Hello future historians! 🌟 Strap in because we're diving into the fascinating tale of how the Soviet economy played a role in ending the Cold War.

• GDP (Gross Domestic Product): The total value of all goods and services produced in a country. Think of it like a country's "report card"!
• Command Economy: The government makes ALL economic decisions. Yep, no free markets here!
• Perestroika: Russian for "restructuring." Gorbachev’s policy aimed to reform the economy.
• Glasnost: Russian for "openness." Gorbachev’s policy for more open governance and discussion.
• Détente: Easing of hostilities between countries, kinda like two angry siblings deciding not to fight for a bit.

Military Spending 🎯

• 25% of GDP: What the USSR spent on the military.
• 4-6% of GDP: What the USA spent.

Real-world example: Imagine if you spent 25% of your allowance or part-time job money just on video game loot boxes. You wouldn't have much left for other essentials, would you?

Foreign Ventures 💥

• Africa, Afghanistan, Cuba, and Vietnam: These places drained the USSR's wallet.
• $4 billion to Cuba 🇨🇺, $6 billion to Vietnam 🇻🇳, and $3 billion worth of oil subsidies to Warsaw Pact members!

Stagnation 😴

• Lack of investment in consumer goods and domestic economy.
• Still used the command economy of Stalin's era.

Social Problems 👥

• High poverty in agricultural sectors.
• Low work morale, high absenteeism, and chronic alcoholism.

Real-world example: Think of using a Windows 95 computer in a world of Windows 11. You're gonna be left behind!