History, How far was Gorbachev.. Flashcards
What did Soviet Union experienced during the 1970s and 80s?
Economic Problems
_________________ became a serious issue under Brezhnev.
Corruption
What are five-year plans?
The basis for communist economies, the government set targets from what was needed by the population for production.
What happened to the Soviet Union under Mikhail Gorbachev?
A period of significant change
What were the two major reforms introduced by Gorbachev?
Perestroika - Breathe life into the economy and encourage new ideas
Glasnost - Allowing greater freedom of speech and an end to punishing critics of government.
Gorbachev also changed the USSR’s foreign policy which led to him doing what?
Meeting president Reagan at summits in Geneva and Reykjavik. This led to better relations between the US and USSR.
What happened at the summits?
Reduce weapons
Ending the war in Afghanistan
What happened in March 1989?
Gorbachev confirmed that he was abandoning the Brezhnev Doctrine
What was a clear challenge to Soviet authority?
The protests
What moment symbolized the end of the Cold War?
Erick Honecker was removed in October 1989, reforms were being considered and allowing East Germans to emigrate permanently, Berliners flooded the checkpoints and crossed the divide.
What is the “Velvet Revolution”?
Peaceful demonstrations in Czechoslovakia
What happened with the Olympics?
The US boycotted the Moscow Olympics and the Soviets boycotted the Los Angeles Olympics.
How did Reagan believe the Cold War could be won?
By massively increasing weapons spending beyond the limits that the Soviets could afford.
What happened when communism collapsed across Eastern Europe?
The USSR disintegrated into the separate republics that made up the union.
Gorbachev was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, however, in Russia he only got 0.5% of votes when he ran for president.
