ipl-logo

Gorbachev Taking A Stand For Peace And Democracy Essay

1685 Words7 Pages

Gorbachev: Taking a Stand for Peace and Democracy

Sean Li, Jack McMahon, Ian Park, Henry Smith

Introduction

On December 26, 1991, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics dissolved into fifteen independent states. With its abrupt demise came the solemn resignation of former General Secretary of the Communist Party, Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev. Gorbachev has been labeled many things: a friend to the West, the great villain of modern Russia, and the liberator of Eastern Europe. The 1980’s Time Man of the decade and recipient of the Nobel Peace prize, Gorbachev was one of the most influential statesmen of the 20th century; a visionary who realized that new thinking would be required to overcome the boundaries of old ideology in order to achieve …show more content…

He inadvertently catalyzed the fall of the Soviet Union and ushered in a time of economic instability for many Russians. For this, he is reviled by many in Modern Russia. However, Gorbachev is respected by a great many. Few leaders in history have had the courage to choose a course for reform and stand by it as resolutely as Gorbachev did. In his nobel lecture, he declared, “I have long ago made a final and irrevocable decision. Nothing and no one, no pressure, either from the right or from the left, will make me abandon the positions of perestroika and new thinking. I do not intend to change my views or convictions. My choice is a final one.” Gorbachev took a stand or reform and change in a nation hampered by the customs of an oppressive ideology. Perestroika and Glasnost were able to expand the rights of the people including freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and the freedom of assembly. He set a precedent for diplomacy by halting the arms race and averting nuclear destruction. Ever since Gorbachev took office and began negotiations with Reagan, the world’s stockpile of ballistic missiles has declined. With tensions between Russia and the United States again on the rise, and leaders advocating for nuclear arms proliferation, international peace is at risk. Gorbachev stand is now more relevant than ever, a reminder that ideological divides are better resolved through conferences than

Show More
Related

How Did Ronald Reagan's Actions Aid In The End Of The Cold War

1872 Words | 8 Pages

The role that Reagan’s actions played in ending the Cold War has been a controversial topic ever since the war came to a close. This investigation will show that, to a good extent, Reagan’s actions

Read More

How Did Ronald Reagan Achieve The Goals Of The New Right Conservatives

740 Words | 3 Pages

Although Zbigniew Brzezinski was a critic of Reagan’s SDI program, it was difficult for even him to deny that it worked in helping end the Cold War. The SDI, at least, stabilized a nuclear equilibrium, which was a fact that not even he could deny. Reagan successfully, and mostly peacefully ended the Cold War, which brought joy to people of all walks of life, including New Right conservatives. The beginning of the end of the Cold War was the tearing down of the Berlin Wall, which Reagan said, “General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate!

Read More

Joseph Stalin Dbq

619 Words | 3 Pages

Post WWl, Russia was still not industrialized, suffering economically and politically and in no doubt in need of a leader after Lenin’s death. “His successor, Joseph Stalin, a ruthless dictator, seized power and turned Russia into a totalitarian state where the government controls all aspects of private and public life.” Stalin showed these traits by using methods of enforcement, state control of individuals and state control of society. The journey of Stalin begins now.

Read More

Joseph Stalin Dbq Essay

696 Words | 3 Pages

Throughout Russia’s history, there have been many rulers that tried to manage their country in different ways. Even though, all of these rulers had their own unique ways of ruling, all of them were seen as terrible by the people. This eventually led to a tipping point for the Russian citizens and the Russian Revolution took place. The goal for these people was to gain freedom from their oppressive czar but instead, they got an even worse leader. Joseph Stalin was a leader of the Soviet Union from 1929 to 1953 and he was known for his ability to strike fear into people.

Read More

Ronald Reagan's Accomplishments

844 Words | 4 Pages

In 1987 he forged a diplomatic relationship with Mikhail Gorbachev chairman of the Soviet Union. That same year the U.S. and the Soviet Union signed a historic agreement to eliminate intermediate range nuclear missiles. Later that year Reagan spoke at the Berlin wall a symbol of communism and challenged Gorbachev to tear down the wall “ Mr. Gorbachev tear down that wall”. 2 years later he allowed the people to dismantle the wall. This is considered a symbol of the fall of the Soviet Union and the end of communism.

Read More

How Did Reagan End The Cold War?

587 Words | 3 Pages

Before Reagan’s election in 1980, the United States and the Soviet Union experienced détente, or a period of relaxed tension. However, Reagan was harsh on the Soviet Union, adopting a harsh anti-communism policy. By doing so, Reagan was able to help end the Cold War and cause the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Reagan saw the Soviet Union as being “prepared to commit any crime, to lie, to cheat”, and that they were “the focus of evil in the modern world” (Kennedy, 690).

Read More

Pros And Cons Of Ronald Reagan

638 Words | 3 Pages

Reagan On East-West Relation and Clinton Ronald Reagan was surely one of America’s most influential presidents in the realm of international policy. President Reagan was now given the opportunity in the mid-80s when Mikhail Gorbachev was selected as the new Soviet Union leader. Gorbachev was looking to reform the Soviet Union and reduce military spending, this played out well for Ronald Reagan and his agenda of a free world. Ronald Reagan took center stage in 1987 on East-West relations at the Berlin wall, as he speaks of the hardships of the past, the current state of peace, and a future freedom for all people.

