Collapse of the USSR Flashcards
What was the catalyst for the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe?
Events in the USSR itself, such as the collapse in East Germany, Poland, and Hungary.
What significant event marked the death of Stalin in the 1950s?
A mild reform drive that encouraged liberalization in satellite states.
What characterized the Brezhnev regime’s economy by the 1980s?
Economic stagnation and inefficiency due to weak leadership.
Who was the chief of the KGB from 1967 to 1982?
Yuriy Andropov.
Which prominent dissidents did Andropov crack down on in the 1970s?
- Andrei Sakharov * Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
Who succeeded Suslov as the ideological boss of the Communist Party?
Yuriy Andropov.
What leadership style did Konstantin Chernenko represent?
He undid reforms and represented a return to Brezhnev-era policies.
What was Mikhail Gorbachev’s age when he came to power?
54 years old.
What was the focus of Gorbachev’s anti-liquor campaign?
To address binge drinking and restrict the production and sale of vodka.
What does ‘glasnost’ mean in the context of Gorbachev’s reforms?
‘Openness’ in media policy and reduced censorship.
What major change did Gorbachev implement in the political structure in 1989?
Rewrote the constitution to establish the Congress of People’s Deputies.
Fill in the blank: Gorbachev’s economic restructuring policy is known as _______.
Perestroika.
What was the INF agreement?
A breakthrough in U.S.-Soviet relations involving the withdrawal of intermediate-range nuclear missiles.
Which country experienced significant debt issues and had a powerful resistance movement known as Solidarity?
Poland.
What happened in East Germany that led to the fall of the Berlin Wall?
Escalating demands for non-communist government and unification with Germany.
True or False: The Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia was characterized by violence.
False.
Occured in Czekoslovakia once Poland had revolted against the USSR successfully
What were the three main issues facing the USSR by 1990?
- Lack of confidence and demoralization
- Economic difficulties
- Rise of ethnic nationalism
□ (1) regime suffering from severe lack of confidence + demoralization - Gorb* confides to Margaret Thatcher that he may no longer be a communist - debilitating of USSR communist - membership falls apart
® Mavericks now campaign against the regime itself -
□ (2) massive unending econ difficulties - Gorb solutions for econ were just updated band-aids - in this process were causing shocks - letting businesses collapse if no longer profit -> unemployment
® Took off price controls w shortage of goods
® Due to poli regime - did not have instruments to quash dissatisfaction -> long queues -> profoundly disenchanted with the regime
® If make transformation, do it like the Spanish - lib economy, pain but Franco + secret police still in charge - USSR did opposite -
□ (3) USSR made up of all kinds of different Ethnicities and nationalities - coercive mechanisms diminished, these groups began to rise up
® Spec the Balkan states - Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania
® + other areas
® Some areas fighting breaks out - Armenians + Azerbaijanis
Who attempted a coup against Gorbachev in August 1991?
(andropovites) Hardliners within the Communist Party.
Andropovites back into charge - some of these people began to have doubts about Gorb
Aug 1991 try to coup him out of power - while on vacation in Black Sea -
What was the outcome of the attempted coup in August 1991?
Gorbachev’s authority weakened and the USSR eventually broke up.
Gorbachev 4 reforms done
(1) launched anti-liquor campaign 84-87
2) Glasnost campaign ‘openness’ most radical in media policy since ’20s - most aspects of censorship is lifted now - lessen pressure on dissidents - radical destalinization campaiin particular earlier USSR leaders from purges had names cleared
(3) Perestroika - ‘restructuring ‘ biggest restructure since ’20s in ref to econ - wanted to decentralize power - (1989 multi-candidate elections)
4) launched new foreign policy - too much mili spending - entered in more coop mode w US - better relations with the W - difficult
Gorbachev’s attempt at better foreign policy relations with the USA
INF agreement, START II ( Strategic Arms Reduction Talks - lowered # of RCBMs), Pulls forces out of Afghanistan + EU, Soviet econ retreat from E EU - up until this time, had been spending heavy in E Eu
