THE ROLE OF INDIVIDUALS IN THE ENDING OF THE COLD WAR

SIGNIFICANCE IN ENDING THE COLD WAR:

- Established good relations with other leaders
- Believed the USSR system had to be reformed for the needs of the Soviet people
- Believed the Arms Race diverted too much money away
- Glasnost and Perestroika were big changes
- Democratisation ended the Brezhnev Doctrine - weakened hard-line communists in Eastern Europe
- Was willing to make concessions, E.G. In the 1987 INF Treaty

LACK OF SIGNIFICANCE IN ENDING THE COLD WAR:

-None!!

SIGNIFICANCE IN ENDING THE COLD WAR:

- Put pressure on the Polish Gov to grant concessions to Solidarity by reducing financial aid to Poland
- SDI alarmed Soviet Leadership
- He caused dificulties for the USSR in Afghanistan

LACK OF SIGNIFICANCE IN ENDING THE COLD WAR:

- Showed the USSR that the USA was hostile
- SDI was seen by many as unrealistic
- Sometimes supported corrupt and unpopular regimes under the Reagan Doctrine, E.G. in the Philippenes

SIGNIFICANCE IN ENDING THE COLD WAR:

- Spoke out against the lack of human rights in Eastern Europe
- Speeches inspred those resisting Communism - E.G. "Do not be afraid"
- Visited Poland in 1979, 1983, 1987 - this reinforced Solidarity and helped gain concessions from the governments

LACK OF SIGNIFICANCE IN ENDING THE COLD WAR:

- Catholic church was only strong in Poland and the Baltic States - imapct = limited in other countries

SIGNIFICANCE IN ENDING THE COLD WAR:

- Opposed all forms of Communism
- Dubbed "Iron Lady" by USSR press
- Allowed Reagan to put missiles in UK in the 1980's
- Was the intermediate between Reagan and Gorbachev

LACK OF SIGNIFICANCE IN ENDING THE COLD WAR:

- Only played a supporting role to Reagan