1. POST-COMMUNISM IN THE EASTERN BLOC
CHAOS, CONFUSION AND COOPERATION

2. Coup

3. THE BREAKUP
First to want to go: the Baltic republics: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania
Became part of Soviet Union during World War II as a result of Nazi-Soviet
Nonaggression Pact – August 22 “Black Ribbon Day”

4. THE SINGING REVOLUTION
1987: 300,000 Estonians gather at night to sing national songs, led by rock bands.
Songs had been forbidden under Soviet rule.
Begins a nationalist movement calling for independence.

5. THE ‘BALTIC WAY’
Aug. 22,1989: 1.2 million people joined hands to form the longest human chain in history
Stretched for over 600 kilometers across all three Baltic republics.
Later, Soviets responded with force in Lithuania – 14 people were killed.

6. BREAKUP OF THE SOVIET UNION
Referendum in late 1991 shows Ukraine is for independence.
Yeltsin and leaders of Ukraine and Belarus meet in a forest near Minsk in December
Sign documents ending the USSR.
Set up a loose confederation, the Commonwealth of Independent States.
All former republics become independent countries.

8. Wars that followed the breakup
Caucusus:
Armenia-Azerbaijan
Issue: territory, enclaves
Georgia
Issue: separatist movement in Abkhazia
Chechnya
Issue: Independence from Russia

9. CHECHNYA Muslim republic Had long resentment of domination by Russia
Two wars: and 1999

10. CONSEQUENCES Destruction of Grozny (capital, right)
Terrorist acts in Moscow thru 2000s:
apartment house, jets, movie theater.

11. MORE TERROR
2004 School hostage
crisis and bombing in
Beslan, Russia

12. PROBLEMS OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS
Soviet nuclear weapons sites in newly independent states: esp. Kazakhstan, Ukraine.

13. REMOVAL
Kazakhstan and Ukraine and other republics agree to remove old nukes and abandon nuclear programs in 1992
Russia also destroys some of its nukes (with American funds), but corruption and problems with old storage facilities lead to fears of “loose nukes.”

14. ELSEWHERE IN SLAVIC WORLD
“Velvet Divorce” – 1996 Czechoslovakia becomes two countries: Czech Republic and Slovakia
Breakup of Yugoslavia, begins in 1991.

15. BREAKUP OF YUGOSLAVIA
Nation created after World War I to unite South Slav peoples
Historically dominated by Serbs, esp. Army
One of most ethnically diverse nations in Europe

16. ETHNIC TENSIONS
Serbs were 40% of population: Orthodox Christian, used Cyrillic alphabet, independent since 1840s, close to Russia, fiercely anti-Muslim
Croats and Slovenes were Catholic, closer to Austria and Italy, and were the most prosperous parts of the country
The groups had fought each other in World Wars I and II on different sides.
Bosnia was a mix of all the ethnicities and religions, including Muslims.
Under Tito, advocating for an ethnic group was a crime.
Tito dies in Presidency revolves among the different republics within the country.

17. SERBIAN NATIONALISM
Slobodan Milosevic becomes President of Yugoslavia.
Advocate for Serbs rather than an avid communist.
Plays to those who advocate a “Greater Serbia” as the other republics secede from Yugoslavia.

18. “GREATER SERBIA”
Yugoslav army used to clear non-Serbs out of Serbian areas: “ethnic cleansing”
Croats fight, also
expel Serbs from
some Croat areas.

19. BOSNIAN CIVIL WAR Bosnia-Herzegovina declares independence in 1992.
Three groups, none with majority:
Serbs
Croats
Muslims (Bosniacs)
More ethnic cleansing. Muslims are particular targets

20. SIEGE OF SARAJEVO Serb gunners shell city constantly for
3 and a half years – longest siege of a city in modern history.
U.N. ‘peacekeeping forces’ could do little.

21. SERB “DETENTION CAMPS” FOR BOSNIAN MUSLIMS
Srebenica massacre: 2,000 Muslims killed
Total toll for war: ,000 dead, 3 million made refugees

22. THE “BAD GUYS”
Radovan Karadzic, head of Bosnian Serb government of breakaway republic
Ratko Mladic, head of Serb military
Karadzic arrested, Mladic still at large

23. DAYTON ACCORDS
1995
Representatives of both sides meet in Dayton, Ohio under auspices of U.S.
Partial separation agreed to along with cease-fire. Serb area and Croat-Muslim area.
NATO troops to patrol and keep peace.

24. KOSOVO 1999 Milosevic tries to stamp out Albanian dissidents in
Kosovo province of Serbia.
He allows
Serbs in Kosovo province
to ethnically cleanse out
Albanians (90% of population)

25. WESTERN RESPONSE US and NATO jets bomb Belgrade for 11 weeks;
2,000 killed (500 civilians)
Serbs pull back
Milosevic loses election, is later arrested and put on trial for war crimes.
Kosovo under NATO occupation and an Albanian-led government.
Declares independence, February, 2008.