Mikhail Gorbachev

Question 1

When did Gorbachev become leader of the Soviet Union?

Answer 1

1985

Question 2

What were Gorbachev’s main beliefs a mixture of?

Answer 2

• Idealism
• Optimism
• Realism

Question 3

Gorbachev’s idealism

Answer 3

• Believed communist rule should make life better for the people of the USSR and other communist states
• He was offended that living standards were higher in the West as he was a loyal communist and proud Russian
• He was also offended with how many Soviet citizens had no loyalty to the Government

Question 4

Gorbachev’s optimism

Answer 4

• Believed that a reformed communist system of government could give people pride and belief in their country
• He wanted to radically reform communism yet didn’t want to dismantle it in the USSR

Question 5

Gorbachev’s realism

Answer 5

• He could see the terrible state the USSR was in
• Very weak economy
• Spending far too much on the arms race
• Was locked in an unwinnable war in Afghanistan

Question 6

Why was Gorbachev different to Brezhnev?

Answer 6

• Gorbachev made it clear to the countries of Eastern Europe that they were responsible for their own fates
• Different attitude
• Most of the Warsaw Pact leaders were old-style, hardline communists
• They thought Gorbachev’s ideas were insane

Question 7

What was Gorbachev’s attitude to communism?

Answer 7

• He didn’t believe communism was doomed
• Believed the opposite and that the communist system could provide better healthcare, education and transport
• The task in the USSR was to renew communism so as to match capitalism in other areas of public life
• Still, other communist leaders believed he Gorbachev was crazy

Question 8

What are the 2 key Russian words?

Answer 8

• Glasnost (openness)
• Perestroika (restructuring)

Question 9

What was Glasnost?

Answer 9

• Gorbachev called for open debate on government policy and honesty in facing up to problems
• It wasn’t detailed but it did mean radical change

Question 10

What was Perestroika?

Answer 10

• In 1987 Gorbachev’s perestroika programme allowed market forces to be introduced into the Soviet economy
• For the first time in 60 years it was no longer illegal to buy and sell for profit

Question 11

What other reforms did Gorbachev do?

Answer 11

• Reduced defence spending
• Improved international relations

Question 12

What was reduced defence spending?

Answer 12

• The nuclear arms race was an enormous drain on the Soviet economy
• The Red Army began to shrink

Question 13

What was improved international relations?

Answer 13

• Gorbachev brought a new attitude to the USSR’s relations with the wider world
• Withdrew Soviet troops from Afghanistan
• In speech after speech, he talked about international trust and co-operation rather than confrontation

Question 14

Who became the US President in January 1981?

Answer 14

Reagan till 1988

Question 15

How did Reagan somehow help Gorbachev?

Answer 15

• His toughness
• It was clear by the late 1980s that the USSR couldn’t compete with American military spending - this helped Gorbachev to push through his military spending cuts
• Reagan got on quite well with Gorbachev himself and as superpower relations improved, the USSR felt less threatened by the USA
• This meant there was less need for the USSR to control eastern Europe