Source Based Paper- Kq6 Flashcards
When was the Hungarian uprising
1956
What happened- hungarian uprising
- rakoski forced to resign as pm (replaced by gero- backed by moscow)
- demonstrations in budapest (started by intellectuals in UN , crowds destroy stalin statue, calls made social reform)
- nagy pm
- soviet forces withdrew from budapest
- nagy announce reforms (inc free eleections, withdraw warsaw pact, end gov control of media)
- hungarian resistance crushed (nagy arrested and shot)
Why did khrushchev crush hungarian uprising
- dont want to leave warsaw pact
- hungary strategic position for ussr
- concerned NATO might take root- spread other communist countries eg. Romania and ussr
- wanted to keep sphere of influence
Why did the west fail to intervene hungary
- threat of war
- 1949-ussr nuclear power
- hungary in soviet sphere of influence
- potsdam agreed before
- suez canal
- distracted reduced concerted effort on hungary
- egypt (pm Nasser) wanted suez canal- seen as a priority by pm eden-gb
- gb, fr, isreal bomb egypt
- un gave egypt suez canal
- hypocritical as getting stalin to leave hungary- gb take suez canal (had control over egypt after treaty of sevres 1920s)
Causes of the hungarian uprising
-hated rakoski brutal regime
- secret police, thousands soviet troops and tanks
-anti-soviet feeling
-presence troops, religion banned (most catholic), schools curriculum controlled, street signs in russian
-desire for greater democracy and freedom
-AVH secret police, communist didnt allow smallholders party despite 57% vote and soviet 17%
falling living standards
-comecon- take goods into russia
-popularity of nagy
-agreed to be leader by ussr
-promised free elections, private ownership of farmland, leave warsaw pact
-concessions made in poland
-short term catalyst earlier that year
-workers in poland rose up and demanded change- gave into some demands, eg censorship
-khrushchev’s secret speech- in feb
-criticised stalin (destalinisation to gain support ) eg. ‘Often breaching laws’ suggested that he would relax laws
When was czechoslovakia
1968
What happened in czechoslovakia
- prague spring- apr 1968
- passive resistance
- dubcek leader- socialism with a human face
- relaxation of communism- seen as attack on commuunism and leaders of ussr
Prague spring
- apr 1968
- new ideas, freedoms
- freedom of speech- less censorship
- farmers could make own profits outside gov control
- trade unions had more rights
- more recognition of slovak (race) in czechoslovakia
Passive resistance
- opposing a group but without military or direct action against that group
- eg. Standing infornt of tanks
- offering flowers to soldiers
Socialism with a human face
- kept socialist model of government but guarenteed a better delivery of goods, freedoms to czech people
- generally more loyalty
- legalisation of political opposition groups
- reintroduced capitalist elements into czech economy
- reduction of secret police activity
Leader ussr czechoslovakia
Brezhnev
Why did brezhnev crush the czech rising
- pressure from warsaw pact leaders
- concerned of spread of capiitalist ideas
- land border to ussr- lost buffer zone
- strategic place- western ideas could spread to borderiing countries
Russian response- hungary
- khrushchev ordered red army to take control
- 1,000 russian troops entered hungary
- 3,000 hungarians killed
- resistance crushed 2 weeks
- nagy executed
- west verbally condemned but no action
Russian response- czechoslovakia
- 73 czech killed
- dubcek and ministers replaced- not killed (didnt want to leave warsaw pact)
- 400,000 warsaw pact troops invaded cz- took dubcek by suprise
- invasion force- claimed members of warsaw pact practise training exercises on czech border
Causes of czech uprising
- hatred novotny’s hardline regime
- anti soviet feeling
- popularity dubcek
- falling libing standards-comecon
- anger of hungarian uprising 1956
- desire for greater freedom and democracy
Brezhnev doctrine
- declared ussr not allowed e.e countries to reject communism -‘even if it meant a third world war’
- would take military action- to ensure
- rejecting capitalist economy
Czech in 1945
- ussr seen as liberators from germany
- anger felt as prague spriing ruined
When did berlin wall built
1961
What happened with berlin wall
-2 oclock 13 august
-east german troops erected barbed wire barrier across entire frontier between east and west berlin
-ending all free movement- agreement at potsdam and yalta
