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評估美國及蘇聯在導致冷戰結束一事上的相對重要性。參考1980-91年間史實，解釋你的答案。
架構及立場 歷時近半世紀的冷戰在美、蘇的帶領下告終，衡量美、蘇對於冷戰結束的相對重要性，蘇聯於裁軍協議、互訪及會議、東歐變天等方面的出現均發揮著舉足輕重的影響，大大推動了冷戰的結束，重要性實遠大於美國。
主旨句 首先，美、蘇均有助促使裁軍協議的出現，對冷戰結束各具重要性。 // 主項A重要性(美國) 美國方面，美國希望透過掀起更激烈的軍備競賽以拖垮蘇聯的經濟，例如1983年美國提出「星戰計劃」，使蘇聯投放更多資金於太空爭奪的範疇，令蘇聯經濟問題更加嚴重，往後與美國就裁軍問題進行談判，例如裁減中程導彈的《中程導彈裁撤條約》(1987年)，使軍備競賽氣氛緩和，有助冷戰的結束。 // 主項B重要性(蘇聯) 蘇聯方面，自戈巴卓夫上台後，就積極與西方國家裁軍的談判，更使一度中斷的歐洲常規武裝力量的談判重新恢復，於1990年簽訂《歐洲常規裁軍條約》，實現了北約和華約兩大軍事集團的裁軍，是標誌冷戰結束的重要里程碑。 // 小結可見，美、蘇均有助達成裁軍協議以使冷戰結束。
然而，蘇聯對於裁軍協議得以達成的貢獻大於美國，對冷戰結束更具重要性。其一，美國具威脅性的軍事發展往往造成惡性的軍備競賽，如1983年的星戰計劃掀起了新一輪太空軍備競賽，再次惡化了冷戰的形勢。因此，美國強硬的軍事政策並非一面倒是導致形勢溫和，反而有機會令狀況更加惡化。其二，蘇聯更有助促使裁軍談判的達成，因歐洲常規武裝力量的談判於1973年開始，但卻一直沒有得到結果，更一度中斷，至戈巴卓夫於1985年上台後，其溫和的態度成功改善與西方國家的關係，並致力消除了北約和華約成員國的憂慮，最終經過多番談判才成功達成了《歐洲常規裁軍條約》，使兩大陣營放棄軍事性的對立，使冷戰結束。可見，蘇聯在實現裁軍以令冷戰結束一事上的重要性大於美國。
其次，美、蘇均有助促成了互訪及會議的出現，對於冷戰結束起了重大的意義。美國方面，美國於1980年代末與蘇聯改善關係，兩國召開了馬爾他會議(1989年)，共同宣佈「將冷戰丟進地中海」，大大促進了兩國，以至兩大陣營的關係發展，成為標誌冷戰結束的重要指標。蘇聯方面，蘇聯領導人戈巴卓夫於1985年上台後隨即主動改善與西方國家的關係，如於1985年與美國總統列根和英國首相戴卓爾夫人會面，使美、英兩國對蘇聯改觀。其後，戈巴卓夫與列根也於1986、1987及1988年進行多次會晤，使蘇聯與西方國家之間的關係大為改善，對於往後冷戰結束起了極為重要的意義。可見，在互訪及會議的出現方面，美、蘇均各具重要性。
然而，蘇聯對於互訪及會議的出現的重要性較美國大，對冷戰結束的貢獻更大。其一，在雙方關係改善方面，蘇聯扮演了主動的角色，因自1985年戈巴卓夫上台後，蘇聯推行了截然不同的外交政策，積極改善與資本主義國家的關係，包括其於1985年上台後隨即與美、英領導人會面，而美國的角色則較為被動，只是在蘇聯的主動邀請下，才作出相對的回應。其二，在馬爾他會議上，亦正正是蘇聯作出了重大的退讓才取得成果，蘇聯在會議上承諾不會干預東歐國家的內政，而美國只是表示支持蘇聯推行改革，反映蘇聯犧牲了其對於東歐衛星國的控制以換取與美國關係的緩和，故蘇聯的重要性較大。可見，蘇聯在互訪及會議方面較美國更具重要性，對冷戰的結束最為重要。
再者，對於東歐變天以致冷戰結束一事上，美、蘇兩國各具重要性。美國方面，美國一直敦促蘇聯放寬對東歐的控制，並且在東歐變天一事上發揮推動者的角色，尤以在東、西德統一一事上，美國積極遊說蘇聯接受德國統一的方案，對於推動東歐變天，以致改善兩大陣營的關係方面起了一定的作用。至於蘇聯方面，蘇聯對東歐變天有著舉足輕重的重要性，因蘇聯放寬了對東歐國家的控制，減少於東歐地區的駐軍及經濟控制，更默許衛星國的「自由化運動」，如波蘭於1988年以選舉方式選出首個非共產黨人領導的政府。更甚，蘇聯更允許華沙公約組織的解散，使之於1991年瓦解，最終結束了華約與北約於軍事上的對抗，令冷戰結束。可見，美、蘇在東歐變天一事上各具重要性。
然而，蘇聯對於東歐變天以致冷戰結束一事上的重要性大於美國。其一，蘇聯在東歐變天一事上的角色較美國重要，因蘇聯對東歐有著緊密的控制，過往數十年牢牢控制著東歐國家，直至蘇聯於1980年代末放寬了對東歐的控制，默許東歐國家的「自由化運動」，才使東歐出現變天，而美國只是作為遊說及斡旋的角色，真正的決定權掌握於蘇聯之手中。其二，在德國統一方面，蘇聯的取態亦極為重要，因西方國家要求統一後的德國加入北約，然而，德國加入北約會加強了北約的勢力，同時大大削弱了華約的力量。最終，多虧蘇聯願意放下成見，接受德國統一的方案才使德國成功實現統一，並且於1991年解散華約，才結束了兩大軍事陣營的對抗。可見，對東歐變天以致冷戰結束一事上，蘇聯的重要性大於美國。
總括而言，冷戰的結束由美、蘇兩個超級大國牽手共創，但仔細端詳下，蘇聯遠較美國重要，從裁軍協議、互訪及會議、東歐變天等方面上足見美國的重要性不及蘇聯。
Assess the relative importance of the US and the USSR in bringing about the end of the Cold War. Explain your answer with reference to the period 1980-91.
