Brezhnev Doctrine Flashcards
How did Brezhnev rise in the ranks?
In 1966 Leonid Brezhnev became the General Secretary of the USSR. He supported Khrushchev and his liberal policies while he was in power but once Khrushchev was ousted he developed an increasingly conservative and repressive domestic policy.
What problems did the USSR face?
- Soviet bureaucracy was self serving and indulgent.
- Rise of alcoholism led to family turmoil and crime.
- USSR and Eastern Europe behind.
- Brezhnev was not intelligent but he had charm.
What was the Brezhnev Doctrine?
Brezhnev Doctrine 1968: Any attempt to leave Warsaw Pact would be a threat to allies so intervention needed.
What were economic consequences?
Economic consequences: New centralised control of economy and heavy industry focus; Western loans initially helped but interest rates increased during Afghanistan; by 1980s USSR had 37% GNP of the USA and didn’t adapt to rising oil prices; Soviet economic growth collapsed in 1980s.
What were consequences in Hungary, the GDR, and Poland?
Hungary – repression followed; Gustav Husak in Czechoslovakia agreed to do Soviet bidding and thousands left for West; in the GDR subsidies on food and children’s clothes rose from 8 billion marks a year to 56 billion by 1988; Edvard Gierek in Poland used Western loans to build steel mills and plants producing Western cars but between 1974-9 debts tripled.
What were consequences in Poland?
Poland – Relied on Western loans and technology, debt climbed from $7.4 billion to $21 billion between 1975-80 and productivity with purchase of technologies didn’t rise.
What were consequences in East Germany?
East Germany – October 1975 the GDR-Soviet Friendship Treaty was signed until 1970s Polish labourers not allowed into GDR and tensions rose when they bought consumer goods leading to shortages; Czechoslovakia issued export and import restrictions.
What were consequences in Romania?
Romania; Miners’ strike in Jiu Valley with end of disability payments and retirement age raised, 35,000 striked, Ceausescu promised no punishment if work was resumed and concessions but the army and secret police transferred workers to other mines and added longer working day.
What were consequences in the USSR?
USSR changes; Communism no longer needed development; by 1981 average age in Politburo was 70; USSR was major oil producer and reaped rewards of 1973 oil crisis, transferring $42,8 billion subsidy to Eastern Europe in 1980 through Comecon;
