Co-operation and Reconciliation Flashcards

1
Q

why was the USSR struggling by the 1980s

A
  • no longer afford to keep up with arms race
  • public failure of its technology - sinking of nuclear submarine K-219 + Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster (both 1986)
  • stuck in disastrous war in Afghanistan
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2
Q

when did Mikhail Gorbachev become leader of USSR

A
  • 1985
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3
Q

what were Gorbachev’s policies and what did they do

A
  • Perestroika (economic freedom)
  • glasnost (political freedom)
    > ended tensions between E + W and also relaxed the ban on other political parties in E Europe
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4
Q

when did the Iron curtain start opening

A
  • when Hungary opened its border with Austria
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5
Q

how was communist influence reduced in the Eastern Bloc

A
  • Polish + Hungarian governments changed into coalition governments where communists were either in minority position or non-existent
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6
Q

how did Hungary opening its borders with Austria have a dramatic impact in East Germany

A
  • now thousands had a new route to move West
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7
Q

by June 1989 what percentage of E Germans had applied to emigrate

A

12%

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8
Q

In September 1989 how many people moved from E Germany to W

A

33,000

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9
Q

when did Gorbachev visit E Germany + what did he warn them

A
  • October 1989
  • warned them to introduce reforms
    > Honecker - leader of E Germany resisted reforms
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10
Q

when did Gorbachev visit Hungary + what did he announce there

A
  • April 1989
  • announced ending of Brezhnev Doctrine
    > he wouldn’t order Red Army to crush opposition in E Europe
    > ordered all 200,000 Soviet troops in E Germany to retreat to USSR
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11
Q

what happened as a result of the Soviet Army retreating, in E Germany

A
  • many opposition groups sprung up
    > led to many demonstrations + protests which weren’t stopped by the Stasi
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12
Q

by 23rd October 1989, how many demonstrators were on the streets of Leipzig

A
  • 300,000
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13
Q

when did the largest ever demonstration take place in E Germany + how many + where

A
  • 4 November 1989
  • 1 million people protested on streets of E Berlin
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14
Q

what happened on 6th November 1989

A
  • 1/2 million people marched in Leipzig demanding freedom of movement + end to communist rule while chanting ‘Germany - One Fatherland’
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15
Q

what major event took place on 9th November 1989

A
  • E German government opened its borders + allowed free travel
    > thousands marched to Berlin Wall + pulled it down in one of the most momentous events in post-war history
    > in next few days, hundreds of thousand of E Germans crossed the remains of B Wall and visited the West to be reunited with friends + family
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16
Q

in January 1990, how many E Germans migrated to W Germany

A

75,000

17
Q

what factors (obstacles) were in the way of Unification

A
  • E + W Germany were completely diff societies
    > W = capitalist democracy + strong economy
    > E = communist dictatorship + failing economy
  • Germany, particularly Berlin, at centre of Cold War + unification could only happen with agreement of USA + USSR
  • leader of main opposition party in W Germany, Oscar Lafontaine of SFD, was opposed to rapid reunification
18
Q

what did the end of the cold war result in for USA + USSR agreements

A
  • USA + USSR agreed to dramatically reduce their nuclear weapons
    > 1987 Intermediate Nuclear Force (INF) Treaty
    > 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START)
19
Q

when was the cold war ended

A
  • end of 1991
20
Q

what were the 1990 Two-Plus-Four talks

A
  • between W+E Germany, USA, USSR, Britain, France
  • agreed that Germany could be unified
  • unified Germany could remain member of NATO
  • big reduction in armed forces stationed in Germany
  • Germany would no longer seek territorial expansion + borders of countries like Poland would not be challenged in the future
21
Q

when did the USSR come to an end

A
  • December 1991
  • unions was officially dissolved + broke into 15 new, independent countries including Russian Federation
22
Q

what were some reasons of the pressure for German unification increasing in 1990

A
  • huge loans made to W German gov to bail out bankrupt state of E Germany
  • by march 1990, 300,000 E Germans left for west
    > by this rate of emigration + poor economy, E Germany had no long-term future as a country
  • overwhelming support for German unification in E Germany shown in free elections
  • Gorbachev assure Kohl he wouldn’t oppose reunification as long as W Germany loaned USSR
    > by 1997 133 billion Deutschmarks given to USSR + countries that replaced it
23
Q

when did German unity formally come into place

A

3 October 1990

24
Q

Although, unification happened quickly, what were some of the significant problems that remained

A
  • economy of old E/G needed massive subsidies from West to survive as wages + pensions increased
  • huge migration from east to west took place after reunification resulting in rise of unemployment - to 7.9% - in former W Germany
25
Q

who was Helmut Kohl

A
  • Chancellor of West Germany 1982
    > under his leadership, the economy began to recover from the recession of the late 1970s
26
Q

what did Kohl do as a result of being concerned about the Economic state of E/G + the huge influx of refugees entering W/G from East

A
  • 28 November 1989 announced his ten-point plan to reunify Germany
    > didn’t discuss this with NATO allies which came to a surprise to both E+W Germany
    > point 5 - ‘we are ready to take a decisive step … with the aim of creating a federal state’
27
Q

when was the ten-point plan announced

A

28 November 1989

28
Q

how did Kohl use diplomacy to gain support of USSR for reunification

A
  • unification would only be approved by USSR if W/G gave loan to USSR Gorbachev
    > Kohl gave 133 billion Deutschmark by 1997
29
Q

why would the US Presidents Reagan and G.H.W Bush accept reuinification

A
  • because reunification signified end of communism
30
Q

what was greed in the 1990 Two-Plus-Fpur talks

A
  • Germany would be unified + become member of NATO
31
Q

What did Kohl promise the E/G relating to currency

A
  • promised currency union
    > replaced the E/G Ostmark with Deutschmark
32
Q

what did Kohl promise that would happen if alliance for Germany won the election

A
  • E Germany would become five new Lander in W Germany
33
Q

what were the main reasons for Helmut Kohl achieving reunification of Germany

A
  • seized the oppurtunity after witnessing coming down of Berlin Wall in November 1989 (10 point plan)
  • used diplomacy to gain support of USSR for unification (Mikhail Gorbachev, economic aid for troubled Soviet Union)
  • diplomacy to ensure other European powers were accepting of reunification
  • 1990 Two-Plus-Four talks
  • used diplomacy to ensure smooth integration of E Germany into W German economy (Deutschmark, economic treaties + subsidies)