-quickly replaced concrete wall
-all points sealed off apart from checkpoint charlie
-
West response to berlin wall being built
- oct 1961- US diplomats and troops crossed regularly into east to find out how soviets would react
- 27th oct- soviet troops pulled up checkpoint charlie-refuse to allow further entry across
- stand off w/ tanks 18 hours us and soviet at checkpoint charlie, 5m at a time backed off
Why was the berlin wall built- western approach
- wall attack on freedom- go against yalta and potsdam
- ussr defending commnism
- 1961- krushchev trying to bully kenedy into withdrawing from berlin but kennedy refused
- ussr refused to recognise the existance of federal republic of west germany
- brain drain- skilled poeple leaving- between 1949 and 1961- 2.6 mill defected opposite side
- east berlin poorer than the west
Why was the berlin wall built- soviet interpretation
- western allies to recognise existance of GDR (East germany)
- needed to stop workers leaving- could only keep people by force
- 1954-west germany NATO
- 1958- west refused to sign krushchev’s ultimatum-suggest berliin become free self governing demilitarised area
- 1960-gary powers u2 plane shot down inside east berlin- eisenhower refuse apologise
- west berlin spies
- inside iron curtain
Berlin wall was threat on world peace
-over 40 germans killed per year trying to cross
-wall symbol of divide
-us complain bitterly construction of wall- khrushchev demanded leave berlin
—us used wall as propaganda and criticised use of force to prevent leaving
-both sides increased amounts of nuclear weapons
-tense stand off at checkpoiint charlie- 18 h- would someone shoot
-after crisis kennedy said ‘some people say we can work with the communists’ ‘let them come to Berlin’
Berlin wall not a threat to world peace
- east satisfied- wall stopped defectors and east germany economy recovered after
- ussr clearly given up hope of taking west berlin- west no longer feared another blockade
- crisis settled peacefully- kneedy reaction showed didnt want to go to war as withdraw tanks
When was solidarity uprising
1980
What happened w/ solidarity
- from 1980 opposition in poland organised by solidarity
- started as trade union- soon developed politicall party
- after series of strikes in 1980- governing communist party in poland agreed to walesa 21 points
- inc- right to strike
- right to form trade. Uniosn
- less censorship
- regular broadcast of catholic church service
1980-poland
Solidarity became first independant trade union in ee
Important factors in foundation of solidarity in poland
- economic
- low wagges, comecon, jul 1980 price rises (widespread unrest and strikes), low wages
- catholic church
- most poles catholic, too well organised so broken up by communists, 1978 polish pope john paul 2
- walesa
- good speaker, electrician working at gdansk, v. Careful negotiations w/ ussr to avoid provoke
How important was solidarity against communism-important
—level of support
-walesa nobel peace prize 1983
-west support
-mill ordinary people
-church and solidarity stronger than communists
-changes made
-gave into 21 demand
-proved change and reform could take place under communist control
-1st legal trade union
` -radio solidarity- message spread further
Solidarity wasnt important against communists
- 1982- 5,000 solidarity members arrested
- banned after achieved initial success
- walesa arrested 1982
Why was solidarity so diff for ussr to deal with
- popularity of walesa- won national election 1984
- role of pope/church
- international reach of movement
- usa interest- badges and tshirst
- radio solidarity
- 1983- walesa nobel peace prize
- popularity of solidarity
- grew despite illegal-trade union
- rural solidarity
- 9 mill members
- achieved 21 demands
Gorbachev
- last leader ussr
- 1983-91(Resigned
- liked in west, loathed in east
- w/ ronald reagan- agreed end cold war
Perestroika
- response to economic failure
- cut back defence-could never outspend usa on nuclear weapons
- local and central economic planning neededd
- 1987- market forces introduced into soviet economy- supply and demand allowed, prices not completely controlled, first time in 60y- can buy and sell for profit
- some privat ownership allowed
glasnost
- media and freedom
- freedom of speech
- criticise gov- no longer persecuted
- soviet citizens more aware of reasons for gov actions
- all types gov control lifteed
