Warm Up Q Prompt: Describe what happens when a government collapses. Please write the prompt and respond in complete sentences!
The Collapse of the USSR
Soviet System Under Stress Leonid Brezhnev came to power after Khrushchev was removed from power in 1964 Instated the Brezhnev Doctrine the USSR has the right to intervene if communism was threatened in another Comm. state
Soviet System Under Stress New worldwide foreign policy in 1970s, détente a more relaxation of tensions and improved relations btwn super powers USSR & USA were roughly equal in nuclear arms MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) When Reagan was elected president of US in 1980, relations w/ USSR gets worst Reagan calls them an evil empire
Gorbachev Moves Toward Democracy Brezhnev dies in 1982, power shift Mikhail Gorbachev young, energetic, good politician Youngest Soviet leader since Stalin Only a child during Stalin s Great Purge Soviets supported him
Mikhail Gorbachev
Gorbachev Moves Toward Democracy Gorbachev decides to pursue new ideas 3 main policies B4 totalitarian state, silence is good! But: society hadn t changed and econ. was stagnate (not growing) 1985, Gorbachev announced a policy of glasnost (openness) Reforms need the free flow of info. and ideas
Glasnost - Openness
Reforming the Economy & Politics New glasnost allowed Soviets to complain about economic problems Before central planning economy, the party told industries how much to produce, how much to pay ppl, and what price items B/c ppl could not increase their pay by producing more, no incentive to improve TPS: Why would it be inefficient for the central gov t to decide what should be produced all over the country?
Reforming the Economy and Politics Perestroika econ. restructuring, intro. by Gorbachev in 1985 Gave local managers more authority over industries Ppl could open small private businesses Goal: make the econ. system more efficient, not throw away Communism
Reforming the Economy & Politics Democratization gradual opening of the pol. system, intro. 1987 Election of a legislative body Voters could now choose from a list of candidates Foreign policy couldn t compete against US (under Reagan), therefore worked towards arms control Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (1987) banned nuclear missiles with range over 300 mi.
Gorbachev & Reagan
The Soviet Union Faces Turmoil Powerful forces for demo. were building the country, and Gorbachev decided not to oppose reform Ultimately led to the breakup of the USSR Various nationalities called for their freedom Ethnic tension and desire for indept. First challenge: Lithuania
Lithuania
The Soviet Union faces Turmoil March 1990 Lithuania declares its indept. Gorbachev orders an econ. blockade Jan. 1991 Soviet troops attacked unarmed civilians in Lithuania s capital Kills 14, wounds 100s TPS: Based on Gorbachev s use of force in Lithuania in 1991, what were his views on the future of the USSR at the time?
The Soviet Union Faces Turmoil Assault in Lith. and lack of econ. progress damaged Gorbachev s popularity New leadership: Boris Yeltsin Former mayor of Moscow June 1991, voters chose Yeltsin to become the first directly elected president of the Russian Federation
Boris Yeltsin
The August Coup Conservatives of the Comm. Party opposed reform, vowed to overthrow Gorbachev and undo his reforms Aug. 18, 1991 attempted coup, however Soviet ppl fought against the party Sparked anger against the Comm. Party Soviet parliament dissolved States started declaring indep. 15 republics in total
The End of the Soviet Union Yeltsin met with the leaders of the other republics to chart new course Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) loose federation of former Soviet territories Xmas Day 1991 Gorbachev announced his resignation as president of the USSR, Soviet Union is no more!
Russia Under Boris Yeltsin Goal: reform the Russian Economy Shock therapy an abrupt shift to freemarket econ. like US Lowered trade barriers, removed price controls, ended subsidies to state-owned industries Prices soared (inflation rate 800% from 1992-4), factories closed, unemployment rose TPS: What consequences might result from 800% inflation?
Chechnya Crisis
Russia Under Boris Yeltsin Chechnya SW Russia, predom. Muslim Declared indep. In 1991, but Yeltsin refused to allow it 1994 40K Russian troops sent into Chechnya, reduced the capital to rubble Sparked anger throughout Russia
Russian Under Vladimir Putin 1999 Yeltsin resigns and names Vladimir Putin as acting president Putin forcefully dealt with rebellion in Chechnya popular support help him win pres. election of 2000
Summary Q How did Gorbachev s reforms help to move the USSR toward democracy?