Foreign and international policies: détente with the West; the invasion of Afghanistan and the impact on USSR; the Second Cold War
Under Brezhnev, the USSR first eased tensions with the West through a policy called détente. Then the 1979 invasion of Afghanistan shattered that peace and triggered a dangerous new phase of Cold War hostility.
Real World
The 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan triggered a US-led boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics — a very public sign that détente had collapsed and that the Second Cold War was already damaging the USSR's international standing before a single major battle had been fought.
Exam Focus
For 'assess the impact' questions on Afghanistan, weigh short-term military costs against long-term consequences for Soviet prestige and the economy.
Essay Framework
Use PEEL to structure every paragraph. Tap each step for guidance and an example.
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