OCR Specification focus:
‘the impact of the ‘new Cold War’ (1979–1985)’
The ‘new Cold War’ from 1979 to 1985 marked a sharp reversal of the 1970s détente, escalating East–West tensions and reshaping global strategic, political, and economic dynamics.
Background to the New Cold War
The new Cold War emerged after a decade of relative cooperation known as détente. By the late 1970s, multiple factors eroded trust between the superpowers:
The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (1979) alarmed the West, appearing as evidence of Soviet expansionism.
The Iranian Revolution (1979) destabilised a key US ally, increasing perceptions of global instability.
Rising ideological confidence in the Soviet Union under Leonid Brezhnev clashed with Western liberal capitalism.
The election of Ronald Reagan (1980) and Margaret Thatcher (1979) brought leaders unwilling to continue détente.
Escalation of Military and Strategic Tensions
Nuclear and Conventional Arms Build-up
The period witnessed a renewed arms race, marked by:
US development and deployment of Pershing II and Cruise missiles in Western Europe from 1983.
Soviet introduction of SS-20 intermediate-range missiles across the Warsaw Pact.
Heightened fear of nuclear conflict following NATO’s Able Archer 83 exercise, which Moscow misread as a potential first strike.
Arms Race: The competitive build-up of military capacity, especially nuclear weapons, between rival states to gain or maintain strategic advantage.
This arms expansion ended hopes that the SALT II Treaty (signed 1979) would limit nuclear weapons, as the US Senate refused ratification in response to Afghanistan.
Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI)
In 1983, Reagan announced the Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI), a plan for a space-based missile shield. Though technologically unproven, it threatened to undermine the principle of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) and intensified Soviet insecurity.
Political and Ideological Confrontation
United States and Western Policy
Reagan denounced the USSR as an “evil empire”, reflecting a return to hard-line containment. Key policies included:
Reagan Doctrine: Support for anti-communist movements worldwide, including in Central America and Afghanistan.
Increased funding for CIA operations aimed at undermining Soviet-backed regimes.
A robust alliance with NATO, reaffirmed by joint military exercises and expanded bases.
Soviet Responses
The USSR, facing economic stagnation, sought to match US militarisation but struggled with:
High costs of maintaining parity in nuclear weapons.
Ongoing war in Afghanistan draining resources and morale.
Growing dissent in Eastern Europe, especially Poland, where Solidarity emerged as a powerful trade-union movement challenging communist control.
Flashpoints of the New Cold War
In Poland, Solidarity challenged communist rule in 1980–81; martial law (1981–83) repressed the movement but deepened East–West tensions.
Lech Wałęsa signs autographs outside the Gdańsk Shipyard on 31 August 1980, days after the August Agreements legalised Solidarity. The photograph captures Solidarity’s mass appeal and the confidence of a movement that unsettled Moscow. It illustrates how domestic unrest in the Eastern Bloc fed wider Cold War anxieties. Source
Afghanistan (1979–1989): Soviet forces faced a US-supported mujahideen insurgency. The conflict became a proxy war, symbolising the global reach of the new Cold War.
Poland (1980–1981): The rise of Solidarity, led by Lech Wałęsa, provoked a crisis. The Soviet Union pressured the Polish government to impose martial law in 1981 to suppress dissent, fearing contagion across the Eastern bloc.
Third World conflicts: The US and USSR supported opposing sides in Central America (Nicaragua, El Salvador) and Africa (Angola), reinforcing global competition.
Impact on Europe
The new Cold War had significant consequences across Europe:
West Germany faced domestic protests against NATO’s missile deployments, with the peace movement gaining momentum.
Eastern Europe endured economic hardship as the Soviet Union tightened control to prevent uprisings.
The division of Germany remained central, with Berlin a constant symbol of the ideological divide.
NATO and the Warsaw Pact
NATO’s credibility was strengthened through the dual-track decision of 1979, linking arms deployment with negotiation offers. Conversely, the Warsaw Pact became more militarised, though member states like Poland revealed cracks in Soviet authority.
NATO’s Pershing II IRBMs and GLCMs were deployed from late 1983 to counter the Soviet SS-20s, catalysing the Euromissile crisis.
Labelled cutaway of the Pershing II second stage (U.S. Army, June 1986) showing key components such as the rocket motor assembly, thrust reversal system, and movable nozzle. Source
Economic and Social Dimensions
The Soviet economy struggled under the burden of military spending and the costs of sustaining its empire. Shortages, low productivity, and an inflexible planned economy limited its ability to compete with the technologically advanced West.
