9.1 Flashcards
What was the Sinatra Doctrine?
Doctrine which stated that members of the Warsaw Pact could decide their changes to their own countries without expecting outside interference
Put in place by Mikhail Gorbachev
When was the Sinatra Doctrine published?
October 1989
What was the impact of ‘ideology’ on Soviet foreign affairs?
Gorbachhev’s ‘new thinking’ meant that ideology would play a much smaller role in Soviet foreign affairs
This meant that the Soviet Union would not favour trade with communist countries over capitalist countries
What happened to Soviet troops in Eastern European countries?
Soviet troops were withdrawn from bases in Eastern Europe bases to save money
perstroika and glasnost embraced
What were Gorbachev’s intentions regarding communist control?
He had never intended to weaken communist rule of Eastern Europe
He wanted to strengthen communism by reform
Once reform started, he was unable to contain it, leading to the slow weakening of the Union…
What happened in Poland?
1988
- Strikes throughout country
1989
- Solidarity wins elections
- Mazowiecki become first non-communist Prime Minister in Eastern Europe
What happened in East Germany?
when Germany reunified into one country
4th Nov 1989
- 1 million people protest in East Berlin
9th November 1989
- Berlin wall is opened
3rd October 1990
- Germany reunified into one country
What happened in Czechoslovakia?
24th November 1989
- Communist government resigns
9 December 1989
- Vaclav Havel becomes first non-communist President since 1948
1990
- Democratic election won by Civic Forum
- Alliance of anti-communist groups
What happened in Hungary?
1988
- Gorbachev accepts that Hungary can become a multi-party state
1989
- Hungary opens its borders with Austria
1990
- Democratic elections won by Democratic Forum
- Alliance of anti-communist groups
What happened in Romania?
(the most brutal)
16 December 1989
- Secret Police fire on demonstrators in Timisoara
21 December 1989
- Huge crowd in Bucharest boos President Ceausescu, who flees but is captured
22-24 December 1989
- Army joins rebellion and fights secret police; hundreds are killed, then ceausecu dies…
1990
- Democratic elections won by National Salvation Front; containing many ex-communists
What happened in Bulgaria?
1990
- Democratic elections won by renamed Comunist Party
Why were Hungary’s reform important?
They opened their border with Austria
There was now a hole in the Iron Curtain, as people could get into east Berlin and west , bypassing the Berlin Wall.
this called into question enter the Berlin Wall should even exist…
