Fall of Communism

Mikhail Gorbachev – head of Communist party ( )

Didn’t have simple consumer goods

Eastern Bloc Union of Soviet Socialist Republics 15 Republics: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan 7 Satellite Countries: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia

Was the Collapse Due to Force? No  The Cold War cost more than $11 trillion. But the collapse of the Soviet Union and its satellites was not a result of force.  No NATO tank fired a shot.  No bomb fell on the Kremlin.

Polish Trade Union: Solidarity  The downfall began in 1980 when striking Polish workers organized Solidarity, an independent trade union of nearly 10 million members.  Striking for better living and working conditions  Initially recognized by the Polish Government

Support from Catholic Church  Solidarity, which had strong support from the powerful Polish Catholic Church, demonstrated how a working-class movement could offer an entire nation moral and political leadership.  Pope John Paul II even supported it  Inspired other EE countries

Solidarity’s Chairman: Lech Walesa  The Polish military drove Solidarity underground in However, in 1983, Solidarity’s chairman, Lech Walesa, won the Nobel peace prize. In 1990, he would be the first freely elected president of the Polish nation in more than sixty years.

Reasons for Fall of Communism 1. Costs of the Cold War  Enormous quantity of weapons  Unable to support military budgets  USSR couldn’t compete with Star Wars-Strategic Defense Initiative-anti- ballistic missile system

Reasons for the Fall of Communism 2. Weakness of USSR’s Economy  Little motive to work hard  Inefficient goals for agriculture and industry -Decision makers too far removed from day to day problems/issues -People afraid to suggest change -Cold War Defense Budget

The Gorbachev Revolution  Mikhail Gorbachev, who came to power in 1985 as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU), recognized that the Soviet Union could not remain politically and economically isolated and that the Soviet system had to be changed if it was to survive.

President Reagan giving a speech at the Berlin Wall, Brandenburg Gate, Federal Republic of Germany. June 12, 1987

Reagan’s Brandenburg Gate Speech  President Ronald Reagan called upon Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall: "In the Communist world, we see failure, technological backwardness, declining standards... Even today, the Soviet Union cannot feed itself. The inescapable conclusion is that freedom is the victor. General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”

Reasons for the Fall of Communism 3. Gorbachev’s willingness to try new ideas  4 New Policies to reform Communism a. Glasnost – open exchange of information b. Perestroika – restructure of economy  Less government control  Individuals could own business

Reasons for the Fall of Communism c. Democratization – end of 1 party system d. “New Thinking” – reduce interference in Eastern Europe- Brezhnev Doctrine-send troops into EE countries if they tried democratic reform-didn’t use it

Release from Soviet Domination  The renunciation of the Brezhnev Doctrine (armed intervention in support of communism) released the Eastern European states from Soviet domination.  The communist rulers of these states could not survive without the support of the Soviet Union. The Brezhnev Doctrine was articulated in 1968 when the Soviet army occupied Czechoslovakia to end the Prague Spring, an attempt by Alexander Dubcek to build “socialism with a human face.”

Insistent Calls for Change  He believed that his reforms were necessary and used his leadership and power to attempt to implement them.  The policy of glasnost (openness) made it possible for people to more freely criticize the government's policies. When people realized it was safe to speak out, the calls for change became more insistent.

Reforms Were Too Slow  The gradual market reforms and decentralization of the economy (perestroika) were too slow and failed to keep pace with the crisis and his people's demands.  The Soviet Union was suffering a deterioration of economic and social conditions and a fall in the GNP.

Party Reforms a Failure  His attempts to reform the Communist Party were a failure. Change was too slow to keep pace with events and he was continually hampered by his need to give in to the hard-liners in order to retain power. As communism collapsed in Eastern Europe, reform of communism in the Soviet Union became unlikely.

Wave of Demonstrations  Beginning in September 1989, a wave of huge demonstrations shook Communist regimes across eastern Europe.

Reasons for the Fall of Communism 4. Nationalistic Unrest  Minority groups wanted increase in freedoms o Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia o Muslims o Eastern Bloc countries- Hungary leads the crusade

East Germany Erich Honecker – leader of East Germany o Restricted travel – only to communist countries o Economic problems – inferior goods, huge foreign debt (imported more than exported) o East German’s learn about democratic reforms in other Eastern bloc countries

East Germany  Hungary opened border to Austria-Brezhnev Doctrine not used  East Germans escape  Loss of workers cripples economy  East Germany closes borders  Protests in E. Germany – Honecker resigns

A tram is blocked by East German demonstrators in the center of the city in October Their banner reads: 'Legalization of opposition parties, free democratic elections, free press and independent unions.'

