What contributed the most to the collapse of the Soviet Union?

Question

A.
strained relations between Cuba and China over nuclear arms treaties

B.
growing unrest in East Germany over the presence of Soviet troops

C.
Soviet failure to match the technological innovations of the United States

D.
increasing costs of the arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union

Answer 1

While all the options have some relevance to the dynamics that contributed to the collapse of the Soviet Union, the most significant factor among those listed is:

D. increasing costs of the arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union.

The arms race put immense pressure on the Soviet economy, diverting resources away from consumer goods and domestic needs, which contributed to economic stagnation and public discontent. This, combined with political, social, and economic factors, ultimately played a critical role in the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.