Lecture 10 – 1989 and the collapse of the Eastern Bloc

Question 1

Contextualising 1989:

Answer 1

Closure:
o End of the post-war period
o End of ‘short’ twentieth century – according to Hobsbawn started after WW1 and 1989 end
Revolutions:
o 1917
o 1848/49
o 1789 – French Revolution brought in the world in which we live, recoded European politics

Question 2

‘Double shock’

Answer 2

Economic and political developments that changed Europe

Question 3

Economy: oil crisis and the end of Fordism

Answer 3

Aug 1971: collapse of the Bretton Woods – made international trade predictable, collapsed in 1971 as US unable to sustain gold dollar
October 1973: oil shock, economic and political reaction, e.g. car free Sunday during the oil crisis in Germany 1973

Question 4

Economy: The West

Answer 4

o Mass unemployment, rising inflation
o Neo-liberalism replaces Fordism – spearheaded by Reagan and Thatcher, economic model and political force brought in as a reaction to shift in economics – meant privatisation and deindustrialisation – Britain decreased manufacturing by 50% - country mostly based on financial services – making countries fit for global trade

Question 5

Economy: The East

Answer 5

o Accelerated borrowing to maintain domestic consumption
o East not affected by the Great Depression of 1930s – East became role model for planning yet the same was not true in the 1970s, Soviet Union gained money following the oil shock however they did lose power as satellite states economies were hit
o Policy of austerity was not viable for the Eastern system, instead borrowed by IMF, yet bought consumer goods instead of trying to strengthen economy

Question 6

Politics: ‘second’ Cold War:

Answer 6

Arms Race as a way to bankrupt the Soviet Union – Star wars initiative
o August 1981: neutron bombs
o November 1982: MX missiles
o March 1983: SDI (strategic defence initiative)
o Afghanistan

Question 7

Crumbling Centre: The Soviet Union

Answer 7

The Soviet Union tried to come up with military response to US yet this would lead to economic disaster (what the US wanted)

Question 8

Glasnost and Perestroika:

Answer 8

March 1985: Michail Gorbachev elected as Secretary General of CPSU
Perestroika – restructuring economy (economic reform)
o Decentralisation
Glasnost – political reforms (political transparency)
o February 1986: withdrawal from Afghanistan
o October 1987: Stalin’s crimes openly criticised
o December 1988: renunciation of Breshnev Doctrine, if anything happens in Soviet satellite states Soviet Union has right to intervene – Gorbachev stated this policy was being pushed back
o May/June 1989: elections

Question 9

Decolonisation: the eastern satellites

Answer 9

Informal colonial empire - Eastern European states started to think about their own independence
Poland reacted the quickest to changing international sphere

Question 10

Decolonisation: Hungary

Answer 10

Unlike Poland: no organised opposition, reform from within communist party
May 1988: Janos Kadar ousted
November 1988: political parties allowed
Early 1989:
o Free assembly
o Democratisation of CP
Demanded to Moscow – retreat Soviet troops and Iron Curtain
May 1989: first parts of the ‘Iron Curtain’ being dismantled

Question 11

Decolonisation: East Germany

Answer 11

Unlike Poland and Hungary: party not willing to give in
o Flush with West German money
o Under the illusion of Soviet protection – if Soviet Union don’t support GDR they would collapse
June 1987 – first big protest against the Wall
Protests in 1987/88 violently suppressed
May 1988: rigged election – ensure communist party would win (communist party won by 98%)
Realisation that communist party democratising but GDR not

Question 12

Detour Hungary:

Answer 12

Now, for the first time, people have a choice: they leave – GDR could leave to go to Hungary – could travel to Eastern European countries and as border between Hungary and Austria open can get to the West – may Eastern German citizens set up camp to cross border in Hungary – Hungary had agreement with East Germany not allowing citizens to cross but now opening border how can you prevent people from crossing

Question 13

Pan-European Picnic

Answer 13

Austrian-Hungarian border
Many East Germans marched to picnic from East Germany
Hundreds of people march to gate – and officials open gate allowing East Germans into Austria and then into Germany
East Germans crossing from Hungary into the West

Question 14

Eyes Wide Shut: celebrating 40th anniversary of East Germany

Answer 14

7 October 1989: celebrations in East Berlin

Question 15

From We are the People to We are a people:

Answer 15

4 November 1989: mass demonstration in Berlin
Used in American and French revolution in past
o Frustration not just with the state,

Question 16

9 November 1989:

Answer 16

6 November 1989: attempts to placate the population with new travel regulation fails
9 November 1989:
o 11am: new regulation drafted regarding GDR citizens leaving the country, however allowed to now go and come back
o 12pm: Soviet ambassador agree, apparently without understanding the nature of the changes
o 6pm: press conference ends with greatest blunder possible
o 8pm: West German media claim the borders are open
o 11:25pm: border guards open the gates without authorisation

Question 17

Conclusion:

Answer 17

October Revolution – workers rights in Europe – stemmed from Soviet Union
The Red Army – broke the German army in the East
The future – financial crisis now – problems still present