1. A Changing Europe
Pages 596 – 603

2. Objectives Describe the Soviet Union’s collapse
Analyze the upheavals and conflicts in Europe as the Cold War ended
Explain how the European Union is affecting the European economy

3. How long was the Cold War?
About 40 years
U.S. and U.S.S.R. spent huge amounts of money to develop nuclear weapons
Each spent a lot of money on military struggles
U.S. wanted to contain
U.S.S.R. wanted to expand

4. Problems within the Warsaw Pact
Government-run businesses could not provide enough food and other goods to meet people’s needs
People could not discuss these problems without risking arrest

5. Mikhail Gorbachev
First Soviet leader born and raised in Soviet society
Leaders before him had been born before the Russian Revolution
Stalin had imprisoned his grandfather

6. Perestroika Literally means “rebuilding the failing Soviet economy”
Could not succeed without glasnost
Gorbachev’s new policy of permission to speak freely

7. The Communist Economy Controlled by the government
Workers had almost no voice in planning
There was little reason for them to work hard or carefully
Wages stayed the same no matter how hard people worked
Some workers joked, “The pretend to pay us and we pretend to work.”

8. Greater Freedom
Gorbachev believed that workers’ views would not change only when people had the freedom to speak up
Prisoners were released
Some religious freedom was allowed

9. Ronald Reagan Gorbachev and Reagan signed a treaty
Both countries agreed to reduce nuclear weapons stockpiles
Soviet Union agreed to pull troops out of Afghanistan

10. A “Year of Miracles”
The ideas of glasnost and perestroika spread
In one year these movements helped overturn more than 40 years of Communist rule
Also, Miss Kostishion was born. 

11. Changes in Europe in 1989…

12. Poland Polish workers’ group called Solidarity
Had previously been outlawed for protesting poor working conditions
Won recognition from government in March 1989

13. Hungary May 1989: There was a Hungarian revolt for democracy
Tore down electric fence separating Hungary from democratic Austria
A “hole” in the Iron Curtain to escape to western Europe

14. East Germany
October 1989: thousands jammed the city squares to demand changes in their government
East Germany’s leader, Erich Honecker, ordered the army to break up the crowds
Command was not followed
East Berlin opened its gates to West Berlin

15. Fall of the Berlin Wall

16. Czechoslovakia
November 1989: students in Czechoslovakia protested for democracy
Sang American civil-rights song, “We Shall Overcome”
Police beat hundreds of the students
December 1989: communist government overthrown

17. The Soviet Collapse After 1989, the Soviet Union began to change
1990 and 1991, many republics broke away from Soviet control
1991: Russia, the biggest republic, held a democratic election
Boris Yeltsin = president

18. The Changes Angered Communist Leaders…
August 1991: tried to overthrow Gorbachev and take the power themselves
Moved tanks in Moscow
The Soviet people rallied behind Yeltsin, who called these acts illegal
Soldiers refused to follow communist orders
The revolt came to an end
Gorbachev stepped down and the Soviet Union ceased to exist
15 independent republics stood in its place

19. After the Fall of the SoViet Union
Warsaw Pact countries were turning toward democracy
Conflicts over nationalism replaced Cold War tensions

20. With a partner, read “Local Wars” in your textbook.