How Far Was Yeltsin To Blame?

Question 1

Appealing to the public for sympathy and support

Answer 1

Attack on Gorb at CC Plenum (1987) in arena with tv coverage.
Met with leaders of the Orthodox Church, visited striking miners & organised demonstrations to show support. March 1991- 200,000 gathered in Moscow to support Yeltsin

Question 2

Yeltsin claiming the legitimacy Gorbachev never had

Answer 2

Used position as mayor of Moscow to organise demonstrations in his support & secured 89% of the vote in the city.
Alternative powerbase- election to the People’s Congress (platform to attack Gorb) INEFFECTIVE UBLESS COMM PARTY HOLD OVER CENTRAL SOVIET GOVT BROKEN
Needed an alternative powerbase- elected to People’s Deputies for the RSFSR 1990 to attack central govt
Yeltsin’s Democratic Russia movement secured most of the votes in the cities which was enough to enable him to be elected chairman of the Congress May 1990- direct challenge to Gorb’s authority (leader of Russia)

Question 3

Yeltin’s measures that undermined Gorb

Answer 3

July 1990- Resigned from Comm Party. The Congress declared that its sovereignty took precedence over the Soviet Union.
Yeltsin encouraged Nationalist movements of the non-Russian republics.

Question 4

Yeltsin and the August Coup 1991

Answer 4

Led by conservatives within Party to preserve rule of Comm Party and S.U. Gorb in Crimea so a State Emergency Committee formed to take over running country. Supported by leading army 👮🏼‍♀️ officers.
Gorb said to be ill (actually under house arrest) and they ruled in his absence.
Series of repressive measures hastily announced e.g. ban on strikes & demonstrations. Tanks ordered onto streets of Moscow to uphold law and order.
Lasted 4 days- poorly planned and without key backing of the armed forces.

Question 5

Yeltsin and the August Coup 1991 Key Impacts

Answer 5

Yeltsin stood AGAINST plotters- enhanced his reputation as a defender of freedom and reform.
The fact that he demanded Gorb to be released from house arrest and returned to President made his stance seem less like he was using the coup as an opportunity for self-seeking publicity.

Question 6

Yeltsin and the August Coup 1991 Key Impacts 2

Answer 6

Enhanced posituon meant he quickly introduced a series of measures that sped up the collapse of the USSR. Launched a programme if market reform in the economy. 1991- monopoly of the Party legally ended so Yeltsin could establish the Democratic Reform Movement as a political Party. Nov- banned Comm Party of S.U within Russia

Question 7

Yeltsin and the August Coup 1991 Key Impacts 3

Answer 7

Yeltsin then undermined the new Union Treaty- opportunity when Ukrainian president refused to sign. In its place, Yeltsin organised the Commonwealth of Independent States- a much looser arrangement that required no central Soviet govt. Implemented 1991 so S.U no more.