← Period 9: 1980–Present
The End of the Cold War
The Soviet Union's economic struggles and political reforms (glasnost, perestroika) under Gorbachev, combined with Eastern European independence movements, ended the Cold War by 1991.
Overview
Economic stagnation, Gorbachev's reforms attempting to open and restructure the Soviet system, and the fall of the Berlin Wall (1989) cascaded into the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, ending the decades-long Cold War rivalry with the United States.
Practice Quiz
Question 1 of 1Score so far: 0/0
What role did Gorbachev's reforms play in the end of the Cold War?