U.S.S.R. Rise and Fall of a Nation
Vladimir Lenin (1917 – 1924) N.E.P. (New Economic Policy) Some elements of capitalism
Josef Stalin (1924 – 1953) Five Year Plans to rebuild industry Great Purge to imprison or kill political dissidents
Nikita Khrushchev (1953 – 1964) De-Stalinization- freed many political prisoners Eased censorship “We will bury you!” Bay of Pigs Cuban Missile Crisis Berlin Wall
Sputnik (1957) add 1 st artificial satellite to orbit earth Starts Space Race
Berlin Wall (1961) Divided West & East Berlin Fell in 1989
Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) U.S.S.R. tried to smuggle weapons into Cuba. U.S. imposed a naval blockade. U.S.S.R. backs down.
Leonid Brezhnev (1964 – 1982) Suppressed dissidents Critics were imprisoned in insane asylums.
Détente (1970’s) Easing of tensions a “thaw” in the Cold War SALT- Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (I & II)
Brezhnev Doctrine U.S.S.R. had the right to prevent its satellite countries from rejecting communism. What made Brezhnev so mad???? The Czechoslovakians ….
The Prague Spring (1968) Czechoslovakian President Alexandr Dubcek announced a new form of democratic communism. For four months they enjoyed freedom of speech and less state controls.
What did the U.S.S.R. do? 500,000 Warsaw Pact troops invaded Czechoslovakia. They didn’t fight back, but stood in front of the tanks & put flowers in the soldiers hair. Dubcek was arrested and sent to Moscow.
Invasion of Afghanistan ( ) Drained Soviet economy. Low morale. Ended détente The USSR’s Vietnam US helped Taliban resistance fighters with guns and equipment
Mikhail Gorbachev (1985 – 1991) Signed arms treaty with the U.S. Pulled troops out of Afghanistan
Glasnost Openness Ended censorship
Perestroika Restructuring of the government & the economy.
Nationalities Freedom movement in Eastern Europe Conflicts between pro-communist & pro- democratic groups Minority revolts and civil conflicts
Effects of the Fall Formation of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Loss of role as world superpower End of the Cold War Economic hardships
Boris Yeltsin (1991 – 2000) elected President of democratic Russia Reduced nuclear stock piles Unemployment increased Prices increased Criminals & gang activity big problems
Chechnya Revolt ( ) Chechnya is a province with a Muslim majority. They wanted their autonomy from Russia. 21 month guerilla and civil war. Russia withdrew troops but did not grant total independence.
Vladimir Putin (2000 – 2008) Tough on dissidents Ex-KGB Current President and was PM
Dmitry Medvedev (2008 – present) Hand-picked by Putin. Working to reform the government ?!? Invasion of Georgia (Aug.2008)
“We will buy you” -Medvedev
R.I.P. Soviet Union DEFEAT THE NAZIS LENIN 1917 – 1991 STALIN FIRST IN SPACE (SPUTNIK) LEADERSHIP OF GORBACHEV ONE OF TWO SUPERPOWERS GLASNOST GORBACHEV PERESTROIKA FIRST COMMUNIST NATION 15 INDEPENDENT STATES