Well… well… well… Look who just won their THIRD WORLD WAR! (WWI✓, WWII✓, COLD WAR✓). But, it’s too simple to just say we MURKA’d them to death. It was more like a death by 1,000 cuts for the Soviet Union and their allies. The College Board only mentions three things: Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, Public Discontent and Economic weaknesses. The Soviet Union peaked around 1960. Their planned economy and collective farms could not keep pace with the American capitalist workforce. Their invasion of the Soviet Union turned into the ‘Bear Trap’. Soviet secrecy led to the Chernobyl Disaster in 1986. Star Wars (SDI) forced the Soviets into ruinous spending. And, discontent amongst the satellite states of East Europe mixed with the reforms of 1990 Nobel Peace Prize Winner Mikhail Gorbachev brought the Cold War to a close in 1991.

1. CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS
2. DETENTE
3. SOVIET-AFGHAN WAR
4. MIRACLE ON ICE
5. CHERNOBYL

1. END OF THE COLD WAR FROM HEIMLER’S HISTORY

2. THE END OF THE COLD WAR from CRASH COURSE

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