1. 25.4 CONSERVATIVE ERA FOREIGN POLICY

2. END OF EUROPEAN COMMUNISM U.S.S.R.: actually was made up of several states (countries) pushed together From 1988-1990, many of them decide to take Gorbachev up on his offer of glasnost to openly demand their independence Gorbachev’s own powers were severely weakened and couldn’t stop them from breaking away 1991: The Soviet Union is officially disbanded

3. END OF EUROPEAN COMMUNISM East Germany: people were fed up of being trapped in poverty by the Berlin Wall November 1989: Communist govt. finally allows people to visit West Berlin Protesters and eventually the German governments worked together to bring the wall down. By the end of 1990, Germany was re-unified

4. TIANANMEN SQUARE, CHINA In the 80s, China opened up economically People allowed to own businesses, more trade with other countries In 1989, college students protesting in Tiananmen Square, Beijing were brutally put down by the army

5. FIGHTING COMMIES IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE In Nicaragua a popular Communist govt. came to power in a civil war They were called the Sandinistas Though Carter supported them, Reagan was against and sent money/supplies to the Contras The Sandinistas were forced to hold free elections in 1990

6. FIGHTING COMMIES IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE We invaded the Caribbean island of Grenada to take out a pro-Cuban govt. In Panama we arrested the dictator on drug- smuggling charges (which is good…) But charging into another country and arresting their leader makes us look like a bully

7. IRAN CONTRA SCANDAL 1983 terrorists hold American hostages in Lebanon To secure the hostages, Reagan agreed to sell weapons to Iran …and used the profits to fund the Contra Congress investigated many Reagan officials, Oliver North took most of the hit. Many were found guilty, later pardoned by George H.W. Bush

8. THE “GULF WAR” Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990 Claimed Kuwait was pumping Iraqi oil Also claimed Kuwait was technically part of Iraq The U.S. (and others) responded to avoid the possibility of a stronger Iraq.

9. THE “GULF WAR” Aerial bombardment started January, 1991 Ground troops in February, only took four days Iraqi troops set fire to oil wells in their retreat