starter activity

You will be given some descriptive statements. Sort them according to which leader of the Soviet Union you think they describe.

Stalin, 1929-53 Khrushchev, 1953-64

Brezhnev, 1964-82

What was the What was the impact of impact of

Gorbachev’s New Gorbachev’s New Political Thinking?Political Thinking?

To review the policies & characteristics To review the policies & characteristics of Soviet leadersof Soviet leaders

To identify what was so radical about To identify what was so radical about Gorbachev’s New Political ThinkingGorbachev’s New Political Thinking

To assess the impact of the changes in To assess the impact of the changes in key Eastern Bloc countrieskey Eastern Bloc countries

Aims

What does this clip tell us about

Gorbachev’s ‘New

Thinking’?

Your taskYour task

Read about Gorbachev’s new approach to Read about Gorbachev’s new approach to foreign and domestic policy on p.167-8.foreign and domestic policy on p.167-8.

Make a chart in your notes. On one side note Make a chart in your notes. On one side note down the characteristics of Gorbachev’s New down the characteristics of Gorbachev’s New Political Thinking and on the other the Political Thinking and on the other the impact of his ideas. Draw lines between the impact of his ideas. Draw lines between the 2 columns to show any links.2 columns to show any links.

Characteristics – New Characteristics – New Political ThinkingPolitical Thinking

Domestic reformDomestic reform - make Russia more - make Russia more productive & responsive – ‘we can’t go on productive & responsive – ‘we can’t go on living like this’living like this’

MilitaryMilitary - reduce military spending - reduce military spending USAUSA - re-open negotiations over arms - re-open negotiations over arms

limitationlimitation Foreign policyForeign policy - re-evaluate Russia’s - re-evaluate Russia’s

foreign policy, e.g. in Cuba, Vietnam & foreign policy, e.g. in Cuba, Vietnam & AfghanistanAfghanistan

Human rightsHuman rights - closer emphasis on - closer emphasis on universal human valuesuniversal human values

ImpactImpact Soviet Administration - changes in Soviet Administration - changes in

administration, e.g. Eduard Shevardnadze, administration, e.g. Eduard Shevardnadze, Foreign Sec.Foreign Sec.

Improve foreign relations – e.g. charm offensive Improve foreign relations – e.g. charm offensive on UK PM, Mrs Thatcheron UK PM, Mrs Thatcher

Summits – Geneva Summit (‘85); Reykjavik (‘86); Summits – Geneva Summit (‘85); Reykjavik (‘86); Washington (’87); Moscow (’88); Malta (’89)Washington (’87); Moscow (’88); Malta (’89)

Reduce spending on ‘national liberation Reduce spending on ‘national liberation movements’movements’

PerestroikaPerestroika GlasnostGlasnost DemocratisationDemocratisation Abandonment of Brezhnev Doctrine (’68)Abandonment of Brezhnev Doctrine (’68)

Your taskYour task

Re-read p.168-9 and try to identify Re-read p.168-9 and try to identify the summit being described on the the summit being described on the cards.cards.

Which summit was the Which summit was the turning turning pointpoint??

Gorbachev and Reagan get cosy at Reykjavik in 1986

Summit achievements in Summit achievements in detaildetail

1985, Geneva Summit – established working 1985, Geneva Summit – established working relations between US & USSR, but little detailrelations between US & USSR, but little detail

1986, Reykjavik Summit – Soviets proposed 1986, Reykjavik Summit – Soviets proposed phasing out nuclear weapons in return for phasing out nuclear weapons in return for ending SDIending SDI

1987, Washington Summit – INF agreement 1987, Washington Summit – INF agreement signed, 1signed, 1stst time arms reductions agreed time arms reductions agreed

1989, Malta Summit – Bush & Gorbachev, 1989, Malta Summit – Bush & Gorbachev, ‘buried the Cold War at the bottom of the ‘buried the Cold War at the bottom of the Mediterranean’Mediterranean’

Your taskYour task

Read p. 170 and define what the Read p. 170 and define what the term ‘Brezhnev doctrine’ means in term ‘Brezhnev doctrine’ means in your glossary and then note the your glossary and then note the reasons for the breakdown of this reasons for the breakdown of this doctrine.doctrine.

Brezhnev takes a dip in the icy waters of Cold War politics

Brezhnev doctrineBrezhnev doctrine

Attack on one communist country is Attack on one communist country is to be considered an attack on them allto be considered an attack on them all

End to democratic liberalisation, e.g. End to democratic liberalisation, e.g. Prague Spring (1968)Prague Spring (1968)

No Eastern Bloc country could leave No Eastern Bloc country could leave Warsaw PactWarsaw Pact

Soviet Union was the dominant power Soviet Union was the dominant power in relations with Eastern Blocin relations with Eastern Bloc

Reasons for breakdownReasons for breakdown

Disillusionment with AfghanistanDisillusionment with Afghanistan Too costlyToo costly Liberalisation would rejuvenate Liberalisation would rejuvenate

socialism as a political projectsocialism as a political project Armed intervention was morally Armed intervention was morally

wrongwrong No longer need for aggressive No longer need for aggressive

foreign policies like thisforeign policies like this

Do you think the changes that happen in the USSR in the

1980s occurred as a result of Gorbachev or as a result of

broader conditions?

Your taskYour task

How did the collapse of Communism How did the collapse of Communism occur in each of the following occur in each of the following countries? Try to identify factors rather countries? Try to identify factors rather than describe eventsthan describe events

PolandPoland HungaryHungary East GermanyEast Germany CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia RomaniaRomania

Collapse of CommunismCollapse of Communism PolandPoland – growth of Solidarity, papal – growth of Solidarity, papal

intervention, economic hardships, intervention, economic hardships, democratisation of elections, Soviet approvaldemocratisation of elections, Soviet approval

HungaryHungary – collapse of authority by hard-line – collapse of authority by hard-line leader, democratisation of elections, opening leader, democratisation of elections, opening of bordersof borders

East GermanyEast Germany – collapse of hard-line – collapse of hard-line authority, opening of borders, reluctance to authority, opening of borders, reluctance to use violenceuse violence

CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia – democratisation of – democratisation of elections, reluctance to use violenceelections, reluctance to use violence

Romania Romania – growing public awareness of – growing public awareness of reform, collapse of hard-line authorityreform, collapse of hard-line authority

Extension taskExtension task

Draw a circle. Divide it into 5 for Draw a circle. Divide it into 5 for each country and record factors each country and record factors which were similar and factors which were similar and factors which were unique to each country.which were unique to each country.

ExtensionExtension

Read Isaacs on Gorbachev, p.424-7. Read Isaacs on Gorbachev, p.424-7. What were the strengths of What were the strengths of Gorbachev’s approach? What were Gorbachev’s approach? What were the dangers?the dangers?

PlenaryPlenary

What characterised Gorbachev’s What characterised Gorbachev’s approach to foreign and domestic approach to foreign and domestic policypolicy

List 3 key achievements of his policyList 3 key achievements of his policy Explain how Communism collapsed Explain how Communism collapsed

in Eastern Bloc countriesin Eastern Bloc countries