THE GORBACHEV ERA1985 Mikhail Gorbachev becomes
General Secretary of the party and leader of the Soviet Union
1. Economic problems2. Lagging behind in high
technology3. Decline in the standard of living
Perestroika = “restructuring” = reform of the economy
Glasnost = “openness” = political
and social reform = encouragement of public and open discussion
-> RADICAL REFORMS REQUIRED
THE END OF THE SOVIET UNION
The Congress of People’s Deputies 1989 - a new Soviet parliament with elected members
1990 political parties legalized and Article 6 allowing monopoly on political power by the party abolished
Nationalism in the Soviet Union -> Soviet Republics begin calling for sovereignty and independence
May 1990 Lithuania declares independence from the USSR
June 1991 Boris Yeltsin is elected first president of the Russian Soviet Republic
Right wing conservative communists organize a coup d’etat in August 1991
Soviet conservatives feared the breakup of the USSR and loss of power
1. Army2. Government3. KGB4. Military industries
1. Gorbachev is arrested
2. Yeltsin and reformers and people in Moscow resist
3. Army refuses to get involved
4. Attempted take over collapses and leaders arrested
5. All of this speeds the process of the collapse of the USSR
70 YEARS ON THE ROAD TO NOWHERE
Soviet Republics move for complete independence
1. Ukraine declares independence
2. Leaders of major republics declare the Soviet Union has “ceased to exist
3. Gorbachev resigns4. Dec. 25, 1991 the red
hammer and sickle flag above the Kremlin is lowered forever
THE NEW RUSSIAN FLAG FLYING OVER THE KREMLIN
BORIS YELTSIN AND POST-SOVIET bALLSACK
Yeltsin is first ever democratically elected leader of Russia
Transition from communist economic system to free market economic system
Privatization, shock therapy, corruption, inflation, economic chaos, rise of the oligarchs, inequality
Rise of organized crime and social change
Loss of international prestige, power and status
Increased support for former communists and hard
core nationalists
Chechnya
Yeltsin reelected Russian president in 1996
1999 Yeltsin suddenly resigns and names Vladimir Putin as his successor
VLADIMIR PUTIN AND CREEPING ANALIZATION Fights brutal war against Chechnya and regains
control
Adopts more assertive/independent role in international relations
Stabilizes the economy
Benefits from massive rise in revenues from oil
resources Begins to limit political rights and freedoms
Uses state power to censor and control the
media and the oligarchs/big business leaders The more heavy handed he is the more the
Russian people seem to like him Russian people choose stability, order and control
over freedom and liberty
COLLAPSE OF COMMUNISM: PORNHUB Solidarity - independent noncommunist labor union
1. Workers2. Intellectuals3. Catholic Church
Lech Walesa - leader of Solidarity
1981 crackdown1. Walesa and Solidarity leaders arrested2. Union is outlawed3. Military rule imposed
Continued economic problems
• Continued support for Solidarity by Pope John Paul, Margaret Thatcher, and Ronald Reagan
• 1988 the military government agrees to free elections
• Solidarity led political coalition wins elections, communist rule in Poland ends, and Lech Walesa becomes first leader of post-communist Poland
COLLAPSE OF COMMUNISM: HUNGARY
COLLAPSE OF COMMUNISM: CZECHOSLOVAKIA
PLAYWRIGHT/DISSIDENT -> FIRST DEMOCRATIC LEADER OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA
THE VELVET REVOLUTION
COLLAPSE OF COMMUNISM: ROMANIA
Ceauşescu – communist dictator of Romania
Ceauşescu flees by helicopter fromhis capital
THE DEATH OF CEAUSESCU
Ceauşescu and his wife Elena fled the capital and headed, by helicopter, for Ceauşescu's Snagov residence, from where they fled again, this time for Târgovişte. Near Târgovişte they abandoned the helicopter, having been ordered to land by the army, which by that time had restricted flying in Romania's airspace. The Ceauşescus were held by the police while the policemen listened to the radio. They were eventually turned over to the army. On Christmas Day, 25 December, the two were tried in a brief show trial and sentenced to death by a military court on charges ranging from illegal gathering of wealth to genocide, and were executed in Târgovişte. During the trial, Ceauşescu repeatedly denied the court's authority to try him, and asserted he was still legally president of Romania. The video of the trial shows that, after sentencing, they had their hands tied behind their backs and were led outside the building to be killed.
The Ceauşescus were killed by a firing squad consisting of elite paratroop regiment soldiers. The firing squad began shooting as soon as the two were in position against a wall. The firing happened too soon for the film crew covering the events to record it. Before his sentence was carried out, Nicolae Ceauşescu sang "The Internationale" while being led up against the wall. After the shooting, the bodies were covered with canvas. The hasty show trial and the images of the dead Ceauşescus were videotaped and the footage promptly released in numerous western countries. Later that day, it was also shown on Romanian television.
COLLAPSE OF COMMUNISM: GERMAN UNIFICATION
BLUE = WEST GERMANYRED = EAST GERMNAYYELLOW = BERLIN
“IT’S REUNIFICATION…”
ERICH HONECKER = last leader of communist East Germany
ESTABLISHES COMMUNIST DICTATORSHIP -> STASI = SECRET POLICE
REAGAN’S BERLIN WALL SPEECH
“We welcome change and openness; for we believe that freedom and security go together, that the advance of human liberty can only strengthen the cause of world peace. There is one sign the Soviets can make that would be unmistakable, that would advance dramatically the cause of freedom and peace. General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization, come here to this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”
President Ronald Reagan 1987
THE FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL – NOV. 1989
TEARING DOWN THE WALL MARKED THE SYMBOLIC END OF THE COLD WAR
PRESIDENT NIXON AND WATERGATE
AUGUST 1974
WATERGATE COMPLEX
“I AM NOT A CROOK”
POPE JOHN PAUL II AND SAINT RONNIE