Fall of Communism Powerpoint

Fall of Communism Breaking Up of USSR,Emergence of China and EU and Strengthening of US

Fall of Communism

What is Communism?Communism is a political and economic system in which the major productive resources in a society-such as mines, factories, and farms-are owned by the public or the state, and wealth is divided among citizens equally or according to individual need.

What is the role of the Communist Party?The Communist Party was the only political party allowed to exist and only members from this Party are allowed to run for public officeMembership in the Communist Party was restricted. Only a small percentage of the entire population belonged to the Party.The Politburo, or inner circle of the Communist Party, consisted of 15 men who were responsible for making policy.The General Secretary, or leader of the Communist party, was the most powerful man in the Soviet Union.

Spread of CommunismEast Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria had communist government. These countries were called Soviet Satellites States because they were countries that were under the control of the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics).

Was the Collapse Due to Force? NoThe Cold War cost more than $11 trillion. But the collapse of the Soviet Union and its satellites was not a result of force. No NATO tank fired a shot. No bomb fell on the Kremlin.

Causes: Revolutions of 1989Long-term economic decline

Political stagnation

Foreign Relations disasters

Change in Soviet leadership: Gorbachev Factor

Nationalism

The power of the people

Why would people want to break away from Communist rule?Political and Economic Problems

No individual freedoms

No motivation to work hard

What led to the fall of communism and the breakup of the Soviet Union?The man who came to power in the Soviet Union in 1985 was Mikhail Gorbachev.His policies set the stage for the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe and the breakup of the Soviet Union.

Gorbachevs PoliciesPerestroika- Restructuring This was Gorbachevs plan to restructure and decentralize the economy.Glasnost- Openness This refers to Gorbachevs policy that aimed to destroy the secrecy and suspicion of Soviet life. It allowed greater freedoms and open criticism of the Soviet government. Gorbachev Doctrine-a policy of noninterference in Eastern Europe.

Gorbachev Loses PowerReform = economic chaos. Problems are actually worse

Without gov. help, factories closed, increasing unemployment

Discontent spreadIndependence for many Bloc nations

1991: Gorbachev resigns.

Communism dead after 74 years. Communism fell, but so did Gorbachev.

Revolutions in Eastern EuropePoland

Czechoslovakia

Romania

East Germany

Yugoslavia

PolandIn the 1970s and 1980s, there was food riots and worker unrest due to the poor economic conditions.An organization called Solidarity was formed. It was a trade union that pressured the government for changes that would improve living standards. Solidarity and its leader Lech Walesa was supported by millions of people across Poland. Following Gorbachevs policies, the government eventually legalized Solidarity and allowed free elections in 1989. It was the first Eastern European Satellite State to break free from the Soviet Union.

PolandReasons for Revolution

Poor economic conditions

Worker unrest and food riots

Formation of the trade union SolidarityResults of Revolution

Solidarity became a legal organization and the government allowed free elections.The new government created a market economy.

CzechoslovakiaLate 1989, the Velvet Revolution took place. It was a nonviolent protest movement that ended Communist rule in Czechoslovakia.

Vaclav Havel became the president of Czechoslovakia.

Czechoslovakia was split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993 due to different ideas on economic reform.

CzechoslovakiaReasons for Revolution

Mass demonstrations throughout Czechoslovakia called for change to democracy. Results of Revolution

The Communist government in Czechoslovakia collapsed and Havel became the new president. A few years later, Czechoslovakia was split into two separate nations, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

RomaniaNicolae Ceasescu was the Communist leader of Romania since 1965.In 1989, the secret police murdered thousands of people and as a result, a violent revolution overthrew Ceasescu and his Communist regime.Ceasescu was executed and a new government was formed.

RomaniaReasons for RevolutionThe secret police in Romania murdered thousands of men, women, and children. Violent revolution took place as a result of these murders.

Results of RevolutionThe Communist leader of Romania was overthrown and executed. A new government was formed. Romania had a difficult time making the transition to democracy.

East GermanyIn the summer of 1989, Hungary allowed East Germans to escape to West Germany through Austria. This caused East Germans to demonstrate for reform and demand permission to emigrate to West Germany. On November 9, 1989, the Communist government of East Germany surrendered to popular pressure by opening its border with the West. People on both sides began tearing down the wall.

East GermanyReasons for RevolutionHungary allowed East Germans to escape to West Germany. This caused mass demonstrations to take place throughout East Germany demanding permission to emigrate to West Germany. Results of RevolutionThe Communist government collapsed and opened its borders with the West. People from both sides began tearing down the Berlin Wall. Reunification of East and West Germany took place on October 3, 1990.

YugoslaviaAlthough Yugoslavia had a communist government, it had never been a Soviet satellite state. By 1989, Yugoslavia also became caught up in the reform movements sweeping across Eastern Europe. By 1990, new parties emerged and Communism in Yugoslavia collapsed.

YugoslaviaReasons for RevolutionAfter the Communist dictator Tito died in 1980, representatives from all six republics and two provinces within Yugoslavia comprised a collective federal government under Communist rule. By 1990, the Communist party collapsed. Results of RevolutionAfter the Communist Party collapsed, the six republics and two provinces that made up Yugoslavia developed a strong sense of nationalism and demanded separate nations to be formed. Civil war has been a problem throughout the former Yugoslavia since the 1990.

Berlin WallJune 12, 1987, Reagan challenged Gorbachev: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, tear down this wall!

Results of the Falltransformed the entire world political situationreformulation of political, economic and military alliances America sole military and world hegemonic powerEnd of Cold War and MAD threat

Nuclear Stockpiles, 1945-2006Source data from: Robert S. Norris and Hans M. Kristensen, "Global nuclear stockpiles, 1945-2006," Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 62, no. 4 (July/August 2006), 64-66. Online at http://thebulletin.metapress.com/content/c4120650912x74k7/fulltext.pdf

The National Debt US Pop: 304,998,272Share of Debt/Person: $34,526.04Daily Increase: $3.84 billion$438 billion deficit

Another Side to the StoryAccording to U.S. diplomat George Kennan, author of "The Sources of Soviet Conduct" (1947) and architect of the containment policy, the West's militarized posture helped the Communists to rationalize their authoritarian rule. The more U.S. policies followed a hard line, the greater was the tendency in Moscow to tighten the controls and to discourage liberalizing tendencies.

Lech Walesa's SOLIDARITYGorbachevsREFORMS John Paul IIs CATHOLIC CHURCHGlasnost Ronald ReagansFOREIGN POLICY No Brezhnev Doctrine Perestroika Reform KGBReform Comm Party EVIL EMPIRE Speech MILITARY BUILDUPARMS RACEEast German NATIONALISMThe Collapse of the Soviet Union and the End of the Cold WarOrdinary MEN & WOMENWILL POWERCOURAGEEastern BlocUnion of Soviet Socialist Republics

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