The Cold War, which existed nearly a half century, ended under the US and the USSR guidance. Assess the relative importance of the US and the USSR in bringing about the end of the Cold War. The USSR contributed to disarmament agreements, official meetings and conferences, the democratic movements in Eastern Europe. It facilitated the end of the Cold War and thus it was more important than the US.
Firstly, the US and the USSR both facilitated the emergence of disarmament agreements and had significance in bringing about the end of the Cold War. In terms of the US, the US hoped to carry out a fiercer armaments race in order to made the USSR economy collapse. For example, the US introduced the Strategic Defense Initiative(SDI) 星戰計劃(1983). The USSR thus invested more capital in the category of space struggle, worsening its economic problems. It facilitated the USSR to discuss disarm problems with the US, including the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty(INF)中程導彈裁撤條約(1987). It eased up the armaments race and led to the end of the Cold War. In terms of the USSR, after the rise of Gorbachev, it actively discussed disarm affairs with Western countries and restored the discussion of the disarmament of conventional forces in Europe. The Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty(CFE)歐洲常規裁軍條約(1990), which achieved the disarmaments of the NATO and Warsaw Pact and marked the end of the Cold War, was signed. It showed that the US and the USSR facilitated the emergence of disarmament agreements in order to end the Cold War.
However, the USSR was more important than the US in signing disarmament agreements and bringing about the end of the Cold War. To begin with, the US’s threatening military development led to vicious armaments race. For example, the Strategic Defense Initiative(SDI)星戰計劃(1983) brought about a new-round space armaments race, worsening the situation. Thus, the unyielding military policy of the US worsened the situation rather than eased up the situation. Furthermore, the USSR facilitated the signing of disarmament agreements. The discussion of the disarmament of conventional forces常規武裝力量 in Europe started in 1973, but it had no result and was even broken off. Until the rise of Gorbachev (1985), his mild attitude successfully improved relationship with Western countries. Besides, he actively eliminated the worry of the NATO and Warsaw Pact members, thus reaching the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty(CFE)歐洲常規裁軍條約(1990). The two blocs gave up military opposition and led to the end of the Cold War. It showed that the USSR was more important than the US in signing disarmament agreements.
