35-3 “The Collapse of the Soviet Union” And the world watched with wonder …

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.

A Home-Grown Insurgency Instead, a massive, home-grown insurgency, led by a number of different participants, contributed to the collapse: Workers Dissident intellectuals Advocates of national self- determination Reformers

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

The Objective: Survival Gorbachev knew that the Soviet Union would have to change if it was to survive. Central planning in a modern industrial economy brought many inefficiencies. The factory management system provided little incentive to make technological improvements and every incentive to hide factory capacities to ensure low quotas The socialist farm system was inefficient – there were poor worker incentives and storage and transportation problems. The Soviet State could no longer afford the high defense spending that accompanied the Cold War.

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.

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.

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.

Russia under 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.“

Russia under Boris Yeltsin Yeltsin aims to reform the Russian economy Tries “shock therapy”- quick transition to free market system New policies bring economic chaos, hardship and political troubles

Chechnya Rebels In 1991, Chechnya declares independence from Russia Yeltsin attempts to crush rebellion, causing unrest at home As conflict continues in 1999, he resigns in favor of Vladimir Putin

Chechnya at war

Vladimir Putin

Russia under Vladimir Putin Fighting drags on in Chechnya In 2002, Chechen rebels seize theater in Moscow; many die As of 2007, the rebels have been largely quieted Economic problems continue leading to unstable politics Social problems include homelessness and unemployment Decline in average life expectancy

Soviet Union/ Russian Leaders GorbachevUsed glasnost & perestroika to change Soviet Union’s government & economy Ended Cold War tensions Helped to end communism throughout Eastern Europe YeltsinStruggled with transition from communism to democracy Industry and farms were privatized Food shortages increased Unemployment rose Putin lessened power of regional leaders Exerted control of DUMA, Russian legislature New relations with the West 2002 signed arms reduction Led to economic growth

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.

Nuclear Stockpiles, Source data from: Robert S. Norris and Hans M. Kristensen, "Global nuclear stockpiles, ," Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 62, no. 4 (July/August 2006), Online at

Remaining Communist Countries At its peak, communism was practiced in dozens of countries: Soviet Union: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan Asian Countries: Afghanistan, Cambodia, Mongolia, and Yemen Soviet Controlled Eastern bloc countries: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia. The Balkans: Albania, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia. Africa: Angola, Benin, Congo, Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea, and Mozambique. Currently only a handful of countries identified as communist remain: Laos, North Korea, Vietnam, China, and Cuba.