1. The Collapse of the Soviet Union (U.S.S.R.)
Problems/Crises that led to the collapse
Ch 19.5
CST

2. By 1985 Soviet society had stopped growing as a result of totalitarian policies banning political dissent.
RESPONSES:
Gorbachev initiated Glasnost to encourage a free flow of ideas and information (refer to chart)

3. By 1986 the Soviet economy was inefficient and unproductive.
RESPONSES:
Gorbachev introduced perestroika, giving managers more authority over their farms and factories and allowing for creation of small private businesses.

4. The Soviet-U.S. arms race had become too costly.
RESPONSES: President Ronald Reagan (U.S.) and Mikhail Gorbachev (U.S.S.R.) signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) in December 1987
The treaty banned nuclear missles with ranges of 300 to 3,400 miles.

5. Mikhail Gorbachev & President Reagan

6. In August 1991, hard-liners staged a coup against Gorbachev.
RESPONSES: Hard-liners demanded Gorbachev’s resignation
Protesters appealed to Boris Yeltsin to oppose the coup
Yeltsin mobilized support against the coup
Troops refused to obey hard-liners
The coup failed and Gorbachev returned to Moscow.

7. August Coup 1991

8. Yeltsin meets the crowds

9. By early December, 1991, the U.S.S.R broke up.
RESPONSES: (Look at the map)
After the coup, Estonia and Latvia declared their independence.
Other republics soon followed.
Yeltsin met with the leaders of the republics to “chart a new course.”
The remaining republics formed the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)

10. Commonwealth of Independent States

11. 1992-1994 The Russian economy under Boris Yeltsin was ailing.
RESPONSES: Yeltsin adopted “shock therapy” to deal with the suffering Russian economy
It involved an abrupt shift to free-market economics
He lowered trade barriers
Removed price controls
Ended subsidies to state industries.

12. In 1991, Chechnya declared its independence.
RESPONSES:
Yeltsin denied Chechnya’s right to secede
He ordered Russian troops into Cechnya
Despite a cease fire, the fighting flared up again and Yeltsin resigned as the fighting raged.
Vladimir Putin attempted to deal forcefully with the rebellion.
The fighting continues to date.

13. Vladimir Putin

14. Chechnya at war

15. May 7, 2008
Demitry Medvedev was sworn in as the new, handpicked president of Russia.
Vladimir Putin was sworn in May 7 as the Prime Minister
They will rule Russia together
A repressive regime increasingly unfriendly to the United States and Western powers.