Secondly, the US and the USSR both facilitated the emergence of official meetings and conferences and had significance in bringing about the end of the Cold War. In terms of the US, the US improved relations with the USSR in the late 1980s. They held the Malta Conference馬爾他會議(1989), which marked the end of the Cold War. They mentioned “the Cold War will be dumped down to the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea” 將冷戰丟進地中海. It improved the relations between the US and the USSR, and the two blocs as well. In terms of the USSR, Gorbachev was eager to improve relations with western countries. Gorbachev met with US President Reagan列根 and Margaret Thatcher戴卓爾夫人, Prime Minister of Britain in after he rose to power in 1985, which gave the US and Britain a new impression of the USSR under his leadership. After that, Gorbachev met with Reagan several times in 1986, 1987 and 1988. The US-USSR relations improved, which brought about the end of the Cold War. It showed that the US and the USSR both facilitated the emergence of official meetings and conferences.
However, the USSR was more important than the US in holding official meetings and conferences, and bringing about the end of the Cold War. To begin with, in terms of improving relationship, the USSR took an active role in it. After the rise of Gorbachev in 1985, the USSR implemented different diplomatic policies to improve relations with capitalist countries. For instance, Gorbachev met leaders of the US and Britain after he rose to power in 1985. On the other hand, the role of the US was passive. It only made response to the USSR’s invitation. Furthermore, in the Malta Conference馬爾他會議, since the USSR promised to give up intervening Eastern European countries’ internal affairs anymore, the conference got achievement. The US only showed its support. It reflected that the USSR sacrificed the control of Eastern European countries to exchange for détente. Thus, the USSR was more important. It showed that the USSR was more important than the US in holding official meetings and conferences, and bringing about the end of the Cold War.
Thirdly, the US and the USSR both facilitated the emergence of democratic movements東歐變天 in Eastern Europe and had significance in bringing about the end of the Cold War. In terms of the US, the US urged the USSR to relax the Soviet control over Eastern Europe and acted as a promoter in this regard. Also, regarding the unification of Eastern and Western Germany東、西德統一, the US actively persuaded the USSR to accept German unification. Thus, the US facilitated the emergence of democratic movements in Eastern Europe which improved the relationship between the two blocs. In terms of the USSR, the USSR had significance in democratic movements in Eastern Europe. The USSR relaxed the control over Eastern Europe such as reducing station troops and economic control over Eastern Europe, conniving at the democratic movements of satellite states so that the first non-communist government set up by election in Poland波蘭 in 1988. Moreover, the USSR approved the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact華沙公約組織 in 1991, which ended the military confrontation between the Warsaw Pact and NATO北約. It showed that the US and the USSR both had significance in the emergence of democratic movements in Eastern Europe.
However, the USSR was more important than the US in democratic movement in Eastern Europe, and bringing about the end of the Cold War. To begin with, with regard to democratic movement東歐變天 in Eastern Europe, the role of the USSR was more important than that of the US. Eastern Europe was under strict control of the USSR for decades. Until the late 1980s, the USSR relaxed its control over Eastern Europe and connived at the democratic movements of satellite states, thus leading to democratic movement in Eastern Europe. On the other hand, the US was only a lobbyist and mediator. The USSR still held the right of making decision. Furthermore, regarding the unification of Germany德國統一, the attitude of the USSR was important. Western countries hoped Germany to join the NATO北約 after unification. However, the joining of Germany would strengthen the NATO, and in the meantime weakened the Warsaw Pact. In the end, the USSR gave up prejudice and agreed the German unification’s scheme. Moreover, it approved the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact, terminating the military confrontation between the two blocs. It showed that the USSR was more important than the US in democratic movement in Eastern Europe, and bringing about the end of the Cold War.
In conclusion, the Cold War ended under the US and the USSR guidance. Indeed, the USSR was more important than the US in bringing about disarmament agreements, official meetings and conferences, the democratic movements in Eastern Europe.
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