end of cold war Flashcards
(7 cards)
background of Gorbachev’s reforms
low level of agricultural and industrial productivity -> lower living standards
armament race increased financial burden
Soviet government lacked efficiency
introduce reforms to increase government efficiency and to gain support from public
economic reform
Perestroika
planned economy -> market economy
enterprises given more autonomy
(state-owned enterprises can set their own prices and wage themselves)
withdrew missiles and garrisons deployed
political reform
Glasnost
liberty and democracy -> freedom of speech and the press, people had the right to criticize the gov
people could set up political parties and participate freely
Communist Party of USSR is no longer the sole source of national leadership
changes in diplomatic polices
ended the division of Germany
improved relations with the capitalist bloc
impact of gorbachev’s reforms
glasnost: liberated the voices of anti-communists
eased cold war tensions
relaxing control over satellite states -> encouraged them to pursue democracy and freedom
drastic changes in Europe
economic development of Eastern Europe lagged behind and people started to loose confidence in communism
nationalism revived and states wanted to be liberated from USSR
Gorbachev gave up control over Eastern Europe countries and let them choose their own political and economic systems
Germany was unified
Warsaw Treaty Organization dissolved
breakup of the USSR and end of Cold War
Gorbachev’s reforms failed and the state became unstable
August Coup
set up emergency committee and sent troops to Moscow
Yeltsin appealed to people to resist the coup and the coup failed after two days
breakup of the USSR
after the August Coup people lost confidence in Gorbachev and republics declared independence one by one -> Commonwealth of Independent States
Gorbachev resigned, USSR dissolved and the Cold War ended
