Cold War - D (second half - EE, end of USSR, consequences)

Question 1

causes for the collaps of soviet influence on EE

Answer 1

• gorbachevs decision to reform USSR, sinatra doctrine 1989
• cost of intervention - lack of success of intervention in afghanistan + its economic impact, subsidies to EE cost billions each year
• gorbachevs decision to prioritize internal and domestic issues, rahter than external influence

Question 2

causes of fall of communism in poland

Answer 2

• economic unrest -> consumerist tendencies led to dissatisfaction within system which couldnt meet demand for goods
• december 1981 - Jaruzelsi imposed martial law to end solidarity, but eventually embarked on some perestroika style reforms
• decision to raise food prices by 150% in 1988 led to nationwide strikes against regime (solidarity had 8 million members)

Question 3

course of fall of communism in Poland

Answer 3

• strikes in gdansk 1988 - forced gov to recognise solidarity movement due to soviet non intervention (sinatra doctrine)
• 1989 round table agreements recognised solidarity + formed new constitution which enabled solidarity to compete for some seats in both houses –> creation of solidarity government
• eventually, solidarity replaced communist government

Question 4

factors which led to fall of communism in poland

Answer 4

• economic failure
• gorbachev - influenced jaruzelski to undertake reforms + empowerment of protesters against government enabled due to non intervention
• solidarity movement = people

Question 5

causes of fall of communism in Hungary

Answer 5

• economic reforms permitted
• growing opposition to Kadar due to external debt, price rises and desire for change

Question 6

course of fall of communism in Hungary

Answer 6

• desire for change = reform in communist party
• 1988 kadar replaced with a reforming communist –> introduction of multi party system
• free elections agreed in 1990 -> led to dismantlement of border between Hungary and Austria

Question 7

factors for the fall of communism in hungary

Answer 7

• economic situation = dissatisfaction
• popular opposition to leadership
• leaders embarking on reforms = influence of Gorbachev

Question 8

causes for fall of communism in bulgaria

Answer 8

• zhikov followed glasnost and perestroika reforms
• could no longer rely on USSR subsidies for their debt = worsening economic situation –> popular protests against regime

Question 9

course of fall of communism in Bulgaria

Answer 9

• increased opposition of communist party led to reformsers replacing leadership
• free elections negotiated for 1990 = fall

Question 10

factors for the fall of communsm in bulgara

Answer 10

• leaders - gorbachevs reform + zhikovs reforms allowed opposition to government
• economic situation led to dissatisfaction - protests against party

Question 11

causes for fall of communism in DDR

Answer 11

• calls for freedom of movement
• visible disparity of living standads + economic failure
• reliance on exporation led to lack of consumer goods

Question 12

course of fall of communism in DDR

Answer 12

• honecker refused to impliment gorbachev style reforms and isolated DDR from new thinking
• Hungary’s decision to open border promoted new exodus - unpopular
• Gorbachevs visit led to 70,000 demonstraters in leipiz
• politbeauro forced Honecker to resigne, and new leadership offered travel concessions, eventually led to free elections in 1990

Question 13

factors leading to the fall of communism in DDR

Answer 13

• economic issues - heavy borrowing and export = bad living standards and unhappines
• leaders - honeckers refusal to reform = widespread demonstrations against regime
• gorbachev - inspired protesters, non intervention policy allowed dissent and was a causal factor
• people - widespread protesting put pressure on gov to change leadership and reform

Question 14

causes for fall of communism in czechoslovakia

Answer 14

• opposition centered around charter 77 and Havel - protesting human rights violations then imprisonment of Haval
• protests from 1898 encoraged by gorbachevs stance

Question 15

course of fall of communism in czechoslovakia

Answer 15

• popular protests from 1989
• fall of berlin wall brought renewed protests
• violence against student protest = 100,000s took to streets and party relinquished power due to loss of control
• borders with austria and germany were dismantled
• charter 77 formed civic forum = coalition government

Question 16

factors for fall of communism in czechoslovakia

Answer 16

• charter 77 + popular opposition // enhanced by Gorbachev’s non intervention policy
• policies of normalization alianated intellectuals, economic failures alienated workers = two pronged oppositon to gov

Question 17

causes for fall of communism in Romania

Answer 17

• most economically impoverished country in bloc
• ceausescu had responded to debt with austerity -> introduction of rationing whilst his own family enjoyed afluent lifestyle
• palace built in 1984 for which 7km of buildings were cleared and 100,000 employed
• regime was led by nepotistic sychophants - led to the use of repression to deal with opposition eg execution of protesters

