World events, Cold War developments, treaties, and political turning points of 1987.
| Topic | Description | |—|—| | Reagan’s “Tear Down This Wall” Speech (June 12, 1987) | Reagan challenges Gorbachev at the Brandenburg Gate before ~45,000; “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” becomes the defining phrase of Cold War resolution. | | Iran-Contra Affair (1986–1987) | Reagan administration secretly sells arms to Iran and diverts proceeds to Nicaraguan Contras; Oliver North’s testimony before the joint congressional committee rivets 55 million viewers. | | Montreal Protocol (September 16, 1987) | 46 nations adopt the first global environmental treaty, setting binding schedules to phase out ozone-depleting CFCs and halons. | | INF Treaty (December 8, 1987) | Reagan and Gorbachev sign the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, the first arms-control accord to eliminate an entire class of nuclear weapons. | | First Intifada (December 9, 1987) | A Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation erupts in Gaza and the West Bank, launching a six-year struggle that reshapes Middle East politics and leads to the Oslo Accords. |
See also the master index and timeline.