A Changing Europe Pages 596 – 603

Objectives Describe the Soviet Union’s collapse Analyze the upheavals and conflicts in Europe as the Cold War ended Explain how the European Union is affecting the European economy

How long was the Cold War? About 40 years U.S. and U.S.S.R. spent huge amounts of money to develop nuclear weapons Each spent a lot of money on military struggles U.S. wanted to contain U.S.S.R. wanted to expand

Problems within the Warsaw Pact Government-run businesses could not provide enough food and other goods to meet people’s needs People could not discuss these problems without risking arrest

Mikhail Gorbachev First Soviet leader born and raised in Soviet society Leaders before him had been born before the Russian Revolution Stalin had imprisoned his grandfather

Perestroika Literally means “rebuilding the failing Soviet economy” Could not succeed without glasnost Gorbachev’s new policy of permission to speak freely

The Communist Economy Controlled by the government Workers had almost no voice in planning There was little reason for them to work hard or carefully Wages stayed the same no matter how hard people worked Some workers joked, “The pretend to pay us and we pretend to work.”

Greater Freedom Gorbachev believed that workers’ views would not change only when people had the freedom to speak up Prisoners were released Some religious freedom was allowed

Ronald Reagan Gorbachev and Reagan signed a treaty Both countries agreed to reduce nuclear weapons stockpiles Soviet Union agreed to pull troops out of Afghanistan

A “Year of Miracles” - 1989 The ideas of glasnost and perestroika spread In one year these movements helped overturn more than 40 years of Communist rule Also, Miss Kostishion was born. 

Changes in Europe in 1989…

Poland Polish workers’ group called Solidarity Had previously been outlawed for protesting poor working conditions Won recognition from government in March 1989

Hungary May 1989: There was a Hungarian revolt for democracy Tore down electric fence separating Hungary from democratic Austria A “hole” in the Iron Curtain to escape to western Europe

East Germany October 1989: thousands jammed the city squares to demand changes in their government East Germany’s leader, Erich Honecker, ordered the army to break up the crowds Command was not followed East Berlin opened its gates to West Berlin

Fall of the Berlin Wall

Czechoslovakia November 1989: students in Czechoslovakia protested for democracy Sang American civil-rights song, “We Shall Overcome” Police beat hundreds of the students December 1989: communist government overthrown

The Soviet Collapse After 1989, the Soviet Union began to change 1990 and 1991, many republics broke away from Soviet control 1991: Russia, the biggest republic, held a democratic election Boris Yeltsin = president

The Changes Angered Communist Leaders… August 1991: tried to overthrow Gorbachev and take the power themselves Moved tanks in Moscow The Soviet people rallied behind Yeltsin, who called these acts illegal Soldiers refused to follow communist orders The revolt came to an end Gorbachev stepped down and the Soviet Union ceased to exist 15 independent republics stood in its place

After the Fall of the SoViet Union Warsaw Pact countries were turning toward democracy Conflicts over nationalism replaced Cold War tensions

With a partner, read “Local Wars” in your textbook.