Question 18

course of the fall of communism in Romania

Answer 18

• demonstrations inspired by reforms in other countries - brutally surpressed and 100 killed
• ceausescu adressed the nation but he fled, army sided with protestors
• captured and executed ceausescu and new leader was elected, abolition of one party systm

Question 19

factors for the fal of communism in Romania

Answer 19

• leaders - ceausescu was corrupt and unpopular, faced protest
• widespread demonstrations in opposition forced the toppling of his regime

Question 20

military obstacles for re-uniting germany

Answer 20

• threat of militaristic germany in the center of europe was concering to east and west
• fear of ‘4th reich’ in west, and fear of strong germany in NATO from USSR

Question 21

political obsticles to the reunification of germany

Answer 21

• danger of nationalist resurgence
• question of nature of government
• threat of soviet influence over politics of whole germany
• led to political opposition to rapid reunification from some SDP members

Question 22

economic obsticles to reunification

Answer 22

• integration of two different economies
• how to aid DDR whilst maintaining development in FDR

Question 23

social obstacles to reunification

Answer 23

• social differences + nostalgia for DDR
• how to bring separated people together without animosity

Question 24

10 point plan

Answer 24

• called for gradual unification of germany (5 years, still faster than what 70% of population expected)
• first medical and currency, then free elections and free market, setting up common and federal institutions, then joint policies, european integration, then finally regaining unity in self determination

Question 25

support for unification from people

Answer 25

- DDR elections showed support for parties who proposed reunification 1990 - DDR citizens took advantage of currency union -> desire to partake in economy - increased movement from east to west after fall of the wall = unification seemed logical - 500,000 pro unification protesters in Leipzig, Dresden throughout 1990

Question 26

2 + 4 treaty

Answer 26

- peaceful treaty ending partition of germany + commitment to recognising the oder neisse line

Question 27

causes for the resurgance of nationalism within USSR after 1985

Answer 27

- increased awareness of the horrors of stalinism after glasnost policy - perestroika + gladnost -> awareness of the economic issues of the USSR which had been kept hidden - inspired by the actions of the satelite states

Question 28

why did gorbachev loose power// why did coup 1991 happen

Answer 28

- economic failure of perestroika, lost revenue from vodka production cuts - opponents called for both increased conservatism, and further reform - nationalist opposition within USSR - Georgia and Baltic states - created new federation treaty in 1991 which led to coup from hardliners

Question 29

overall causes for fall of USSR

Answer 29

- failure of reforms = 100 billion rouble debt by 1990s - action and support for Yeltsin and nationalism - 11/15 states declared indipendence by 1991

Question 30

causes for civil war in yugoslavia

Answer 30

- surpressed nationalism which came to the forefront of 1990 multi party elections (pro nationalist parties won in all states but Serbia) - 1991 - declaration of indipendence in Slovenia and Croatia, then in Macedonia and B+H in 1992 - serbian leader Milosevic wanted to unite ethnic serbs trhough force - led to invation of Croatia and Bosnia

Question 31

war in bosnia

Answer 31

- 1992 - serb forces besieged sarajevo, forced non serbian population to leave occupided areas - ethnic massacre of 8000 men and boys in occupation of srebrenica despite it being a UN safe zone since 1993 - NATO bombing campaing finally led to Dayton peace accords 1995

Question 32

war in croatia

Answer 32

- invaded by yugoslav army in 1991 - death of 20,000 people - failure of UN treaty to stop war in 1992

Question 33

features of Yeltsins shock therepy

Answer 33

- rapid economic liberalisation - rapid introduction to the free market in 1993 - removal of price controls - cuts in welfare spending and state subsidization of industry -

Question 34

consequences of shock therepy

Answer 34

- increase in crime, suicide, alcholism, infections, workplace accidents and inequality - percentage of population in poverty rose from 1.5% to 49% in 1993 - life expectancy dropped by 7 years - lack of international competitivenes = collaps of indstries and mass unemployment

Question 35

long term causes for fall of USSR

Answer 35

- economic decline and stagnation - secret speech of 1953 inspired dissidence

Question 36

mid term causes of collaps of USSR

Answer 36

- failure of perestroika and gorbachev - openness led to political critisism and demand for self determination within USSR - freedom in EE and soviet non intervention

Question 37

short term causes for collaps of USSR

Answer 37

- coup in 1991 undermined USSR control and party - strength to Yeltsins position, as a nationalist - rising nationalism and cries for indipendence - Tblisi massacre 1989 and loss of control of preriferies