Read More

Rhetorical Analysis Of President Ronald Reagan

924 Words | 4 Pages

Thatcher juxtaposes common belief about the Soviet Union’s, “dark corridors,” and Reagan’s tactful approach. He recognized that the Soviet Union wasn’t completely devoid of hope. In noting this fact, Thatcher shows that Reagan always managed to see the good in

Read More

Ronald Reagan Foreign Policies Essay

790 Words | 4 Pages

When evaluating the extent to which Ronald Reagan’s foreign policies lead to the collapse of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (Soviet Union) it is important to look at many aspects: Ronald Reagan’s foreign policies that pushed the Soviet Union into an arms race, the U.S relations with the USSR to have a better understanding of the conflict between them. It is important to know which leader was in power in the Soviet Union during the time that Reagan was enforcing its foreign policies and also other economic crisis within the country that contributed into its collapse. The USSR was a Marxist–Leninist state on the Eurasian continent that existed between 1922 and 1991 where it officially collapsed on December 31, 1991. Dramatic economic

Read More

How Did Ronald Reagan Win The Cold War

792 Words | 4 Pages

Ronald Reagan and the Cold War By Everett Perryman Many people think that when Ronald Reagan “Won” the Cold War, his only motivation to do so was for the satisfaction of winning, and obviously to protect the people of the United States of America and other allied countries. This is partly true. Ronald Reagan did want to protect his people, but he didn’t exactly want to win the war. All Reagan wanted to do, concerning the wanting to win part of the thought, was make sure that Gorbachev and the Union would fall. Reagan would go on to do great things like the “Tear Down This Wall” speech, and his war strategies of luring his enemies into a false sense of safety.

Read More

Why Was Ronald Reagan Referred To As A Revolution

1158 Words | 5 Pages

Reagan promised to end the “Vietnam Syndrome” by restoring America’s, as well as the military’s itself, confidence in the military (Thompson, 198-199). In his first term, Reagan held a strong militant stance against communism calling for the buildup in American armed forces and nuclear weaponry in the event that there was ever a Soviet attack. Reagan’s greatest diplomatic success came from leading the United States to a victory in the Cold War. However, it was when he took a more flexible stance, in his second term of presidency, in his relations with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev who was seeking a more civil policy (Crash Course, Reagan Revolution). Reagan achieved victory through compromise not combat, by helping Gorbachev to gradually break down communism from within, granting people greater political and economic freedoms (Mindtap, Middle East Crises,

Read More

Contrast The Relationship Between Ronald Reagan And Paul Gorbachev

551 Words | 3 Pages

The relationship between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev, although initially tenuous, and at times stubborn, was ultimately one of significant interpersonal familiarity and substantial compromise. Yet, in spite of Reagan’s desire to eliminate nuclear weapons, overt rhetoric, and aggressive actions during his administration, Gorbachev’s progressive approach to international relations and domestic initiatives made him most responsible for the conclusion of the Cold War. When Gorbachev became the Soviet general secretary, he inherited significant domestic issues including a declining economic growth rate, bloated military budget, inadequate productivity, and poor living standards (Judge & Langdon, 239). In response to these issues, Gorbachev initiated a policy of glasnost, or openness, in an effort to address key problems instead of ignoring their

Read More

The Last Empire Plokhy Analysis

2097 Words | 9 Pages

Serhii Plohky’s The Last Empire is a text with a strong argument, seeking to debunk myths surrounding the collapse of the Soviet Union. Most prominently, Plohky attacks the misconception that the United States somehow won a victory against the USSR when Gorbachev resigned and the Union dissolved. In his 26 December 1991 speech, President H.W. Bush famously stated “This is a victory for democracy and freedom. It 's a victory for the moral force of our values.

Read More

Address From The Brandenburg Gate Speech Analysis

523 Words | 3 Pages

In the Communist world, we see failure, technological backwardness, declining standards of health, even want of the most basic kind-too little food.’ President reagan connected with communist people letting them know that their world is struggling. He conveys to them that they are less fortunate then the successful and flourishing west. Reagan also raises the fact that the soviets are leaning towards altering their contemporary political society. “We hear much from Moscow about a new policy of reform and openness.

Read More

Vladimir Putin Ethical Leadership

1070 Words | 5 Pages

“There is Putin and there is Russia, no Putin, no Russia.” Consider this statement, meant as a positive affirmation toward Vladimir V. Putin in 2014 by Russia’s then Deputy Chief of Staff, Vyacheslav Volodin. It was. What kind of leader is Vladimir Putin, considering this notion that Putin, or any leader, as the singular identity of an entire country? It is my claim that Vladimir Putin, through his own actions, decisions and behaviors, is a visionary and unethical leader.

Read More

More about Gorbachev Taking A Stand For Peace And Democracy Essay

Related Topics

Open Document