PREVIEW: The East West Relations Since the Fall of the Soviet Union Panel Discussion

Tomorrow, March 7^th 2012, EI Fellows, Luke Feltz ’12 and Brian Engelsma ’12, have organized a panel discussion titled, East-West Relations Since the Fall of the Soviet Union. The panel discussion will begin at 7:00pm in the Specialty Dining Hall at Gettysburg College.

The Soviet Union was formally dissolved in late 1991, marking the end of the largest communist state and ultimately the end of the Cold War. The dissolution of the USSR was ignited by a small group of leaders in the Soviet Union who challenged Mikahil Gorbachev through an attempted coup. This was the first step in the storied downfall and collapse of the Soviet Union. The collapse of the Soviet Union changed the political field around the globe. Without a doubt, the relations between the United States and Russia were greatly affected by the collapse.

Susan Eisenhower, Chair Emeritus and Chairman of Leadership & Public Policy Programs for the Eisenhower Institute of Gettysburg College, will be the moderator for the discussion panel. The panel, featuring Roald Sagdeev and Suzanne Massie, will explore East-West Relations since the fall of the Soviet Union, emphasizing nuclear issues and mutual efforts to reduce nuclear stockpiles.

Roald Sagdeev was elected to the Supreme Soviet in 1987, and served as a summit advisor to Mikhail S. Gorbachev and Eduard Shevardnadze at three summits: Geneva (1985), Washington (1987) and Moscow (1988), as well as serving as an advisor to Gorbachev on issues related to civilian space and space-based weapons systems.

Suzanne Massie has over 38 years of experience in many aspects of study and work in the Soviet Union/Russia. She served as an advisor to President Ronald Reagan from 1984-88, the critical years of the end of the Cold War, and has been credited with creating Reagan’s famous slogan, “trust, but verify.” Massie has been consulted by many members of Congress and the Senate.