1. Stagnation and Decline of Communism in Eastern Europe, 1964-1991

2. Leonid Brezhnev, r. 1964-1982 Geriatocracy Stagnation Economic decline Collectivized Agriculture: –Frequent reform attempts Lack of consumer goods: –Toilet paper –denim jeans –Good shoes

3. Soviet private lives Work: over-employment, make-work projects Home: apartment shuffling Queuing everywhere Low quality of goods Grey/black market Party privileges: stores, trips, prestige The Soviet Mind

4. The Prague Spring, 1968 Aleksandr Dubcek Action Program “Socialism with a human face” Ludvik Vaculik, “Two Thousand Words” August: 200,000 Warsaw Pact Troops (and 2000 tanks) invaded Brezhnev Doctrine Vaclav Havel

5. Poland and Solidarity 1976: Workers strikes KOR: Committee for Defense of Workers Oct. 1978: Pope John Paul II Gdansk Lenin Shipyards

6. Charter 77 August 1975: Helsinki Accords Plastic People of the Universe Vaclav Havel "loose, informal, and open association of people... united by the will to strive individually and collectively for respect for human and civil rights in our country and throughout the world."

7. Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, 1979-1989 Brezhnev stumbled into invading. Democratic Republic of Afghanistan –Babrak Karmal Mujahideen: “freedom- fighters” Soviet losses: –14,453 Killed (total) –35,478 Wounded Afghan minimum losses: 700,000

9. Poland and Solidarity Aug. 1980: Gdansk Agreement: Party granted right to strike and independent unions Sept. 1980: Solidarity: Union of Trade Unions By early 1981: 10 million Solidarity members Lech Walesa December 1981: Martial Law imposed General W. Jaruzelski

11. Lech Walesa

12. Mikhail Gorbachev, r. 1985-1991 A reformer in sheep’s clothing Reform Communism (still idealism) Attempted moderate reform Perestroika (restructuring) Glasnost (openness)

13. Late Soviet Economy Agriculture: in 1979, 28% of agriculture came from private plots (1% of land). 1989 GDP: –USSR: $9211 per capita –USA: 21,082 per capita Soviet economy about half as productive with 10% more people. Military budget increased every year. Does NOT prove communism does not work. Does prove strength of world capitalism. USSR felt compelled to trade with West.

14. Chernobyl Nuclear Accident, April 1986 Poor design Staff did wrong test 56 died immediately 4000 died from radiation exposure Party’s control of information exposed as very dangerous.

15. Gorbachev takes bolder action January 1987 CC plenum Perestroika: –Economic: cooperatives –Political reform Multi-candidate elections Glasnost: –Rehabilitated more victims –Allowed many documents published. Foreign policy: –Nuclear disarmament –Let East Europe go

16. 1988 Feb: Polish government raised food prices May: Workers struck October: Solidarity and Polish government began Round Table talks December: at UN Gorbachev promised to withdraw troops from Eastern Europe.

17. 1989: Year of Revolutions Feb: Hungarians renounced party’s leading role April: Solidarity legalized; June wins election June: Tiananmen square massacre August: GDR refugees left via Hungary. Oct: Gorbachev visited GDR; encouraged reform. Nov: Berlin wall opened; Czechoslovak govt resigned: “Velvet Revolution” December: Romanians overthrew Ceaucescu

19. 1990 March: Lithuania declared independence from USSR July: Ukraine declared sovereignty July: CPSU declared end to power monopoly. Oct: German unification; Gorbachev won Nobel Peace Prize. Dec: Lech Walesa elected president of Poland.

20. 1991 June: Croatia and Slovenia declared independence from Yugoslavia; leads to war. July: Soviet Republics negotiate new union treaty Ukraine’s Supreme Soviet declared independence Warsaw Pact dissolved. August: Hard-line communists attempt coup: –rise of Boris Yeltsin –Fall of Gorbachev December 8: presidents of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus signed Belavezha Accords –declared the Soviet Union dissolved –established the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in its place December: Ukraine votes from independence

21. CAUSES of the collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe and Soviet Union: 1.Negative comparisons with West 2.Communism was not working 3.Pressure of Western containment policy and Soviet military spending 4.Persistence of nationalism 5.Chernobyl nuclear disaster (April 1986) 6.Soviet intervention in Afghan war (1979-1989) 7.Chinese reform efforts 8.Mikhail Gorbachev (idealist, planned reform before power, unwilling to use violence)

23. The New Europe