Collapse of Soviet Union

Collapse of Communism in the Soviet Union and

Eastern Europe (1989)

Détente: Cooperation between Superpowers

- During the Cold War President Nixon and Brezhnez conducted SALT (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks) conferences and signed a treaty limiting the number of missiles each country can have.

USSR and AfghanistanCooperation/Détente Ends

• 1979-1988• USSR backed the Afghan government; the US

backed the Mujahedeen rebels• US boycotted the 1980 Olympics in Moscow• 14,000 Soviet dead; 1+million Afghans–Over 5 million Afghans fled (more than 1/3

of the population)–10-15 million land mines still in Afghanistan– Soviets withdrawal defeated

- Soviet economic collapse

- Nationalism in Warsaw Pact countries

- Tearing down of Berlin Wall

- Breakup of the Soviet Union

Collapse of Communism in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe

Nationalism in Warsaw Pact Countries1. Gorbachev’s pullout from Afghanistan and his policy of Non-Intervention gave rise and momentum to Warsaw Pact nationalism movements. 2. Soviet/Warsaw Pact countries resented Soviet control and wanted to direct their own governments.

Tearing Down the Berlin Wall

1. East Germany elected a more moderate Communist government, but many not satisfied; allowed people to leave East Germany

2. November 9, 1989 – the Brandenburg Gate opened and people began tearing down the wall

3. Tearing down Berlin Wall symbolized and helped lead to fall of Communism in Eastern Europe; East Germany & Czechoslovakia

4. Gorbachev and President Reagan given credit for being most responsible for the end of the Cold War

Ronald Reagan: U.S. President 1980-88

“Tear down this wall”

Brandenburg Gate

Fall of the wall news broadcast

Soviet Economic Collapse1. Over-spending on arms race weakened government & economy2. Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev tried to reform the USSR economy in two plans

a. perestroika – restructuring of the Soviet political and economic system

- Weakened Russian economy in short-term

b. glasnost – “Openness” freed public access to information after decades of heavy government censorship3. Gorbachev encouraged reform in other 15 Soviet Socialist Republics: new

countries 4. Hard-line communists attempted a coup against Gorbachev – failed5. U.S.S.R. crumbles; Gorbachev = the last leader of the USSR6. Boris Yeltsin, with support of many who wanted continued reforms, becomes President of Russia

Mikhail GorbachevU.S.S.R.

Boris YeltsinRussia

Break Up of Soviet Union

1. Soviet Republics, one-by-one, broke away from Moscow and declared independence.2. 1989-90: The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (U.S.S.R) was dead.

Yugoslavia: Powder Keg Once AgainJosip Broz (Tito) 1892-1980

- Ruled Yugoslavia 1953-80- Established independent

communist state.- Yugoslavia divides after his death

- Ethnic & Religious tensions/war arise- War in late 1990s: Ethnic cleansing