What Factors Led to the End of the Cold War - Essay Example

The Cold War was a long-enduring struggle that encompassed the governmental and military conflict and opposition between the Western world powers. A war led by the United States and the Soviet Union and both parties’ allies, it lasted roughly forty-six years, beginning in the year 1945. Throughout this time, the war was seen through a military alliance, undercover activities, development of weapons, attacks, misleading publicity, and aggressive technological advances. Finally, the wall crumbled down in Berlin in 1991, which indicated the conclusion of the Cold War.

There are two major factors that were known to have led to the end of it all.The USSR collapsed and fell in 1991. This left the United States as the leading military supremacy.Another major factor was the reforms attempted by Gorbachev. In 1987, he declared a program of economic reformation called perestroika or restructuring. In addition, he instantaneously presented glasnost, or openness, which added liberty of the media and the transparency of national organizations. These efforts did not do much to resume the nation’s already lethargic economy.

The changes devolved things to a certain degree. The Russian ruble was inconvertible. Perestroika led to the creation of new holdups in the Soviet financial system. By 1990, the administration had essentially lost its control over the dying economic circumstances.