1. Lecture 17: Collapse of the USSR February 13, 2009

2. Poland Throws Off Soviet Control

3. Berlin Wall Falls

4. Romania under Ceausescu The Creed Shaper The Tallest Mast The Nimbus of Victory The Visionary The Son of the Sun A Danube of Thought The Wise Helmsman The Architect

5. Taking Stock Total cost of the Cold War (1948-1991) for US in 1996 dollars = $13.1 Trillion. Total cost of the Cold War (1948-1991) for US in 1996 dollars = $13.1 Trillion. US Average annual military spending during Cold War = $298.5 Billion US Average annual military spending during Cold War = $298.5 Billion Shevardnadze: 50 percent of Soviet national product was spent on defense, on arms and the armed forces Shevardnadze: 50 percent of Soviet national product was spent on defense, on arms and the armed forces Casualties: millions Casualties: millions

6. Historical Lessons from the Cold War Republicans: Reagan won because he stood up to the USSR Republicans: Reagan won because he stood up to the USSR But Soviet decline started long before But Soviet decline started long before Reagan didn’t plan to end Cold War, USSR Reagan didn’t plan to end Cold War, USSR Gorby didn’t plan to end Soviet Communism Gorby didn’t plan to end Soviet Communism But Reagan enabled Gorbachev to withdraw troops—by being reassuring, not threatening But Reagan enabled Gorbachev to withdraw troops—by being reassuring, not threatening What if he had tried “rollback”? What if he had tried “rollback”? What lessons for today? What lessons for today? http://youtube.com/watch?v=wnYXbJ_bcLc

7. Problems at Home Economic stagnation Economic stagnation Corruption Corruption Hollowness of Communist ideology Hollowness of Communist ideology “social contract” under threat “social contract” under threat

8. Perestroika (1986)--restructuring Command economy inefficient Command economy inefficient Bureaucracy can’t deal with increasing complexity Bureaucracy can’t deal with increasing complexity No competition  low quality No competition  low quality “we pretend to work, and they pretend to pay us” “we pretend to work, and they pretend to pay us” Decentralize decision making Decentralize decision making Free wages and prices Free wages and prices Problems: opposition; took too long Problems: opposition; took too long

9. Glasnost (1988)--openness Allow (limited) criticism to improve economy Allow (limited) criticism to improve economy Gradually eased censorship Gradually eased censorship Criticism of Stalin era Criticism of Stalin era Independent civic organizations formed Independent civic organizations formed Elections to Congress of People’s Deputies Elections to Congress of People’s Deputies Nationalist movements formed, demonstrated Nationalist movements formed, demonstrated

10. Nationalist Mobilization

11. The Unraveling Lost control over economy Lost control over economy Lost control over republics Lost control over republics Gorbachev tried to salvage looser union Gorbachev tried to salvage looser union Divided between reformers, hardliners Divided between reformers, hardliners August 19 coup…failed August 19 coup…failed Reformers prevailed, Gorbachev resigned, republics declared independence… Reformers prevailed, Gorbachev resigned, republics declared independence…

13. The End of Bipolarity: Implications Changed the international distribution of power  unipolarity Changed the international distribution of power  unipolarity End of competing models End of competing models 3 rd world finally on its own 3 rd world finally on its own What next…? What next…? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KRTPh1PAek&f eature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KRTPh1PAek&f eature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KRTPh1PAek&f eature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KRTPh1PAek&f eature=related