- media change- accurat rather than falsified figures- produced regarding economic progress
Problems in ussr
- poor quality resources
- high alcholism0 vodka- negative effects workforce
- corrupt gov officials
- poor infrastructure to distribute food-starvation
- economic problem-expensive war in afghanistan
Foreign policy ussr under gorbachev
- dec 1988- in un , announced huge cuts in soviet armed forced
- ee do what wanted
- no more tanks in prague/budapest
- brezhnev doctrine abandoned
- reduce military spending
- pulled out afghanistan
- stopped interfering w/ affairs of other communist states
- negotiating arms reductions w/ usa eg. INF treaty, both agreed to disarm large no. Nuclear weapons
Ronald reagan
- 1981-89
- president usa
- cut taxes- trickle down effect, money from rich to poor
- increase military spending
Reagan attitude ussr
- cold war can end
- diplomacy w/ gorbachev
- anti communist - ‘evil empire’
- revive detente- relaxed relation w/ moscow
Reagan attitude nuclear weapons
- want abolish- SDI- satellite shoots down missiles
- decrease nuclear weapons
Threat of world peace- reagan
- increased military spending
- SDI
- funding contracts- soldiers target communist leader s. America
- boycott moscow olympics
Reagan role ending cold war
- negotaite w/ gorbachev
- signed INF- reduce nuclear weapon
Hungary- collapse ussr
- jan 1989
- began dismantling barbed wire fence hungary and austria
- announced free elections held
- commuunist party renamed socialist party
Germany- collapse ussr
Nov 1989
- berlin wall collapse
- demonstrations in east german cities when gorbachev visits
Bulgaria- collapse ussr
- dec 1989
- huge demonstartions against comm gov
Czechoslovakia- collapse ussr
Dec 1989
- huge demonstratitions
- czech open borders w/ west
Romania-collapse ussr
- short violent revolt
- executes ceausesar (comm dictator)
Lithuania-collapse ussr
March 1990
- leaders stated views
- wanted independance from ussr
- ussr didnt allow, did anyway in mar-sent troops
Azerbajan-collapse ussr
Mar 1990
-sent troops end rioting
Ukraine- collapse ussr
- jul 1990
- declaired indepedance
- other republics followed
Russian republic- collapse ussr-1990
May 1990
- boris yeltsin elected as president- clear saw no future in ussr
- stated republic in ussr- independant states
Poland- collapse of ussr
- dec 1990
- walesa elected president
- solidarity most seats
- free elections
Georgia and latvia
1991
-declared independance ussr
End of soviet union
- gorbachev announced
- dec 1991
Russia- 1991
- hardline communists elite and leading military officials attempt coup
- held gorbachev prisoner in holiday home in crimea
- send tanks and troops into streets in moscow
- coup failed- lead by yeltsin (leader of opposition)
- crowds gathered in moscow to oppose
- conspirators lpst faith in themselves-coup collapsed
Stalin
—30y -origins cold war 1953 died -nazi soviet pact -free elections not allowed -korea war
Khrushchev
- secret speech-destalinisation
- gave hope hungary of lighter tough
- cuban missile crisis- turn ship around
- oversaw construction of berlin wall 1961
Brezhnev
- stop prague spring and czech uprisiing- send in tanks to ensure soviet control maintained
- Brezhnev doctrine
Gorbachev
-last soviet leader of usr w/ impact on foreign policies
-oversaw collapse of communism in ee
-abandoned brezhnev doctrine
—glasnost and prestroika
Ulbricht
—leader of east germany
-wanted berlin wall to prevent people leaving east berlin
Poland- 1980
- july- rising food prices- meat announced
- aug-strikes by solidarity and 21 points accepted
Solidarity support increased
Sep 1980- jan 81
-3.5 to 9.4 mill
Dec 1981- poland
Martial law introduced- banning solidarity and arresting walesa
Oct 1982- poland
Solidarity formally dissolved
Poland- 1989
-solidarity made legal- free elections
Dec 1990- poland
-walesa elected president
Examples of 21 points
- right to strike
- broadcast catholic church service
When did walesa win the nobel peace prize?
1983
Jaruselski
Poland communist leader
Usefullness q
- historical perpectives
- motives
- feelings at the time
- short and long term impacts
- understanding peoples actions
-does the source unwittingly reveal anything
1987- ussr
market forces introduced into soviet economy- supply and demand allowed, prices not completely controlled, first time in 60y- can buy and sell for profit
Poland 1984
Walesa won general election
Khrushchev secret speech-when
Feb 1956
Novotny
Czech communist president before dubcek