The Wall Came Down  Finally, on the night of November 9, 1989, ordinary Germans poured through the Berlin Wall. The GDR quickly disintegrated, and by the end of 1990, all of East Germany had been incorporated into the wealthy, powerful Federal Republic of Germany.

East Germany  E. Germany opens border o Berlin Wall “torn down” (1989)

Events in Eastern Europe  Communist governments in Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Bulgaria either tumbled or underwent reform.  The Communist dictatorship in Romania fell after a week of bloody street battles between ordinary citizens and police, who defended the old order to the bitter end.

West Germany  Helmut Kohl – proposes German reunification o Reassures world that Germany will be a “good neighbor

Unification – Oct. 3, 1990  East German economy weakened overall Germany economy  East German economy benefited from unification  West German economy slowed

Gorbachev shocks Western leaders  Withdrew troops from Afghanistan  Withdrew missiles from EE  Cancelled nuclear tests  Encouraged Democratic Reforms

The Rise of Nationalism  With the iron grip of the centralized Soviet state relaxed and the growing failure of the state to adequately feed and clothe its people, nationalism in the republics surged and separatist movements threatened the very existence of the Soviet Union. Protesters: Moldova: The angry face of nationalism - Apr 13, 2009

Rise of Nationalism  Old hatreds resurfaced and people in the 14 Republics didn’t want to be controlled by Russia  Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania were the first to break away

Radical Change  Radical change finally reached the Soviet heartland in August 1991, when thousands of Russian citizens poured into the streets to defeat a reactionary coup d'état.  Coup fails in 3 tense days  Failed bc military units failed to carry out orders  Communist party is dissolved

Independent Republics  The Communist party quickly collapsed, and the Soviet Union began the painful and uncertain process of reorganizing itself as a loose confederation of independent republics.

Boris Yeltsin  Boris Yeltsin, who headed the Russian Republic, replaced Gorbachev as president of a much- diminished state. Gorbachev found that there was no Soviet Union to lead and retired into private life. Time magazine's July 15, 1996, issue, featured a 10-page spread about a squad of U.S. political pros who "clandestinely participated in guiding Yeltsin's campaign.“

Nobel Peace Prize  Gorbachev won the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize. He brought a peaceful end to the cold war, and dramatic change to his country's economy, though not in the way he intended.

The End of the Cold War  The Cold War was over, brought to a close not by the missiles and tanks of the principal participants, but by the collective courage and willpower of ordinary men and women.

Lech Walesa's SOLIDARITY Gorbachev’s REFORMS John Paul II’s CATHOLIC CHURCH Glasnost Ronald Reagan’s FOREIGN POLICY No Brezhnev Doctrine Perestroika Reform KGB Reform Comm Party EVIL EMPIRE Speech MILITARY BUILDUP ARMS RACE East German NATIONALISM The Collapse of the Soviet Union and the End of the Cold War Ordinary MEN & WOMEN WILL POWER COURAGE Eastern Bloc Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

Similarities between SU and Germany 1. Economic Problems after fall of communism 2. Once citizens gained knowledge of democracy, they wanted it 3. Both wanted to defy an oppressive government 4. Government lost their authority 5. Happened non-violently

Differences between SU and Germany 1. Nationalism -In the SU all wanted their own country whereas Germany wanted to reunite into 1 big country 2. SU government under Gorbachev was not as resistant to change as EG government under Honecker was

Problems of a New Era 1. Chechnya -Muslim region on SW Russia wanted independence and Yeltsin refused-became an unpopular war ( & ) 2. EG refugees poured into WG-accepted lower wages and WG lost jobs 3. Neo-Nazi groups form 4. Yeltsin eliminated price controls, trade barriers, govt funding of industry and introduced free enterprise and private property- Shock Therapy

Problems of a New Era 5. As a result, prices rise and consumer spending drops 6. Russian industries needed modernization 7. All this uncertainty made Russians want the old way (communism) back 8. Economic disaster for both but Germany has improved now