Cold War (1985–1991)

Cold War (1985–1991)

The Cold War was a time when two big groups of countries had different ideas. This part, from 1985 to 1991, was when things started to change.

Михаил Горбачёв, a leader from the Soviet Union, wanted to make his country better. He had new ideas called перестройка for the economy and гласность for letting people talk more freely. These ideas helped make things calmer between the Soviet-led bloc and the United States-led bloc.

Leaders from the United States and the Soviet Union met many times to talk about being friends. They made agreements to reduce weapons, which helped everyone feel safer. These meetings showed that the two big powers were trying to work together more.

In many countries, people started to ask for their rights. In places like Poland, Hungary, and East Germany, people wanted change. In East Germany, big protests led to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. This was a very important moment because the Berlin Wall was a big symbol of the Cold War.

By 1991, the Soviet Union broke apart into many separate countries. This ending of the Soviet Union marked the end of the Cold War. The time from 1985 to 1991 was important because it led to a new shape for Europe and the world. Leaders from both sides helped by choosing to talk and work together instead of fighting.