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