Russia: From Empire to Great Power Military parade held on 66th anniversary of Victory in Great Patriotic War (WWII) 2011

 What was it like for the average Soviet living under communist rule?  What does the government control in a communist economic system?  Who the Soviet Leader that expanded the Soviet Union by taken over much of Eastern Europe? When did the Cold War end?

Joseph Stalin, after WWII controls Eastern Europe. Stalin installs communist leaders and communist economy in Eastern Europe.

Living Under Soviet Communism 20 Years after the Fall: video clips….. Advantages  Free Healthcare  Jobs for life  Free Education  Housing was provided  Security Disadvantages  Lack of Information/Censorship  No Religion  Government control of most aspects of life  Purge of dissidents  Ultimate collapse of the economy!

 In communist system there is no profit for capitalist/individuals. Communist government owns the Means of Production…

 If guaranteed a job, nobody is inspired to work, production of faulty goods  Corruption in system  Emphasis on military and defense spending over consumer goods- bread lines and food shortages  Soviet Afghan War- economically drains “satellite nations” country  Supporting “satellite nations” drains economy  Hatred among different nationalities (ethnicities) in empire. Why did the Soviet Union collapse in 1989?

Mikhail Gorbachev reforms led to collapse of U.S.S.R Glasnost literally openness- “opening to the press” Perestroika was the policy of restructuring or reforming the economic and political system The Soviet economy had been in a period of stagnation for two decades and was in desperate need of reform.

Fall of the Berlin Wall 1989

Baltic Countries- Human Chain Protest On 23 August 1989, approximately two million people from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania joined hands, forming a human chain, It was a peaceful protest against illegal Soviet occupation

A crowd blocks the passage of Soviet tanks on a road near Ganja, formerly Kirovabad, in Soviet Azerbaijan, Troops sent into the area last week to quell ethnic violence met both armed and peaceful resistance. (AP Photo)

Attempted Coup against Mikhail GorbachevAttempted Coup against Mikhail Gorbachev- link images Soviet Army tanks parked near Spassky Gate, an entrance to the Kremlin and Basil's Cathedral in Moscow's Red Square after a coup toppled Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev on August 19, Tanks rolled through Moscow towards the Russian White House, where Boris Yeltsin, leader of the Soviet-era Russian republic at the time, gathered his supporters after denouncing the coup. (Dima Tanin/AFP/Getty Images)

About 100,000 demonstrators march on the Kremlin in Moscow on January, 1991 Many called for the resignation of Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev protesting against the Soviet army crackdown against the nationalist Lithuanian authorities.

Commonwealth of Independent States  1990, the (CCCP) Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union agreed to give up its monopoly of power.  Over the next several weeks, the 15 republics of the USSR held their first competitive elections.

Common wealth of Independent States CIS

Boris Yeltsin & Oligarchies & Multiparty Elections Economic changes funneled enormous wealth into hands of a few- Oligarchies Privatization process gave state-owned industries to wealthiest businessmen (Oligarch) Economic reform hurt more people than it helped! During Soviet era, few people were lived in poverty; officials kept cost low for basic needs Job security, low costs, fee education, healthcare… end of Soviet Union = end of economic security.

Putin & the erosion of Russia's fledgling democracy.  Time Magazine President for a third time; now 6-year terms. Dmitry Medvedev selected as Prime Minister (after four year gap could run) Dmitry Medvedev was President & selected Vladimir Putin was Prime Minister. (couldn’t run again) President President

In his first two terms as president, he ushered in a new era of prosperity, fuelled by his country's vast natural resources.

 U.S. and Russian Relations…

 Opportunity to show Russia’s influence!

 Call for a Boycott… any previous boycotts?

It is very difficult to change from a state controlled economy to capitalist…. China was able to change to capitalist system… In Russia the rich buy up the Means of Production..

 Collapse of USSR= Multiparty Elections 1991 Boris Yeltsin; first multiparty elections since 1917.

What political and economic strides are Russia & the Common Wealth working towards ?  Web quest: The Fall, 20 Years after the Collapse of the Soviet UnionThe Fall, 20 Years after the Collapse of the Soviet Union  Based on, Mapping The Patterns of Change; which countries seem to be moving toward freedom of the press & economic change? Has corruption index improved in any of the countries?  How difficult is it to change from a one party rule to multiparty rule? From a communist, state owned economy to a capitalist economy?  Personal videos and interviews from the website

Viktor YushchenkoViktor Yushchenko- 3 rd Pres. Ukraine Yushchenko was suppose to complete trade deal with the E.U., but alters and signed trade deal with Russia. On 21 February 2014 President Viktor Yanukovych fled the Ukrainian capital Kiev.PresidentViktor YanukovychKiev

Russia annexed Crimea, March 2014 Referendum vote in Crimea to join Russia.

2014 Russian military intervention in Ukraine Pro- Russian Demonstrators in Eastern Ukraine. Russian Military Tanks in Eastern Ukraine

MH17 Malaysia plane crash in Ukraine Russian Army, or Ukrainian Rebels??? Evidence Is Now Conclusive: Two Ukrainian Government Fighter-Jets Shot Down Malaysian Airlines MH17.

Western Powers respond with Economic Sanctions against Russia.

From this point on…..  Overview of the Cold War in America……

 Cold War System- Bi- Polar System Soviet Union & the United States were the two main power centers after WWII.

CCOMPETITION OF IDEOLOGIES- DEMOCRACY VS. COMMUNISM CAPITALISM VS. COMMUNISM COMPETITION OF IDEOLOGIES- DEMOCRACY VS. COMMUNISM CAPITALISM VS. COMMUNISM

Propaganda in America Duck & cover drillsBomb Shelters

 Both the U.S. and U.S.S.R had enough bombs to destroy the world many times over! What stopped the superpowers from using their weapons…..Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD)  The Soviet threat was weak, destroying America would not have benefited the Soviets!!!  More of a threat in Europe. Fear against communism in U.S. helps to fund defense budget. Was the Soviet Union really a threat!