“It was man who ended the Cold War”; argues John Le Carre in Powerplay,
which you watched this week, "their emperor [Gorbachev], not [Reagan], who
had the nerve to mount the rostrum and declare he had no clothes." The
Soviet Union's global power reached its greatest heights in the 1970s, but two
decades later, it was gone. Based on the readings and discussions over the
past four weeks, as well as your research for the final project, explain who or
what individuals, ideologies, conditions, policies, and/or events were most
responsible for ending the Cold War. Be as specific as possible in giving your
justifications. Second, discuss the "lessons" and impact from the end of the
Cold War on US foreign policy choices since 1991.