Co-operation and Reconciliation Flashcards
why was the USSR struggling by the 1980s
- no longer afford to keep up with arms race
- public failure of its technology - sinking of nuclear submarine K-219 + Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster (both 1986)
- stuck in disastrous war in Afghanistan
when did Mikhail Gorbachev become leader of USSR
- 1985
what were Gorbachev’s policies and what did they do
- Perestroika (economic freedom)
- glasnost (political freedom)
> ended tensions between E + W and also relaxed the ban on other political parties in E Europe
when did the Iron curtain start opening
- when Hungary opened its border with Austria
how was communist influence reduced in the Eastern Bloc
- Polish + Hungarian governments changed into coalition governments where communists were either in minority position or non-existent
how did Hungary opening its borders with Austria have a dramatic impact in East Germany
- now thousands had a new route to move West
by June 1989 what percentage of E Germans had applied to emigrate
12%
In September 1989 how many people moved from E Germany to W
33,000
when did Gorbachev visit E Germany + what did he warn them
- October 1989
- warned them to introduce reforms
> Honecker - leader of E Germany resisted reforms
when did Gorbachev visit Hungary + what did he announce there
- April 1989
- announced ending of Brezhnev Doctrine
> he wouldn’t order Red Army to crush opposition in E Europe
> ordered all 200,000 Soviet troops in E Germany to retreat to USSR
what happened as a result of the Soviet Army retreating, in E Germany
- many opposition groups sprung up
> led to many demonstrations + protests which weren’t stopped by the Stasi
by 23rd October 1989, how many demonstrators were on the streets of Leipzig
- 300,000
when did the largest ever demonstration take place in E Germany + how many + where
- 4 November 1989
- 1 million people protested on streets of E Berlin
what happened on 6th November 1989
- 1/2 million people marched in Leipzig demanding freedom of movement + end to communist rule while chanting ‘Germany - One Fatherland’
what major event took place on 9th November 1989
- E German government opened its borders + allowed free travel
> thousands marched to Berlin Wall + pulled it down in one of the most momentous events in post-war history
> in next few days, hundreds of thousand of E Germans crossed the remains of B Wall and visited the West to be reunited with friends + family
in January 1990, how many E Germans migrated to W Germany
75,000
what factors (obstacles) were in the way of Unification
- E + W Germany were completely diff societies
> W = capitalist democracy + strong economy
> E = communist dictatorship + failing economy - Germany, particularly Berlin, at centre of Cold War + unification could only happen with agreement of USA + USSR
- leader of main opposition party in W Germany, Oscar Lafontaine of SFD, was opposed to rapid reunification
what did the end of the cold war result in for USA + USSR agreements
- USA + USSR agreed to dramatically reduce their nuclear weapons
> 1987 Intermediate Nuclear Force (INF) Treaty
> 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START)
when was the cold war ended
- end of 1991
what were the 1990 Two-Plus-Four talks
- between W+E Germany, USA, USSR, Britain, France
- agreed that Germany could be unified
- unified Germany could remain member of NATO
- big reduction in armed forces stationed in Germany
- Germany would no longer seek territorial expansion + borders of countries like Poland would not be challenged in the future
when did the USSR come to an end
- December 1991
- unions was officially dissolved + broke into 15 new, independent countries including Russian Federation
what were some reasons of the pressure for German unification increasing in 1990
- huge loans made to W German gov to bail out bankrupt state of E Germany
- by march 1990, 300,000 E Germans left for west
> by this rate of emigration + poor economy, E Germany had no long-term future as a country - overwhelming support for German unification in E Germany shown in free elections
- Gorbachev assure Kohl he wouldn’t oppose reunification as long as W Germany loaned USSR
> by 1997 133 billion Deutschmarks given to USSR + countries that replaced it
when did German unity formally come into place
3 October 1990
Although, unification happened quickly, what were some of the significant problems that remained
- economy of old E/G needed massive subsidies from West to survive as wages + pensions increased
- huge migration from east to west took place after reunification resulting in rise of unemployment - to 7.9% - in former W Germany
