Political Consequences collapse Flashcards
Germany
May-sep 1989 – over 30000 east Germans flee via Hungary’s open border with Austria
SEP 1989 – gdr ban travel to Hungary
Oct 3rd 1989 – Bans travel to Czechoslovakia
Oct 6th – gorbachev encourages reforms
Oct 9th – 70000 protest
Oct 16th – 120 000 protest
Response
Nov 3rd – open borders with Czechoslovakia
Nov 9th – wall down after miscommunication at conference by Gunter Schabowski
Dec 7th – round table talks begin
March 1990 – free elections – Party of democratic socialism wins 16%
31st august 1990 – agree to merge
12th September 1990 – 2+4 treaty signed , agree 4 powers give up control
3rd October 1990 – FRG absorbs GDR
Bulgaira
NOVEMBER 10th 1989 – Khirkov, leader of 35 years resigns
JUNE 1990 – free election
Communists rebrand to BSP – surprisingly win majority till 1994
Hungary
MSZMP admit democratic change is necessary – after minor reform
FEB 1990 – admits need for multi party
MARCH 1990 – free elections
MSZMP – rebrands to HSP
Wins only 11% - Democratic by 1994
Poland
1988 solidarity is legalized as political party and trade union
1989 the Communist Party held Round Table Talks with Solidarity in which Solidarity was recognised as a trade union and as a political party
January 1990 - the Polish Communist Party rebranded itself as the SDP
JUNE 1990 – Free elections
Can win up to 35% of seats – win 92/100 possible
DEC 9th 1990- Lech walesa is leader
Romania
Nov 1989 – Protest from rural farmers against crasucu
Dec 16th-22nd 1989 – over 100 killed protesting in Bucharest
Dec 21st – ceacuscu aims to flee capital
Dec 25th – ceacusu and wife executed
May 1990 – nsf wins free elections
Remains communist till 1996
Czechslovakia
Velvet revolt
November 17, 1989: The revolution began with a peaceful student demonstration
November 20-21, 1989: Mass protests spread across Czechoslovakia,
December 10, 1989:
signaling the end of one-party rule.
29t dec 1990 – democratic Vaclav Havel president
Velvet divorce - Jan 1st 1993
Yugoslavia
Long term ethnic tensions
Ethnic divisions – 36% Serb, 20% Croat, 8%muslim, 7% Slovene
Long term ethnic tensions -King Alexander killed in 1934
Feel not alike – since 1920s Chetniks commit mass crimes against Serbs
Death of tito
MAY 4th 1980 – Tito dies
In 1974 outlines, Yugoslav constitution – released 21st Feb 1974
But this power sharing collapses after death, fails to come into effect
Serbia want 130 amendments
So, constitution falls – leads to 3-way war
Civil war
1991 – free way war between Croats/Bosnians/Serbs over land
1995 Srebrenica massacre – 8000 Bosnian Muslim men killed
120000-140000 killed in war
Ultimate cause of break up
1999 Kosovo breaks from Albania
Nagorgo Karabakh
FEB 1988 – vote for independence from Azerbaijan – want to be absorbed by Armenia
Popular front blockade Armenia after attempt to absorb it
APRIL 1988 – 91 killed in demonstrations
Jan 20th 1990 - USSR sends troops – over 130 killed
30,000 Killed by ceasefire 1994
Russia August coup
New union treaty planned for August 19th 1991
-August 18th 1991 begins , Gorbachev is on vacation
-Declare control
- 3 killed , Yeltsin rallies
August 21st coup falls
August 24th 1991 - Dissolve the communist party
