Modern Issues

-During the early 1970s, Cold War tensions between the US and Soviet Union eased -President Richard Nixon issued a policy of détente with the USSR -However, this policy ended when President Reagan took office in Fiercely anti-Communist, Reagan increased defense spending and put both economic and military pressure on the Soviet Union -Both sides again entered into a nuclear arms race building more and more nuclear missiles -US Pop culture and the media strengthened this division by nicknaming the Soviet Union as the “Evil Empire” -Both the US and USSR and their allies boycotted the Olympics to show their ill will towards each other (US and allies Olympics held in Moscow, USSR and allies Olympics in Los Angeles, US

- In 1982, the Politburo chose Mikhail Gorbachev as the Communist Party’s new leader and he took over as the leader (Premier) of the Soviet Union -Gorbachev relieved that the Soviet Union need to become more modern by allowing the free flow of ideas and information. -He hoped that this change would bring about economic and social reform -This new policy was called Glasnost and brought about new changes to the totalitarian USSR -Political prisoners were released, the media was allowed to criticize the government and previously banned books were allowed to be published.

-This new openness allowed Soviet citizens to complain about the economic problems of the USSR -To solve this problems and change the inefficient ways of Communism, Gorbachev introduced a new program to restructure the economy known as Perestroika. -Under this system, small private businesses were allowed and the government control of manufacturing and production were loosened

-As these new reforms began to loosen government control, ethnic tensions across the Soviet Union began to tear the empire apart. -Non-Russians formed a majority in all of the satellite republics of the Soviet Union -The Baltic Nations of Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia were the first to challenge the authority of the Soviet Union -Lithuania was the first of these republics to declare its independence in March The Soviet Union sent troops to the area to stop the rebellion killing many civilians. -This action led to a coup within the Communist Party -The Soviet government voted to stop all Party activities and Gorbachev resigned -After the collapse, all Soviet republics declared their independence

-Leaders of the former Soviet Republics met to decide their future -Boris Yeltsin, leader of the Russia Republic, became leader of the CIS or Commonwealth of Independent States -In 1991, Chechnya, a Muslim region of Russia, wanted to declare their independence. -Yeltsin denied their right by ordering Russian troops to combat the rebellion -Due to the public outcry over the Chechnya rebellion, Yeltsin resigned and Vladimir Putin became President of the CIS

-As the Soviet Union began to breakup, the former Warsaw Pact countries of Eastern Europe began dissolve their Communist governments and embrace democracy A. Poland - In 1980, Lech Walesa formed a national trade union called Solidarity -It gained support of the workers and the Roman Catholic Church -As the movement gained international support, the Polish government agreed to hold free elections ending Communist rule -Lech Walesa began the first freely elected President of Poland

B. Czechoslovakia -Mass demonstrations took place in 1988 and The Communist government collapsed in 1989 and elected Vaclav Havel as President -Due to ethnic conflicts, the country split into two nations; the Czech Republic and Slovakia

C. East Germany/West Germany -Due to the growing outrage of Communist rule, many East Germans began to flee to Capitalist West Germany -East Germany finally gave in to the protestors and opened its border to the West -Thousands began tearing down the Berlin War, the symbol of the Fall of Communism -In 1990, voters supported the reunifications of Germany -Helmut Kohl became the first elected leader of unified Germany

D. Yugoslavia -Even though a Communist state, Yugoslavia was never a satellite country of the Soviet Union -In 1990, the Communist Part lost power and ethnic tensions between the 6 republics of Yugoslavia threatened to tear it apart -The Republic of Serbia declared war against the Republic of Croatia -After a cease-fire agreement with Croatia, Serbia attacked the Republic of Bosnia -After taking a majority of their territory, Serbia began systematically killing Bosnia’s Muslim population (ethnic cleansing) -Also, Serbia began an ethnic cleansing campaign against the Albanian people in the small region of Kosovo -NATO forces were called in to end the fighting -Slobodan Milosevic was arrested for crimes against humanity (committed suicide in jail)

-When Mao Zedong died in 1976, Deng Xiaoping look over control of Communist China -He started the Four Modernizations Policy, which focused on a complete reform of the agricultural, industrial, technological and defense programs -These reforms brought about Western capitalist ideals to these programs. -As China began to promote Western ideas, Chinese students wanted to reform the government by introducing democracy -Massive protests were held in Tiananmen Square to call for an end of Communism -Deng Xiaoping ordered tanks and troops into the Square to crush the demonstration -Hundreds of students were killed

-In 1950, the Chinese took control of Tibet by force -The people of Tibet have their own culture and religion (Tibetan Buddhism) -With the Chinese takeover, the Dalia Lama (Leader of Tibetan Buddhism), and his followers fled to India -Throughout the years, Tibetan people have revolted for their independence from China -Chinese troops have violently put down these rebellions

-One of the most remarkable efforts in modern times for caring of the poor in third world nations came from a Roman Catholic nun Mother Teresa -Starting in 1950, she started the order of The Missionaries of Charity to help the poorest of the poor in India and other impoverished nations -She devoted her life to publicize and help the poor and disease ridden people of these nations -For her works she has received the Nobel Peace Prize and after her death in 1997, the Roman Catholic Church has begun the process to issuing sainthood.

10. Modern Challenges -As the world has become more interdependence, more global issues have emerged -Global Pollution -Deforestation of Rain Forests -Global Population Growth -Chinese Family Planning Laws -Urbanization of Third World Nations -Widespread Disease -HIV/AIDS, Ebola Virus -Nuclear Proliferation -SALT Treaty (US/USSR) -Green Revolution