Ch 21 Decline Of Soveit Union

DECLINE OF THE SOVIET UNION

•LEONID BREZHNEV replaces Khrushchev in 1964

•Breznev Doctrine says USSR can step in if communism is threatened in another communist state

•Life under Breznev: 1. Relaxed rule (art, lit) 2. Those who speak out (DISSIDENTS) punished.

3.Big problems such as alcoholism, poor economy & hi infant mortality

4. Also inefficient govt, weak farming system & lack of incentives

for workers.

•5. Communist ruling class corrupt & has hi living standards (compared to everyone else)

•. 1970s: US & USSR enter phase called DÉTENTE- relaxed tensions with improved relations. (US gives grain)

•1979: Soviets invade Afghanistan to est a pro Soviet govt

•Ends détente.

•Side issues: US embargo, Olympic ban

RONALD REAGAN

•Pres Ronald Reagan calls USSR the “EVIL EMPIRE”.

•US begins to build up arms & gives military aid to Afghanistan

Mikhail Gorbechev •MIKHAIL GORBECHEV leader wants to, rethink Soviet policy by 1985.

•Reformers call for PERESTROIKA- or restructuring.

PERESTROIKA•Eco was 1st focus & he started a MARKET ECONOMY-

•Based on supply & demand & resources controlled & owned by individuals who compete for profits

GORBY•1988: Gorby allows people to be elected to a new parliament & organize poli parties

• (Congress of People Deputies)

END OF THE USSR•Many problems: •92 different nationalities, 112 languages, too multiethnic & big pop.

•KGB, leaders, military don’t want to lose privileges, fear break up.

•DON’T WRITE!!•Nationalist movement

emerges w/ calls for independence in 1989-1990.

•Georgia, Latvia, Estonia, Moldavia,

Lithuania, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan

YELTSIN

. Aug 19, 1991, Commies try to arrest Gorby, but fail when

Boris Yelstin (Russia pres) & citizens stops it

•The UKRAINE moved first for independence on Dec. 1, 1991, followed by others

GONE WITH THE WIND•DON’T WRITE!!!•By late 1991- USSR doesnt exist

•Dec 25, 1991, Gorby resigns & turns it over to BORIS YELTSIN

•too many social & eco problems.

• Organized crime rises

YELTSIN•Yeltsin doesn’t want former satellite nations to join NATO & sends troops to Chechnya to keep it part of Russia.

VLADIMIR PUTIN•In 1999, Vladimir Putin replaced Yeltsin.

•DON’T WRITE!!•He cont reforms of free sale of land, tax cuts & joins World Trade Org.

•Cont. bombing of Chechnya

GROZNY

EASTERN EUROPE

•Gorby said USSR would no longer interfere militarily with other nations.

•Revolutions break out across E Europe

POLAND•1980: Poland rebels•worker LECH WALESA organized a trade union called SOLIDARITY- gets support of workers & Catholic Church (POPE JOHN PAUL II

is Polish), but is arrested.

POLAND•1988 Poland agrees to free elections.

•Walesa elected pres in 1990.

• Eco problems due to fast change to free

market.

CZECHOSLOVAKIA•1988-89 demonstrations •VACLAV HAVAL elected new pres.

•2 ethnic groups emerge & 1993 split into CZECH REPUBLIC & SLOVAKIA

ROMANIA•NICOLAE CEAUSCAU- cruel dictator who murdered 1000s w/ secret police.)

•Secret police turn on Nic & execute him Christmas 1990.

•ERICH HONECKER head of Com Party in E. Germ who used secret police

• Mass demonstrations occur.

•Nov 9, 1989. Com govt opens border. 100,000 people cross west & people begin to tear down Berlin Wall.

GERMANYGermany reunited on Oct. 3, 1990.

•Many problems.

YUGOSLAVIA! DON’T WRITE

•Communist nation under Josip Tito, (but not a USSR satellite).

• Tito dies 1980 & reps from all republics & provinces in Yugoslavia meet

YUGOSLAVIA•1990: Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina & Macedonia ask for independence.

•SLOBADON MILOSVIC (Serbia leader) says no.

•Wants borders redrawn to create greater Serbian state b/c many people there were Serbs (Slavic

like in WWI)

YUGOSLAVIA

•Don’t’ write!•June 1991: Slovenia & Croatia declare independence

•Sept. 1991 Yugo army (mostly Serbs) begins attack on Croatia

•1992: Serbs hit Bosnia-Herzegovinia (Many Bosnians Muslims)

•Serbs used ETHNIC CLEANSING- killing or forcibly removing ethnic groups from lands-

•Don’t write!•By 1995, 250,000 dead

• More killed later in Kososvo

YUGOSLAVIA•DON’T WRITE: 1995 NATO gets involved.

•NATO attacks Serbs who sign treaty on Dec. 14.

•Splits Bosnia into union of Serb Republic & Muslim-Croat federation.

YUGOSLAVIA •KOSOVO- an AUTONOMOUS (self governing) area in Yugo with mostly ethnic Albanians.

•Milosevic takes away status & Kosovo Liberation Army forms against Serb rule.

YUGOSLAVIA IS GONE•Serb forces massacre ethnic Albanians

•US & NATO step in again •2000: Milosevic put on trial for war crimes. (died 2006)

• 2002 Serbia & Montenegro form union