Gorbachev's New Thinking Flashcards
When did Gorbachev became leader of Soviet Union?
March 1985
What was the state of the economy when Brezhnev came in?
Huge sums spent on developing arms to keep peace with USA. Barely any industrial growth in USRR or satellite states in mid 1980s. Standars of living in East were far worse than in West
What was causing unrest in satellite states?
Low standards of living and lack of human rights
Why did authorities declare martial law in Poland in 1981?
The trade union ‘solidarity’ in Poland posed such a threat to the communist government that it was banned
Why were there Soviet troops along Polish border?
They carried out maoeuvres ready to invade Poland if necessary
How was opposition to communist rule kept in check in satellite states except Poland?
Tight control of secret police, such as the Stasi in East Germany
How had the Soviet Union been suffering from poor leadership?
There was a run of leaders who ruled briefly and didn’t have times to make useful future plans. Brezhnev, then Andropov, then Chernenko. The different ideologies of them made Soviet Union unstable
What is said that Gorbachev told his wife in 1985?
‘We can’t go on living like this’
What was Gorbachev determined to do?
Reform communism in the Soviet Union and did this through his policies
What was Perestroika?
Russian for ‘reconstruction’ - proposed the Soviet state and economy should be reformed to include some of the practices that made capitalism successful
What was glastnost?
Russian for ‘openness’ - should be more openness and less corruption in government. People should not need to fear the state or fear expressing their opinions
What would a polic of glastnost allow?
Opposition to the government and give people a better understanding of how the country was run
What Doctrine did Gorbachev drop?
Brezhnev Doctrine which dominated relations with satellite states and West. USSR would no longer get involved in the domestic affairs of other communist countries
What else did Gorbachev want the USSR to do?
Reduce spending on arms and defence and withdraw from Afghanistan
How old was Gorbachev?
54
What did Reagan promise when he became president in 1981?
That he would stand tough against communism as he brought about a ‘second cold war’ with an increase in spending on arms and a more confrontational approach to USSR
What happened to USA USSR relations when Gorbachev came to power?
Changed. USSR now had a leader that was not looking to expand communism but was determined to reform USSR and work with the USA to reduce Cold War tensions
What did Reagan see in Gorbachev?
. An opportunity to end the Cold War
. Adopt a more open approach to the Soviet Union while still sticking to his overall aim
Why did Gorbachev put his new actions into summits?
To bring about further limitations on nuclear weapons
What happened at Geneva Summit?
November 1985 - before summit, Gorbachev appointed Eduard Shevardnadze as foreign minister who wasn’t a hardliner. Gorbachev and Reagan met for first time
What was the outcome of the Geneva Summit?
No formal agreement but a good working relationship and a mutual desire to improve relations
What happened at the Reykjavik Summit?
October 1986 - Gorbachev proposed phasing out nuclear weapons if Americans gave up SDI program
What was the outcome of Reykjavik summit?
Both leaders knew SDI wouldn’t be given up. Meeting broke up with no formal agreement again but improved relations again
What happened at Moscow Summit?
1988 - some complex detail related to the INF treaty was resolved. Later in the year, Gorbachev travelled to the USA, where he made a speech at the United Nations announcing a reduction in Warsaw Pact troops and that Soviet forces would leave Afghanistan.
What happened at Malta Summit?
1989 - Gorbachev met with new president, George Bush
What was outcome of Malta Summit?
No new agreements but both sides saw this meeting as the end of the Cold War. Gorbachev said ‘I will never start a hot war against the USA’
What did it now mean that Gorbachev gave up the Brezhnev Doctrine?
. Soviet satellite states free to choose how they would be governed
. Don’t have to fear Soviets intervening anymore
What did Gorbachev’s reforms encourage?
The people of the satellite states to introduce changes that would improve their standard of living and increase their individual freedoms
What were Gorbachev’s reforms not intended to do?
Bring an end to communism but to actually strengthen communist government, both within the USSR and within the satellite states in the Warsaw Pact
What happened in Czechoslovakia in November 1989?
‘Velvet Revolutionk overthrows communist government
What happened in Poland in June 1989?
Solidarity is legalised and wins a landslide victory in Polish elections
What happened in East Germany in September 1989?
Huge numbers of East Germans travelled through Hungary to Austria (to West). On 11th Sept, 125,000 E. Germans crossed border
What happened twelve months after Gorbachev’s speech at the UN?
Communist system dismantled through East Europe and Soviet Union disbanded a year later