In the United States, massive defence expenditure revitalised certain industries but increased the federal deficit. Public opinion was divided between those supporting a firm stance against communism and those fearing nuclear escalation.
Public anxieties peaked in 1983 with vast peace protests across Western Europe, notably in Bonn and The Hague.
Crowds at the 29 October 1983 peace demonstration in The Hague during the Euromissile crisis. The image illustrates the scale of public mobilisation against new NATO missile deployments. Source
Cultural and Psychological Effects
The new Cold War revived fears of nuclear annihilation. Popular culture reflected this anxiety through films, literature, and music addressing themes of war and peace. European peace protests and movements such as Green parties in West Germany highlighted growing environmental and anti-nuclear concerns.
Path Towards Change
Despite intense confrontation, seeds of transformation were sown:
By 1985, the emergence of Mikhail Gorbachev signalled a shift in Soviet policy.
Economic pressures and political fatigue on both sides created conditions for eventual détente renewal in the mid-1980s.
This period thus represents a critical phase where ideological conflict, military escalation, and economic strain reshaped the Cold War, setting the stage for its eventual resolution.
FAQ
The dual-track decision committed NATO to deploy new US intermediate-range missiles in Europe while simultaneously offering arms-control negotiations with the USSR.
This twin approach aimed to reassure European allies of American protection and pressure Moscow into serious arms talks. The Soviet Union, however, perceived the deployments—especially Pershing II and ground-launched cruise missiles—as an aggressive escalation, fuelling the Euromissile crisis and heightening tensions during the new Cold War.
Able Archer 83 was a large NATO command post exercise simulating a nuclear release.
Soviet intelligence mistook the realistic procedures, such as new nuclear weapon release protocols and heightened radio silence, as a possible cover for a genuine first strike. This miscalculation brought the superpowers perilously close to conflict, revealing how mistrust and poor communication defined the new Cold War period.
MAD relied on both sides maintaining secure second-strike capability to deter nuclear war.
SDI’s proposed space-based missile defence threatened to neutralise Soviet missiles, potentially giving the United States a first-strike advantage. The mere prospect of such technology unsettled Soviet planners, compelling them to consider costly countermeasures and deepening the strategic imbalance of the early 1980s.
Public fear of nuclear war surged with the arrival of Pershing II and cruise missiles.
Factors included:
Memories of détente making renewed confrontation especially alarming.
Growing influence of Green parties linking nuclear weapons to environmental harm.
Support from trade unions, churches, and student groups that organised mass demonstrations, such as the 1983 protests in Bonn and The Hague.
By the early 1980s, the Soviet planned economy faced stagnation and falling oil revenues.
Key constraints included:
High costs of maintaining global commitments, particularly the war in Afghanistan.
Outdated industrial base unable to sustain rapid technological advances.
Chronic consumer goods shortages provoking domestic dissatisfaction.
These weaknesses hindered Moscow’s efforts to match US defence spending and undermined its negotiating position as the new Cold War intensified
Practice Questions
Question 1 (3 marks)
Identify three key events between 1979 and 1985 that contributed to the escalation of the ‘new Cold War’.
Mark scheme
Award 1 mark for each correct event up to a maximum of 3.
Acceptable answers include:
Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (1979)
US deployment of Pershing II missiles in Western Europe (from 1983)
Announcement of the Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI) (1983)
NATO’s Able Archer 83 exercise and resulting Soviet alarm
Imposition of martial law in Poland (1981)
Do not credit vague statements such as “there were protests” without a specific event.
Question 2 (6 marks)
Explain how the policies of President Reagan influenced the development of the ‘new Cold War’ between 1979 and 1985
Mark scheme
Level 1 (1–2 marks): Describes one or two basic facts, e.g. mentions Reagan’s defence spending or calls the USSR an “evil empire,” with little or no explanation of impact.
Level 2 (3–4 marks): Provides some explanation of Reagan’s actions, such as the Strategic Defence Initiative or support for anti-communist movements, and links these to rising tensions.
Level 3 (5–6 marks): Gives a developed explanation of multiple policies, e.g. military build-up (including Pershing II deployment), SDI undermining deterrence, and the Reagan Doctrine funding insurgencies. Clearly analyses how these policies escalated East–West confrontation and undermined détente.
