Fall of Communism

Satellite States of the Soviet Empire Lech Walesa, plumber Reforms initiated by Gorbachev in USSR begin to flow over the “iron curtain” – Poland and Solidarity Party Solidarity Party is a trade union movement Solidarity Party made illegal from Communist hardliner Gen. Jaruzelski attempts to control the situation with limited reform but the economy is too far gone Solidarity Party win the first ‘free’ elections since 1939 with 92% of the vote Jaruzelski is retained as President under communist law until 1990 when Lech Walesa becomes president

Domino Theory 1989 – Czechoslovakia and the ‘Velvet Revolution’ Remember the Prague Spring of 1968 – violent crackdown Vaclav Havel, playwright, leads the “Velvet Revolution,” a peaceful change from communism to democracy Havel would become President of Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia formed at Paris Peace Conference Ethnically challenged nation split along lines of nationality New nations – Czech Republic and Slovakia (1993) Vaclav Havel

“To the Dustbin of History” 1990 – Hungary Hungarian economy was in ruins Janos Kadar (Nagy’s replacement) looks to introduce democratic reform while maintaining communist rule Kadar is thrown out of office in 1988 Gorbachev is not going to intervene as in the 1956 Hungarian Uprising 1990 peasant backed Democratic Forum 1989 – Romania Nicolae Ceausescu, the last of the hardliners massacres civilians sparking protests which in turn are fired upon (December 1989) Eventually, the army refuses to fire on yet more protests Ceausescu and his wife are captured, tried and shot Romania does not see democratic elections until 1996 Nicolae Ceausescu (Dink, truly)

Berlin Wall, 1989 Ostpolitik – German Reunification? 1989 – East Germans fleeing through porous Hungarian and Polish borders Perestroika - Moscow is unwilling and unable to “back up” satellite states East Germany under pressure to reform Oct – PM Erik Honecker resigns Nov East Germany opens its check points along the Berlin Wall (not since ’61) As the flow of people out of E. Germany increases public calls for German Reunification grow and the people begin to attack the symbol of separation – the Berlin Wall

German Reunification March 1990 – Elections held in E. Germany Sept Britain, France, USA & USSR give up post WWII rights of control East & West Germany are free to unify Oct – Germany is reunified East Germany - a poor country was rotting under communism Unemployment in the new Germany skyrockets (20%) Reunification costs 1.5 trillion Euros Neo-Nazi groups emerge as unemployed look to blame someone Racism and hate crime rise Germany enacts some of the world strictest anti-hate laws

Collapse of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Failures of the Soviet system: Major theories revolve around – Economic stagnation Military spending Political corruption Clashes of ideological interpretations Nationalism (50% of USSR pop. was not ethnic Russian)

Mikhael Gorbachev Gorbachev was a reformer and looked to bring communist Russia into the 21st century. To do this he would need to open the country to new ideas and thus change…… 1986 Glasnost (Openness) – Democratic Communism In order to do this he relaxed the totalitarian control of the country (i.e. free speech, western influence…) Gorbachev also denounced Stalin (we’ve seen this before) in order to show that his changes were to be taken seriously. These new freedoms gave the Russian Republic, an elected body; increasing powers in the USSR Ronald Reagan and Mikhael Gorbachev

Perestroika 1987 Perestroika (Restructuring) Gorbachev commits to reforms in the USSR Gorbachev to Satellite states “you are on your own” The release of the Satellites freed up huge amounts of resources that were to be focused on the restructuring of Russia Soviet reforms were both economic & political: Gorbachev officially denounces the 5 year plan system & the heavy hand shown in Hungary & Czechoslovakia USSR troops pull out of Afghanistan a heavy blow to prestige, but a new face to the soviets – admitting a loss (weakness)

Socialist Market Economy In order to reform the communist economy Gorbachev created a semi private system in a classic supply and demand market. However the growth of the economy was skewed, people with capitalist ties began do grow wealthy, but the standard of living for the average Soviet fell drastically as the state run stores ran out of food with the collapse of the communist farming structure. Supply could not keep up with demand As with the New Economic Policy and the 5 – year plans the Socialist Market Economy initially produced hardship and resentment. Unlike the past economic reforms Gorbachev was not going to force the issue on his people. ECONOMIC COLLAPSE Soviet quality of life plummets Freedom for a collapse in economics Gorbachev announces a 500-day plan similar to the reforms FDR imposes during the Depression Russian people are cynical New political voices began to surface

Boris Yeltsin Boris Yeltsin, the leader of Russian Republic and a key political opponent of Gorbachev 1991 Yeltsin put forward the idea of a Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and demanded self- determination for all ethnic groups in the USSR. August 1991 – Coup D’Etat Gorbachev proposed a Union Treaty between the republics and the Soviet government. This would see the traditional powers shift to the republics, while leaving the old Soviet “security of the collective”. August 19, 1991 Communist hardliners arrest Gorbachev and begin to consolidate the power of the USSR. Soviet tanks surround the Russian parliament with Boris Yeltsin inside. Yeltsin comes out and climbs on a tank.

Results of the 1991 Coup Key: Yeltsin had the support of the people - USSR troops refuse to “subdue the people” & coup ends Gorbachev because of his ties to the Communist Party loses credibility at home (remains popular in the West) Yeltsin’s popularity soars….. Communist Party outlawed in the Republic of Russia December 1, 1991 the republic of Ukraine votes for independence this lead to the creation of C.I.S. (Ukraine was the second most powerful republic) December 25, 1991 Gorbachev signs the paper ending the U.S.S.R and places it ‘in the dustbin of history’ officially on January 1, 1992

“…the more things change…” Yeltsin proved to be a poor leader… Russian quality of life continued to fall 1994 Yeltsin sends Russian troops to stop Chechnya from breaking away into its own country. This proves to be a very unpopular war Yeltsin was replaced by Vladimir Putin a former KGB officer and strong ideologist. Putin appeals to the west for monetary aid, he argues that the collapse of Russia would not be in the best interest of world peace. Putin estimates with good solid economic reforms and continuous western aid Russia, in 15 years would be the economic equal of Portugal, the poorest of the E.U. countries. Currently – Constitutional change 2 term presidency Putin appoints successor Runs for President again Cult of Personality? Desires return of Russian power = Imperialism? 0