The Cold War Ends

p. 536

After Stalin’s death in 1953,

• Nikita Khrushchev relaxed many controls on Soviet expression and the economy: (3)– Allowed freer speech– Shifted production from heavy industry and

military goods to consumer goods.– Relaxed controls on the Eastern Bloc

countries.

Afghanistan—

• In the 1970s, ___ in Afghanistan took over the country.– Communists

• They began reforms that would be very unpopular, especially with Muslim fundamentalists, there. (4)– Women’s rights and education– Repression of religion in favor of communist ideology.– Other reforms that upset traditional Afghanis– Land reform:

• taken from once powerful families (warlords) and given to poor Afghanis.

Mujahedin:

• Muslims and warlord “justice fighters” fighting the Communist Afghani government.

• They began to defeat the Communists.–Had light but effective US support

Mikhail Gorbachev:

• Became Soviet leader in 1985. • He began reforms in Soviet government,

policy, and society. (4)– Promoted a better standard of living for

Soviets.– Negotiated and signed arms agreements with

the US.– Ordered troops out of Afghanistan– Allowed opening of “Iron Curtain”

Glasnost:

• Openness. – Gorbachev allowed total free expression and

criticism.– Dissidents were freed from prisons.

Perestroika:

• Gorbachev reorganized the government and allowed capitalism in the economy

• EC: Government (2)• Reduced bureaucracy• Republics allowed more

self-rule

• EC: Economy (4)• Foreign investors

encouraged to enter the country.

• Allowed private enterprise and property

• State industries run by workers, not committees

• Farmers allowed to sell goods on free market

Poland—

• Lech Walesa:– 1980: Leader of the illegally organized ship workers’ union in

Gdansk (Danzig). • Demanded economic reforms. • Led strikes.

• Demanded political reforms.

– Under Soviet orders, the Polish communist government had Walesa and other leaders imprisoned.

– He became a national and international hero.

Solidarnosc (Solidarity):

• Illegal Polish ship worker union in 1980. Millions supported it. – It is still a major political force in Poland today.

• Western media also made him and the union international heroes.– Unions all around the world made signs and

held rallies • using the “Solidarity” symbol • demanding for the freedom of the Polish unionists.

Czechoslovakia—

• By 1989, large demonstrations forced the Communist government to declare free elections:

• Vaclav Havel:– A dissident against the Communist government and

human rights activist. – Elected first democratic president of Czechoslovakia.

• EC: In 1992, Czechoslovakia divided to create two new nations: (2)– Czech Republic– Slovakia

Most Communist governments fell peacefully, but not all:

• Nicolae Ceausescu:• Ruthless leader of Romania’s Communist government.

– Had troops kill and wound reformist demonstrators – was notorious for other human rights violations against his

people.

• He refused to resign.– Vicious fighting broke out– The army was divided

• His government was finally overthrown.• He was captured and executed.

Russia lost its “superpower” status, or did it?:

• Russia’ conventional military is reduced.– Russia is now one of the major arms dealers for profit.

• It still has the largest nuclear force on the planet.• Is very concerned about Eastern European nations joining NATO.

• Russia becomes the Russian Federation– The largest economy in Western Asia.

– Concerned about Eastern European nations and Turkey joining the European Union.

• Russia participates on the G8.– Currently suspended for annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, 2014.

• Russia is still on the UN Security Council– Stopping the US from aiding Syrian rebels in 2012

• Vladimir Putin has used loopholes to be president more than Russian law allows--he runs the country in an undemocratic manner.

Resistance to Soviet Control

• Some Soviet Bloc countries thought they could push for independence, – In 1956, encouraged by Khruschev’s

relaxation of censorship, ____ demanded Soviet troops leave.

– Hungarians• More Soviet troops were sent in and a violent

repression took place.

EC: Achievements and failures of the Soviet Union:

• Achievements: (3)• Using Germans and Germany

technology (like the Americans), put the first satellite into space

• Job security• Free social services: health,

• Failures: (7)• Collective farming failed to

produce enough food; country had to import grain often

• Consumer production failed to meet the needs of Soviet population; poor quality; Important CP members actually had products from the West.

• Low standard of living• Wages low• Stagnant economy, • low tax base = increasing

impossibility to keep up with US in the arms race.

• Keeping military forces, support, and agents all over the world was very expensive…..

Afghanistan

• EC: Leonid Brezhnev declared that the Soviet Union will defend any Communist government in danger, anywhere in the world (_____Doctrine).

• Brezhnev• He ordered an invasion by several hundred thousand

Soviet troops in 1979.• The Soviets had much trouble fighting in the

mountainous terrain, – like the Americans in Vietnam, they used:

• Powerful attack helicopters• Jet bomber attacks• Burning villages• Chemical gas

Afghanistan: US Aid

• EC: The US saw the ____ rebels could fight well against the Soviets….

