catalyst for Change
Gorbachev inherited a stagnant Soviet Union burdened by economic inefficiency and a costly arms race. Recognizing the need for change, he introduced perestroika (economic restructuring) and glasnost (political openness). He believed these reforms would revitalize the Soviet system. However, they inadvertently exposed its deep-seated flaws and ignited a desire for greater freedom among the Soviet people.
Furthermore, Gorbachev’s decision to withdraw from Afghanistan in 1989, a costly and unpopular war, signaled a departure from the Soviet Union's traditional foreign policy of military interventionism. This move, coupled with his willingness to allow Eastern European countries greater autonomy, emboldened movements for independence.
The Domino Effect: Eastern Europe Breaks Free
The loosening of Soviet control, coupled with the growing desire for freedom fueled by Gorbachev's reforms, created a domino effect across Eastern Europe. Emboldened by Gorbachev’s refusal to use force, countries like Poland, Hungary, and East Germany saw their communist regimes crumble. The fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 became a potent symbol of the Soviet bloc's disintegration and marked a decisive shift in the Cold War's trajectory.
Reagan's Role: Catalyst or Supporting Actor?
While Gorbachev's internal reforms were crucial, Ronald Reagan's foreign policy also played a significant role. Reagan's staunch anti-communist stance and his commitment to strengthening the US military, exemplified by the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), put pressure on the Soviet Union. This pressure, coupled with Reagan's willingness to engage with Gorbachev in arms reduction talks, created an environment where ending the Cold War became a tangible possibility.
However, attributing sole credit to Reagan ignores the internal factors within the Soviet Union that contributed to its collapse. As Gorbachev himself acknowledged, "Mr. Gorbachev deserves most of the credit" (Reagan, 1988). Furthermore, many key events that marked the end of the Cold War, such as the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, occurred after Reagan left office.
Conclusion
Gorbachev's role in ending the Cold War was undoubtedly significant. His attempts to reform the communist system, though well-intentioned, ultimately exposed its weaknesses and sparked its downfall. His commitment to peaceful transition, exemplified by his refusal to use force to suppress dissent in Eastern Europe, paved the way for a bloodless end to the Cold War. While Reagan’s foreign policy undoubtedly played a role, it was the internal contradictions within the Soviet system, exposed and exacerbated by Gorbachev’s reforms, that ultimately led to its demise and the end of the Cold War.
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Introduction
Briefly introduce the Cold War and Gorbachev's role. State your argument - Gorbachev's reforms, while intended to save communism, ultimately led to its demise and the end of the Cold War due to unforeseen consequences and his refusal to use force.
Gorbachev's Reformist Agenda
Discuss Gorbachev's motivations for reform (economic stagnation, costly arms race, Afghanistan). Explain Perestroika and Glasnost - their aims and initial impact. Emphasize the unintended consequence of increased awareness of economic issues and the failures of the communist system.
The Collapse of the Soviet Bloc
Explain how Gorbachev's reforms emboldened satellite states. Discuss the domino effect: starting with countries like Poland, leading to declarations of independence in Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia. Highlight Gorbachev's refusal to use force to maintain control, contrasting it with previous Soviet leaders.
The Role of Reagan and the West
Acknowledge differing views on Reagan's role. Briefly outline his anti-communist stance and initial skepticism towards Gorbachev. Discuss the significance of their summits (Geneva, Reykjavik) - building trust, reducing nuclear tensions. Argue that while Reagan's pressure played a role, Gorbachev's internal reforms were the decisive factor.
Conclusion
Reiterate your argument - Gorbachev's reforms were the primary factor in ending the Cold War. While aiming to revitalize the Soviet system, they ultimately exposed its weaknesses and triggered its downfall. Acknowledge the role of other factors (Reagan, Eastern European populations) while maintaining the centrality of Gorbachev's actions. Conclude by briefly reflecting on the historical significance of Gorbachev's role and the end of the Cold War.
Extracts from Mark Schemes
Evaluate the role played by Gorbachev in ending the Cold War.
Gorbachev wanted to reform communism. However, his reforms caused a revolution driven from below which, because of his refusal to use force, destroyed the communist system, ended the Soviet Empire, and the Cold War. Gorbachev believed in cooperation and in holding only a minimal number of nuclear weapons for protection. He also believed that Soviet control over an empire in Eastern Europe was costing too much and that the invasion of Afghanistan had been a costly disaster.
He was responsible for the loosening of governmental power too. This created a domino effect, and the Eastern European alliances began to crumble. This spurred countries such as Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia to declare their independence. Unlike his predecessors, Gorbachev understood that the Soviet Union could never advance economically if it continued to devote 20% of gross national product and 40% of its budget to military spending. He wanted to demilitarize Soviet foreign policy so that he could divert resources to fixing a broken economy.
Gorbachev’s policies of Glasnost and Perestroika played a major role in ending the Cold War. He recognized the inefficiency of the communist system. He wanted moderate change with perestroika (economic restructuring) and glasnost (political openness), which he believed would help restore the legitimacy of the Communist Party. Instead, the public became aware of the Party’s shortcomings.
The Soviet Union was also losing its grip on its satellite states, and ethnic groups took the opportunity to free themselves from its control. Gorbachev had failed to realize that communism would be destroyed once factors like nationalism took hold and once people became more aware of economic issues. By the summer of 1989, East Europeans were given more freedom and seized the chance to reject communism. By November, the Berlin Wall had fallen. Eastern Europe’s rejection of communist ideology removed a major obstacle to the ending of the Cold War.
Gorbachev has been regarded as the enabling factor in ending the Cold War, with Reagan playing a minor role. However, historians are divided about Reagan’s role; he has been credited with both winning it and ending it. Many of the events that defined the end of the Cold War occurred after Reagan left office, including the destruction of the Berlin Wall, the unification of Germany, the Strategic Arms Treaty, and the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
At a press conference in Moscow in 1988, Reagan described himself essentially as a supporting actor, maintaining that ‘Mr. Gorbachev deserves most of the credit, as the leader of this country.’ However, Reagan also wanted to abolish nuclear weapons, stop the strategic arms race, and avoid Armageddon. Reagan saw that there was the prospect of changing relations with the Soviet Union.
He first met Gorbachev in Geneva in November 1985 to discuss a reduction in nuclear weapons. By seeking to talk to Gorbachev about ending the Cold War, Reagan helped to win it. He was able to reassure Gorbachev that the United States was not seeking the destruction of the Soviet Union, and this enabled Gorbachev to pursue his new policies. He helped to set the framework for the changes. At their face-to-face summit of October 1986 in Reykjavik, Reagan suggested that the two sides get rid of nuclear weapons altogether and jointly build an SDI system to guard against a nuclear revival. No agreement on that was reached, but Gorbachev was convinced that Reagan did not intend to make a first strike against the Soviet Union. This provided Gorbachev with the confidence to pursue the policies that resulted in the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union.