soviet union and the collapse. khrushchev gained power in 1956 attacked stalinism for its treatment...
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Soviet Union and the Collapse
Khrushchev gained power in 1956
Attacked Stalinism for its treatment of opponents and narrow interpretation of Marxism Some societal opening followed, but significant institutional reform did not occur.
Cuban missile crisis of 1962
Space and arms race with US & Western Europe
NATO vs Warsaw Pact
Limited opening for cultural exchanges with the West
Khrushchev fell from power, political and economic patterns remained constant and stagnant into the 1980’s
Soviet Foreign Affairs
Rift with China developed during the 1950s because of different views toward Communism
Invasion of Afghanistan to help a puppet regime bogged down into guerrilla warfare until the late 1980s. In most cases the Soviets were cautious international players avoiding direct military interventions
• By the 1980s the economy was grinding to a halt
• Forced industrialization had caused extensive environmental disaster throughout eastern Europe
• Related diseases impaired morale and economic performance (20 million alcoholics)
Industrial production slowed and economic growth stopped, but one-third of national income continued to go to military production
• Workers and youths began to react to their strict control and lack of consumer goods
• High alcoholism increased death rates and lowered production.
• Infant mortality rates soared
Demands for reforms• Younger leaders recognized that the
system might collapse due to growing economic crisis beginning in the mid-1980s
• The initial cause was a deteriorating economy hampered by the costs of rivalry with the United States
• Efforts at reform were matched by developments in Eastern Europe that ended the Soviet empire
REFORMS AND AGITATION
1985 Mikhail Gorbachev introduced reforms
1. Urged nuclear reductions of nuclear arms
2. War in Afghanistan was ended by Soviet withdrawal
1. Urged the use of limited free enterprise and reduction of bureaucratic controls
2. Retained strong limits on political freedom and centralized planning
GLASNOSTOPENNESS OR FREEDOM TO COMMENT
OR CRITICIZE
1. More private ownership and decentralized control of the economy
2. Foreign investment was encouraged3. Military expenditure was reduced to free
resources for consumer goods
PERESTROIKAECONOMIC RESTRUCTURING
1988 New constitution created a parliament and abolished communist monopoly of electionsGorbachev was elected to new and powerful presidency in 19901991 Gorbachev survives an attempted communist party coup because of popular support
POLITICAL RESTRUCTURING
Eastern Europe took advantage of the new political climate to seek independence and
internal reform.Soviet troops were withdrawn leaving many
communist leaders in Eastern Europe vulnerable to revolts
Bulgaria-Free elections 1989Hungary and Poland noncommunist
governments 1988Solidarity and Lech Walsea
Czechoslovakia 1989
SOVIET UNION COLLAPSE
November 9, 1989Berlin Wall is torn down by student
protestersGermany reunites as a single country in
1990
EASTERN BLOC
Romania 1989 Violence erupts in Romania where Communist dictator Ceausescu is
overthrown
EASTERN BLOC
Communists remain in control in Bulgaria Yugoslavia dissolves and ethnic clashes
break out in 1990 and again in 2003Serious economic and environmental
problems face new governments of Eastern Europe
Communist parties in Poland and Hungary briefly win elections in 1993-94
Czechoslovakia peacefully divide into Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1994
EFFECTS OF COLLAPSE ON EASTERN EUROPE
Baltic Republics declare independence Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova demand
independence1991 Soviet Union is replaced by the
Russian Commonwealth of Independent States
Gorbachev resigns and Boris Yeltsin is elected President of Russia
Communist party is dissolved.
1999 Vladmir Putin was elected acting President after Yeltsin resigned.
TRANSFORMATION OF SOVIET UNION TO RUSSIA
CIS
Vladmir Putin was elected acting President in 1999 after Yeltsin
resigned. He has been president
for 2 terms and Premier for one.
RUSSIAN CIS