3.3 The End Of The Soviet Union

Question 1

Why did satellite states begin to fall away from the soviets?

Answer 1

They no longer feared the ussr

Question 2

Consequences of soviet abandoning the breznhev doctrine?

Answer 2

• Gorbachev stated the ussr would no longer use force to uphold communism in its satellites. In 1988 he announced the withdrawal of soviet troops, tanks and aircrafts from eastern europe.
• it was fear of soviet military intervention that had kept opposition movements under control within the ussrs satellite states. Without it , they had a chance to act

Question 3

What did ‘Gorbachev new thinking’ inspire?

Answer 3

Encouraged reformist movements within eastern europe. It also split the communist party , making control pr eastern europe more difficult

Question 4

When did the berlin wall fall?

Answer 4

1989

Question 5

What happened to the berlin wall in 1989?

Answer 5

• communist hungary opened its border with non communist Austria. East germans could travel through hungary to austria
• thousands left
• mass protests against the communist regime . The eastern german government finally agreed
• free elections were promised and the wall was torn down

Question 6

What did the fall of the berlin wall show?

Answer 6

The relationship between east and west was transforming and that the ussr was losing its grip over communist territory

Question 7

Where did free elections held in 1989?

Answer 7

Poland, in 1990 a new communist government came to poeer . Ussr didn’t intervene

Question 8

What happened to communist governments in eastern europe?

Answer 8

• czechoslovakia ,Bulgaria and Romania. Hungarys communist party suffered a large defeat in free elections in march 1990.
• communist east and democratic west germany rejoined to form one state again

Question 9

What happened during the 90s for states gaining independence?

Answer 9

• baltic republics demanded independence (Latvia,Lithuania, Estonia)
• encouraged by recent success of revolution across eastern europe and by Gorbachev policy of glasnost which gave great power to individuals and encouraged constructive criticism of soviet policy.
• Lithuania gained independence in 1990
• Georgia declared independence in 1991
• Ukraine declared independence in 1991

Question 10

What position did gorbachev find himself in 1990?

Answer 10

Faced opposition within his own party and the public. Communist party was divided, some members wanted more drastic reforms and others wanted a return to former soviet policies. The public were unhappy because Gorbachev reforms hadn’t lived up to their high expectations

Question 11

Did Gorbachev economic reforms work?

Answer 11

• ussr economy hadn’t improved , and in 1990 a quarter of its population was living below the poverty line
• economic corruption was still rife
• inflation was high and basic good were short supply
• huge costs of the arms race and war in afghanistan hindered the reforms too

Question 12

What happened to gorbachev him 1991?

Answer 12

• Coup against him , they thought his reforms has gone too far. Gorbachev was arrested , tried to force him resign, and sent tanks onto the streets of moscow to deter protestere
• coup didn’t go to plan, it was condemned by Boris Yeltsin , as soviet politician who opposed gorbachev and wanted the ussr to adopt capitalism
• Yeltsin went into the streets rally to opposition against the coup. There were mass protests in major cities , showing that soviets had clearly rejected communism

Question 13

When did the soviet union collapse?

Answer 13

• Christmas day 1991, gorbachev resigned
• ussr was dissolved on the 26th December
• republic made up the soviet union become independent states, including latvia, estonia, belarus, lithuania
• biggest of the republics was russia, Yeltsin was elected leader and adopted capitalism