Question

What effect did military policies and actions in the United States and in the Soviet Union have that helped bring down communism during 1980s?

Answer 1

@Nurali @thomaster @Luigi0210 @bibby

Answer 2

@SolomonZelman @Gabylovesyou

Answer 3

well the military didn't really do anything cause this was during the cold war and there was no gun or front line fighting it was all debates and a deal of trying to convince country's to be communist or not. But politics had a huge role in the out come of the fall of communism. They first helped with convincing communist nations to change their ways as well as helped aid these country's when they needed it.

Answer 4

fund the Afghans. CIA did some sneaky stuff.

Answer 5

President Reagan went beyond the defensive position of "Containment" taken by all his predecessors starting with Truman. So we supported the Mujahadeen in Afghanistan, We opposed Soviet funded rebels across Africa, and Central and South America. We strengthened ties with all our allies in opposing Soviet influence.
We negotiated with the Soviets but were realistic enough to "trust but verify.:
We also out spent them. We developed new weapon systems like MX missile system, the B2 Bomber and other technologies.

President Reagan talked about a "Star Wars" system of satellites in orbit around the Earth that would shoot down nuclear missiles. His opponents said he was crazy, but the Soviets believed him.

Reagan stood at the Brandenburg Gate and made his "Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall speech. The Soviet dominated countries were listening. In Poland workers over threw their Communist leaders. Other countries followed, East Germans tore down the wall. Finally, the Russian people rebelled and put an end to the Soviet Union.

In the end, the USSR could not afford to keep up with the West. They lost the firm grip on eastern European countries and their own country. They couldn't keep up. The communist/socialist system just does not work without coercion. And that only lasts so long. Capitalist can outspend them anytime they have the will to do it.

Some may think we wasted all that money on weapons and military stuff. But all that money won the war and put an end to the "Evil Empire." We liberated millions and never put our soldiers in direct contact with the enemy.