 starter activity Gorby, Gorby! You are the new Soviet president, Mikhail Gorbachev. You need to make a few changes to improve the situation at home and abroad. What steps do you take to improve the domestic economy and international relations?

Why did the Cold War end? Gorbachev and the end of Cold War

How did Gorbachev improve relations with the US? 1985, Gorbachev & Reagan met at Geneva to discuss arms reduction 1985, Gorbachev & Reagan met at Geneva to discuss arms reduction 1987, Gorbachev & Reagan signed Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces treaty removing medium range nuc. weapons from Europe 1987, Gorbachev & Reagan signed Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces treaty removing medium range nuc. weapons from Europe SALT developed into START (Strategic Arms Reduction Talks) SALT developed into START (Strategic Arms Reduction Talks) What was so significant about the 1995 meeting?

How did Gorbachev reform the USSR? Identified key problems: Communist bureaucracy; low industrial output; high inflation; social probs – alcoholism; human rights Perestroika – free market economics Glasnost – openness in govt Political prisoners released (e.g. Andrei Sakharov) Why were hard-line Communists extremely critical of this book?

 Your task What kind of man was Mikhail Gorbachev? Working with a partner, try, based on the evidence, to determine the following: What kind of person was he? What kind of person was he? What changes did he introduce in the USSR? What changes did he introduce in the USSR? What was his policy on Eastern Europe? What was his policy on Eastern Europe? What was his attitude to disarmament? What was his attitude to disarmament? What did he think about human rights? What did he think about human rights?

 Your task As an advisor to Gorbachev, make a graphic for him, outlining the political, socio-economic and military problems that face the USSR. This graphic could be in the form of A mind map A mind map Venn diagram Venn diagram Table Table Google Earth tour Google Earth tour

How did the Soviet control of Eastern Europe collapse?

 ‘At the beginning of 1989 the Communis ts had been in complete …control of Eastern Europe. At the end of the year they were gone’.

Poland, , Poland – free elections held for 1 st time since WWII 1989, Poland – free elections held for 1 st time since WWII Lech Walesa elected president Lech Walesa elected president 1 st non-Communist leader in Eastern Europe since st non-Communist leader in Eastern Europe since 1945

East Germany, s fleeing every year by s fleeing every year by 1989 Demonstrations in E. German cities during state visit by Gorbachev Demonstrations in E. German cities during state visit by Gorbachev East Germany – Erich Honecker’s troops refused to shoot protestors East Germany – Erich Honecker’s troops refused to shoot protestors Honecker forced to agree to reforms Honecker forced to agree to reforms Nov 1989, Berlin Wall pulled down Nov 1989, Berlin Wall pulled down What makes this one of the most powerful images of the entire Cold War era?

Czechoslovakia, November 1989, massive anti-Communist demo in Prague Dubcek (former leader) & Havel (playwright) rallied support of crowds December 1989, Communist leader resigned & replaced by Havel 1990, free elections held

Hungary, 1989 Communist leader, Imre Pozgay accepted need for reform Communist leader, Imre Pozgay accepted need for reform Ban on opposition parties lifted Ban on opposition parties lifted Communist Party renamed Socialist Party Communist Party renamed Socialist Party 1990, free elections 1990, free elections

Romania, 1989 Coup Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu & wife Elena shot

Bulgaria, 1989 November Communist leader resigned November Communist leader resigned 1990 free elections 1990 free elections

Baltic States, , Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia declared independence from USSR 1990, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia declared independence from USSR

USSR, 1991 Communists criticised G. for allowing collapse of USSR Communists criticised G. for allowing collapse of USSR Reformers wanted complete abolition of Communism Reformers wanted complete abolition of Communism Feb. 1990, anti-Communist demo in Moscow Feb. 1990, anti-Communist demo in Moscow May Day 1990, G. booed May Day 1990, G. booed Mounting opposition to Communism

The End of Soviet Communism 1991, G. under house arrest by hard-line Communists 1991, G. under house arrest by hard-line Communists Boris Yeltsin, an advocate of market economy & reform, gathered support from Russians to resist the coup Boris Yeltsin, an advocate of market economy & reform, gathered support from Russians to resist the coup Coup demonstrated the unpopularity of Communism & popularity of reformers Coup demonstrated the unpopularity of Communism & popularity of reformers Boris Yeltsin new Russian President Boris Yeltsin new Russian President Boris Yeltsin

Discussion Discussion What is this 1992 US cartoonist trying to say about the political problems facing America after the collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe?

Exam practice, question ‘The world owes much to Gorbachev.’ Summarise and evaluate Gorbachev’s contribution to the improvement in international relations in the late1980’s. (10 marks) ‘The world owes much to Gorbachev.’ Summarise and evaluate Gorbachev’s contribution to the improvement in international relations in the late1980’s. (10 marks)

Exam question, practise What are the claims of the Reagan victory school? How adequate are they as an explanation of the end of the Cold War? What are the claims of the Reagan victory school? How adequate are they as an explanation of the end of the Cold War? Sample answer