Cold War- End 1984-95 Flashcards
(19 cards)
Perception of Gorbachev by world
- Far younger and more progressive
- More open
- Approachable
What was Gorbachev’s policy of perestroika?
Reconstruction of the Soviet economy
What was Gorbachev’s policy of glasnost
More political openess and transparency
What did perestroika do in the USSR?
- allowed more foreign investment into the Soviet economy (up to 49% of Soviet business)
- factories released from centralised control
- allowed Soviet citizens to set up their own businesses, sell own produce etc.
What did glasnost do in the USSR?
- gave workers liberty to critique the system
- Soviet media was allowed to point out social and economic problems such as alcoholism
- March 1989- first genuinely free elections in the USSR, communist party won the majority of seats
How much money did the USSR spend on Afghanistan?
$50 billion
Social impacts of Afghan war on USSR
- veterans (Afghany) became political force
- non-USSR conscripts became a symbol of opposition to Soviet rule
- atrocities became known to public
- drug misuse widespread among soldiers
How much of the Soviet GDP was spent on military when Gorbachev came to power?
25%
What expenses was the USSR upholding when Gorbachev came to power?
- 25% GDP on military
- $1 billion in aid (per country) to other communist regimes per year such as Cuba and vietnam
Social problems in the Eastern Bloc and USSR when Gorbachev came to power
- Alcoholism, leading to low productivity and absenteeism
- Lower standard of living in Eastern Europe
- Food shortages were common
- Cheap housing, but poor standard
- Lack of technology- 10 year wait for cars in Eastern Germany, 20 in Bulgaria
Statistics showing the inefficiency of Soviet agriculture when Gorbachev came to power
- 75% more farmland than the USA, produced 2/3 of crop output
- 8 times as many farmworkers than the USA
- imported millions of tons of grain to meet shortages in the 70s (mainly from USA)
Agriculture in Eastern Europe at start of Gorbachev’s power
- Mid 1960s, food production was lower in Czechoslovakia, East Germany and Hungary than in 1938
- Exception of Poland and Hungary- Eastern Bloc followed soviet agricutural structure
When was marshall law imposed on Solidarity to drive it underground?
1981
How much of the vote did Solidarity win and when (after they were allowed to become a party)
99% in 1989
What did Reagan initially refer to the USSR as due to their violations of human rights in Afghanistan?
Evil empire
What doctrine did Gorbachev introduce to demonstrate the USSR’s abandonment of the Brezhnev doctrine?
Sinatra doctrine
How many summit conferences were held between 1985 and 88
Four
Who was the leader of Romania that was later executed in the Romanian revolution?
Ceausescu
December 1989- shot by firing squad for treason
What did the INF treaty do?
Intercontinental Nuclear Forces Treaty
Allowed both sides to oversee the destruction of their short and medium range land based missiles
