The collapse of communism in the Eastern European satellite states (23) Flashcards
Changes in Soviet-Eastern Europe relations?
Gorbachev scrapped the Brezhnev Doctrine
Could no longer afford to support the countries
No longer willing to intervene if a State deviated from the principles of not challenging the Communist Party or trying to leave the Warsaw Pact - the Satellite States were isolated
Problems in Poland?
Jaruzelski - suppressed solidarity in 1981
Saw need to reconcile with Solidarity
Granted a general amnesty in 1986 - thought support for Solidarity had ended
Ended martial law + made solidarity legal
Economic downturn - raised food prices 1988 - strikes and demands for change - used glasnost as justification - no Soviet support - could not suppress as he had in 1981 - had to work with them
Rise of Solidarity/ Fall of Poland?
Talks with government in Feb 1989
• Jaruzelski fought hard to bring hard-liners round to negotiating with Solidarity – threatened to resign
• Round Table Talks began in February 1989 in the Radziwill Palace (where the Warsaw Pact was first signed in 1955) - symbol and an inspiration
Led to - legalisation of non-governmental trade unions, creation of position of president and formation of a senate - gave poland a bicameral legislature
Lower house (Sejm) 35% freely elected - rest communist party
USSR happy as it was more capitalist than communist
June elections - Solidarity won 92/100 senate seats and 160/161 of the Diet seats available
7th August 1989, Lech Walesa demands a new government headed by Solidarity
Within a fortnight - Soviets agree - new pro-Solidarity government was created - led by Mazowiuecki
Key positions held by communists
By the end of 1989 - Poland a multi-party state -coalition dominated by Solidarity
Changing leader in Hungary?
Jànos Kàdàr - oversaw the brutal suppression of 1956 uprising - refused to extend any reform programmes
Resigned in 1988
Worsening economic conditions
Young Politburo member, Németh negotiated a 1 billion Deutsche Mark loan from West German Banks - made prime minister - allowed basic freedoms -civil rights and electoral reforms
Feb 1989 the Central Committee accepted a historical commission that 1956 was a “popular rising” and not a “counterrevolution” – glasnost – also rehabilitated Nagy – was reburied with honour in June 1989 – 250,000 attended
Fall of Hungary?
By 1989 – 40% of the people suffered chronic bronchial or chest disorders
Government ready to allow multi-party state under Németh
Initiated roundtable discussions to change constitution to allow new and revived political parties
April 1989 - Soviets agreed to withdraw all its military forces by 1991
June 1989 the Hungarian government agreed to free elections in 1990 - believed the HSWP (Hungarian Socialist Workers Party) would win - Soviets saw this as a way to create a legitimate communist state
September 1989 - opened frontier with Austria - allowed East Germans to freely move to West - exodus showed the rejection of communist - led to East German Crisis November 1989
1990 Free elections showed a peaceful transition from communism to democracy - model for other Eastern European states
Situation in East Germany?
Loyal to USSR - led by communist hard-liners
Secret Police, Stasi - over 600,000 with over 100,000 informants - through official employees and paid informers it kept files on over a third of the GDRs 16 million people, tapping phone calls and sampling the mail – kept a museum of “smell jars”
Was however receiving benefits from Ostpolitik and because East Germany was used by Moscow as a showpiece of Communism
1984 - agreement on cultural exchanges and removal of land mines on East-West German frontier
Honecker ignored calls for reform in Perestroika and seen in other European Satellite States
1989 GDR had accumulated a foreign debt of $26.5 billion – servicing cost over 60% of export earnings
East German Exodus and its effects?
Hungarian government removed border fence to Austria, 2nd May 1989
Exodus to seek asylum in West Germany - September 1989 - estimated 60,000 East Germans
Budapest overcrowded - Hungarian foreign Minister said they would not be stopped - 22,000 more crossed over Under pressure, East Germany allowed travel to West if they promised to return - family and house was still in East Germany
Honecker returned from sick leave in September 1989 and 30,000 had fled via Hungary and 14,000 through Czechoslovakia – in 1988 only 29,000 legal migrants were permitted
Fall of GDR?
