Cold War

Question 1

American reaction to Afghanistan invasion (3)

Answer 1

1. Ended Detente, Carter referred to invasion as ‘grave threat to world peace’
2. Carter Doctrine. Increase in military spending and America interested in Middle East
3. Economic sanctions - trade embargo on grain and high technology / strategic items

Question 2

The overarching indirect consequence of Invasion of Afghanistan

Answer 2

The collapse of detente and invasion of Afghanistan led to election of Reagan

Question 3

How many members did Solidarity have in 1981

Answer 3

10 million.

Pope Jean Paul gave speech in 1979 to 13 million Poles calling for self determination

Question 4

Impacts of Solidarity crisis (3)

Answer 4

1. Aggressive stance of Reagan forced Soviets to rethink upholding Brezhnev Doctrine
2. Lasting resentment of Communists - nationalist element to 1989
3. Economic sanctions - fishing rights

Question 5

What did corruption show about communism in USSR

Answer 5

Reflected a broken economic system. Huge black market, which represented 25% of economy.

Question 6

When did Gorbachev take power and why was it significant

Answer 6

1985 at age 54. He was determined to restructure the failing economy and willing to criticise Soviet foreign policy

Question 7

Impact of the election of Reagan

Answer 7

Aggressive stance against Soviets, labelling ‘evil empire’. Soviets cautious in Poland.
Massively increased military budget 50%

Question 8

Afghanistan situation by 1984

Answer 8

Soviets fighting a very costly war. 15,000 soldiers lost and failed to implement a new government in Afghanistan. USA supplied Mujahideen

Question 9

Events in 1983 that demonstrated a ‘new cold war’

Answer 9

1. Able Archer - NATO military operation in Europe. Soviets convinced of attack
2. Korean Airlines is 007 - played into Reagan’s evil empire speech and caused uproar with NATO

Question 10

Factors contributing to failing economy (4)

Answer 10

Poor infrastructure
Unrealistic worker targets
Over-reliance on heavy industry
Arms race

Question 11

Growth rates in 1967 compared to 1980

Answer 11

5.75% in 1967 and 2.70% by 1980

Question 12

Soviets arms spending

Answer 12

Soviets spending 20% of budget on arms and resulted in rampant 10% inflation.

Question 13

Social problems in the Soviet Union

Answer 13

• SoL very poor, average Russian had to work 4.5 hours for a loaf of bread compared to 48 minutes in America
• Frequent shortages and poor health and housing
• alcoholism

Question 14

How far did Soviets implement Helsinki human rights agreement

Answer 14

Brezhnev Constitution 1977 tolerated discussion on communism but not a complete rejection of it. Andropov labelled dissidents as mentally ill.

Question 15

Republics in 1984

Answer 15

Ukraine and Baltic states and Muslim states after Afghanistan invasion, wanted independence but movement limited in strength and leaders would never allow.
United against a more dangerous common enemy

Question 16

Economic Perestroika

Answer 16

Whole scale restructuring of Soviet economy by liberating enterprises from the dead hands of central control

Question 17

Impacts of Gorbachev’s economic reforms (3)

Answer 17

1. Industrial production from 1985-87 fell by 6%
2. Enterprise Law 1988 to cut subsidies meant wage drops and unemployment
   3 collapse of Comecon

Question 18

Impact of perestroika and glasnost

Answer 18

1. Diminished the position of absolute power of CPSU and indirectly causes the fall of the Soviet Union
2. Magnet for constructive change in Eastern Europe as opposition groups saw potential for change - crowds in Berlin oct 1989 chanting ‘Gorby’

Question 19

Glasnost

Answer 19

Opened the government up to criticism

Question 20

Evidence of glasnost in politics (3)

Answer 20

1. Democratic Union established 1989 - first new political party
2. Congress of People’s Deputies elections- complete freedom to criticise gov’t policy. Yeltsin took advantage of this
3. 1990 article 6 of constitution removed. Allowed non-communists in politics

Question 21

Gorbachev’s new thinking

Answer 21

Loosen Soviet control of Eastern Bloc and support self-determination

Question 22

Evidence of changing Soviet foreign policy (4)

Answer 22

1. Renounces Brezhnev Doctrine 1988 and traditional communist views. Supports self determination in Eastern Bloc
2. MBFR Talks cut Warsaw Pact troops 10%
3. Withdraws aid to Angola and Nicaragua and collaborates with the West to find a solution
4. Made concessions over arms reduction - accepts Reagan’s SDI proposals

Question 23

Evidence Gorbachev wanted progressive change in foreign policy

Answer 23

1. Reassures Nemeth he will not intervene with multiparty elections
2. Accepts reunification and tells Honnecker to move forward

Question 24

Economic failures of Eastern Bloc (4)

Answer 24

West German loans - 38.5 billion Deutschmarks by 1987
Polish inflation 200% in 1988
Romania’s systemisation
Czech GDP per capita $3100 compared to Austria’s $19200

Question 25

Why communist regimes lost support (4)

Answer 25

1. Corruption - Zhukov and Ceausescu
2. Repression - Stasi 5.5 mil files, Securitate killed 71 in Timisoara and repression of Catholic Church in Poland
3. Economy
4. Specific policies - systemisation

Question 26

Examples of proactive leadership in Eastern Bloc

Answer 26

Jaruzelski held round table talks with opposition

Hungarian government cut barbed wire with Austria

Question 27

Examples of repressive leadership in Eastern Bloc

Answer 27

Honecker and Ceausescu resist change, but only accelerates oppostion