3.3 - The Collpase of Soviet Control In Eastern Europe Flashcards
When was Gorbachev elected?
1985
What problems were the Soviet Union facing at the time when Gorbachev was elected?
- During Brezhnev era, huge sums spent on developing arms so investment in the Soviet economy was low; barely any industrial growth.
- Low standards of living and lack of human rights leading to unrest in some satellite states. For examole, trade union “Solidarity” posed such a threat to the communist government that it was banned.
- Opposition to communist rule was only kept in check by tight control of secret police forces (eg Stasi in East Germany).
- Soviet Union suffered from poor leadership for many years and had a run of leaders in poor health, who ruled briefly and did not have time to make useful plans for the future.
What policies did Gorbachev introduce which had a major impact om Soviet foreign policy and relations with the USA?
- The policy of perestroika
- The policy of glasnost
- The Brezhnev Doctrine wouls be dropped and the Soviet Union would no longer get involved in the domestic affairs of other communist countries.
- Soviet Union would reduce spending on arms and defence and withdraw from Afghanistan.
Describe perestroika.
- Russian for “reconstruction”
- Used in the Gorbachev era to describe his programme for reorganising and restructuring the Soviet state to include some of the practices that made capitalism successful.
Describe the policy of glasnost.
- Russian for “transparency”
- Used to describe Gorbachev’s more new, more open, attitude to government and foreign relations.
- This is also where Gorbachev allowed people to express their opinions without needing to fear thr state.
What was the American response to these changes?
Reagan saw that there was a real opportunity to end the Cold War and to adopt a more open approach to the Soviet Union, whilst still sticking to his main aim of containing communism.
Describe the summits that took place between 1985-1989.
Geneva Summit (Nov 1985) - No formal agreements established but Reagan and Gorbachev established a mutual desire to improve relations.
Reykjavik Summit (Oct 1986) - Both leaders knew Americans could not give up SDI. No formal agreement. Improved relations.
Washington Summit (Dec 1987) - Formal treaty signed : the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Force (INF) Treaty. Both countries would abolish all land-based missiles (range 500-5500km).
Moscow Summit (1988) - Complex detail regarding INF treaty solved.
Malta Summit (1989) - Marked the end of the Cold War.
Explain the significance of the fall of the Berlin Wall.
- Relatives and friends reunited after seperation of almost 30 years.
- Mainly a symbolic event : on November 1989, its destruction became the symbol of the end of Soviet control and the Cold War.
Why was the end of the Warsaw Pact significant?
- Its creation formally established that Europe was divided into two armed camps throughout the period of the Cold War - its break-up indicated the division between democratic West and communist East was gone.
- The Pact was also a symbol of Soviet dominance in Eastern Europe as it was a highly useful way to keep an eye on what its communist allies were doing. Now this “dominance” was effectively gone.
- Satellite states regained their independance - after the Warsaw Pact ended all members abandoned communism.
When did the Warsaw Pact end? Why?
- The events of 1989 saw communist governments coming under pressure across Eastern Europe and made it impossible for the Warsaw Pact to survive.
- Formally dissolved in July 1991.
Describe Gorbachev’s fall from power.
- Gorbachev blamed by hard-line communists for losing control over Eastern Europe.
- In 1991, the communist hardliners staged a coup against Gorbachev; severely damaged Gorbachev’s authority.
- Leaders of other Soviet republics took advantage of Gorbachev’s weakness joining together in a Commonwealth of Independent States. Under these circumstances, Gorbachev resigned on December 1991.
- Resignation was immideately followed by the break-up of the Soviet Union.
