1. LAST LEADER OF THE SOVIET UNION
MIKHAIL GORBACHEV
LAST LEADER
OF THE
SOVIET UNION

2. TIMELINE

3. REFORMER
1985 TO 1991
(First Soviet leader NOT born under the Tsar.)

4. GLASNOST Means “openness” Allowed: Freedom of speech Freedom of press
Freed dissidents
Allowed them to leave USSR
Permitted Jews to emigrate (leave USSR)

5. DEMOKRATIZATSIYA Democratization: adding democracy!
Free & unfettered elections!
Gorbachev elected first (& only!) executive president of USSR

6. PERESTROIKA Economic reform Allowed some private enterprise
Small businesses
Competition
Credit
Profit (incentive pay)

7. FOREIGN POLICY Abandoned Brezhnev Doctrine
Gave E. European Satellites freedom
Warsaw Pact dissolved in 1991
Signed INF Treaty w/U.S.
Elimination of intermediate range nuclear missiles

8. SATELLITES BREAK FREE!

9. NOBEL PEACE PRIZE 1990 For reducing the possibility of nuclear war
Signing INF Treaty
Withdrew military from Europe

10. UNPOPULAR IN USSR Reforms created instability Ethnic tensions erupted
Result of Glasnost
(90 ethnic groups)
(80 languages)
Pressures for independence from republics

11. GORBACHEV TRIES TO REFORM
Gorbachev cuts 500,000 from Soviet military in 1988, ending arms race.
He tries to put more money into perestroika – modernizing factories, wage increases to boost worker productivity

12. MORE ECONOMIC PROBLEMS!
Siberian oil sales had kept economy going in ’70s and early ’80s – prices had falled by half by 1985.
Regional governments begin to withhold tax revenues.
Repeal of tax on alcohol – loss of more revenue.
Has to print more rubles – inflation!

13. GORBACHEV SAYS:
“The old system fell apart before the new system began to work.”
Communism was doomed.
But not everyone thought so. Some Communist “hardliners” are still in Parliament (Duma) and in military.

14. COUP! August, 1991 Gorbachev kidnapped By Communist hardliners
Directed by members of Politburo

15. COUP COLLAPSES Boris Yeltsin, Mayor of Moscow, leads protest
Elected president of Russian FSSR (one republic of USSR)
Convinced armed forces NOT to back coup
Sends rescue forces to Crimea to rescue Gorbachev
Gorbachev returns to power
Arrested Gang of Eight
But greatly weakened politically