• Mujahidin– The US gave them….

• ground-to-air missiles to them, • CIA advisors

– training in guerrilla warfare against the modern technology of the Soviets

• The Soviets rapidly went on the

Soviet Collapse

• There were complaints on both sides of the Soviet society. – The Soviet Union finally ceased to exist in

1990. – The Russian Federation would replace it.

Mikhail Gorbachev

• EC: Gorbachev was not elected the president of the first Russian government in 1991; – that went to _____.– Boris Yeltsin

Analyzing Political Cartoons, p. 538:

• 1

• That it was politically unstable

• 2

• It was uncertain how long he would be the leader

• 3

• Uses idea from a familiar nursery rhyme to connect what was going on politically.

The former Soviet Union

• Soviet reforms encouraged the other Soviet peoples to demand independence.

• EC: First, were the Baltic States (3)– Latvia– Lithuania

• Gorbachev ordered troops in,

• then quickly called them off when the troops fired on unarmed demonstrators, and the world criticized the Soviet Union

– Estonia

• Soon, the Eastern Bloc and rest of the Republics.

Standards Check, p. 539:

• Question:

• Gorbachev’s policies encouraged the Soviet republics to choose independence, creating 12 new nations.

Hungary—

– Had been secretly allowed to limited market economy.• by USSR, since 1968,

– By 1988, many demanded total political freedom.

– EC: Became independent in ____

– 1989

Karol Wojtyla—

• In an unusual move, the Catholic Church selected a Polish cardinal to be Pope in 1978. – He chose the name _____ – John Paul II

• Being Polish and a popular Pope, he was a critical force and voice against Soviet control in Eastern Europe.

Poland

• EC: The Polish communist government collapsed in 1989.– _______ was elected the first democratic

president in 1990– Lech Walesa

Image, p. 540

• Question:

• They would not want workers to have too much control

East Germany—

• At first, East German Communists resisted Gorbachev’s reforms.

• Growing demonstrations by the people changed their minds.– EC: The Communists capitulated in, ____

– 1989.

Global Communism Declines

• With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Communist governments and parties around the world lost their largest supporter and trade partner.

• EC: Many former communist lands began to see _____ as the better way for their people’s economies.

• capitalism

Standards Check, p. 541

• Glasnost led to…..

• Loosened Soviet control over Eastern Europe

• Open resistance and criticism of, and independence from, the Soviet Union.

The PRC (China)—

• After Mao Zedong’s death, the new leader was

• Deng Xiaopeng.– He allowed massive capitalist growth in China

in the 1970s.– He continued strong government control on

the rights of the Chinese people, however.

China’s GDP grew very quickly

– Such fast growth has caused two very negative results as well: (2)• Wide ‘gap’ growing between a small, rich

class and large poor class.• Causing an environmental disaster that the

rich do not want to pay for.– The Chinese government is slow to help

ordinary people.» Communist Party cooperates with and supervises

businesses.» Corruption is high in the government» Ironically, anyone found guilty of corruption goes to

prison for life or is executed

Image, p. 541

• Question

• A market economy

• Because– There are a large number of goods and

services for sale in a healthy, competitive economy.

Cuba—

– Strong command economy• Very little market economics allowed

– Tourism from the United States is allowed.

– US economic embargo still very strong, but reduced somewhat since the 1990s.• EC: ____ from tourists and families in the

that country are desired over Cuban money.

• Dollars

Standards Check, p. 542

• Question:

• Cuba and North Korea remained communist and command economies.

• Vietnam and China moved toward market economies, but remained communist.

World Leadership?

• EC: The US, with UN, European, and (sometimes) Russian agreement and support ,has become the effective “policeman” of the world:– Driving ______ ‘s Iraqi forces out of Kuwait, 1991.– Saddam Hussein– Failed Intervention in _____, in east Africa, 1994– Somalia– Stopping ____ attacks on Kosovar minorities in former

Yugoslavia, 1998.– Serbian– Attempting to destroy _____ terrorist forces in Afghanistan, 2001– Al-Qaeda

Americans argue today what the proper international role for it is in the future.

• Pro-intervention (2)• US must have a safe

world to exist in.– Self protection

• Anti-intervention (2)• US has no right to

make the world do what it wants; should stay out of other countries’ business.– Self-determination

Standards Check, p. 542

• Question:

• Some nations felt America was overstepping its powers by acting as the self-appointed “world policeman”

• Others were comforted by its power as a protector of freedom and wealth.

Thinking Critically, p. 543

• 1

• All the citizens of Czechoslovakia

• 2

• Shared the responsibility and participation from everyone

Quick Write

• Do you believe that the United States is the only Super Power left in the world?