October 1989 - opposition on mass in East Germany
Protested lack of reforms under Honecker - Party Leaders feared a revolution
Politburo forced Honecker to resign
Krenz came to power 18th October 1989
Krenz took to power with ideas for reform – was too late – the televised emigration had mobilised the people
Announced immediate economic reforms - inspired by glasnost and perestroika - and end to Brezhnev Doctrine
Met with Gorbachev Nov 1989 - USSR offered no financial aid - West Germany sent some
Economic growth: 1985 5.2% 1989 2.8%
Nothing to offer people
5th November - promised relaxing travel laws - public saw it as not enough - lost control - entire Politburo resigned
Berlin Wall fell 9th November 1989
1st December - constitutional change - Communist Party no longer dominant party - Krenz and Central Committee resigned - coalition government in place - immediate reunification process begun
East Germany incorporated into FRG 3rd Oct 1990
Situation in Czechoslovakia?
Glasnost and Perestroika opened country up to opposition
Communists maintained control until end of 1989
Arrested demonstrators in Prague who commemorated the 20th anniversary of the Soviet invasion
USSR still had troops stationed but was taking a policy of non-interference in Warsaw Pact countries
Economy was thriving so working classes had little reason to oppose the regime
Fall of Czechoslovakia?
Opposition from a small group of intellectuals, headed Havel
After his release from prison, he and his fellow signatories of Charter 77 (based on Helsinki Acts) continued dissent - gained support from 1989
People sick of lack of culture and fashion behind the Iron Curtain
Demonstration on 1st Jan 1989 in Wenceslas Square - Havel and 13 others arrested - catalyst for protests
Focus on environmental issues
Almost 50% of rivers in Slovakia were polluted and 3/4 of well water was unsuitable for human consumption
1983 - Czech forests had begun to die and a special children hospital in Prague was opened for respiratory issues
July 1989 - minor economic reforms - not enough - mass demonstrations - police beat students - public outcry
Posters developed the iconography of 89 as 68 turned upside down
19th November, Havel formed the Civic Forum - put forward ‘ Programmatic Principles of the Civic Forum’ - goals such as free elections, clean environment and return to Europe
Lunch time strike on November 27th – 38% of the population participated
Constitution amended, removing phrase giving Communist Party dominance
Communist leadership resigned
29th December 1989 Havel elected President
‘Velvet Revolution’ - no violence
End of Brezhnev Doctrine?
Gorbachev took the decision, almost from the moment he went into office 1985 to abandon the Brezhnev Doctrine
Went against his policies to wind down the Cold War
Meant that people in satellite states did not have to fear Soviet military intervention if they rose up against their governments
Main problems in the Soviet Bloc?
- All six states in economic crisis – GDP shrinking
- Growth in the 70s funded by Western Loans during détente – rising foreign debt – exceeded $95 billion in 1988 – Poland accounted for $40 billion – East Germany and Hungary – each $20 billion
- Servicing became more difficult as oil prices rose after 1973 - debt servicing absorbed most export revenues – less Western capital available – less Western consumer goods could be bought to please the public
- Due to Helsinki accords 1975 political organisations had to be given some rights – Solidarity and Charter 77 were the result of détente and Western loans
- Western radio and TV could be received across Central Europe – BBC and Radio Free Europe – Most of the GDR could receive West German TV and Austrian TV in Hungary; Czechs could watch both
- Soviet words – glasnost and perestroika – entered the lexicons of East Europeans by 1987
- New policies signalled that ‘socialist internationalism’ and the ‘Brezhnev Doctrine’ were over – Sinatra Doctrine
- Poland and Hungary were the example for the rest of the Soviet Bloc
Fall of Berlin Wall?
9th November 1989 - news conference - allowed free travel and transit to West Germany without prior notice - people poured into Berlin to travel to the West
Press conference – Schabowski, uniformed, mumbles that the travel restriction being lifted will occur “immediately” – people swarmed the checkpoints and the guards conceded and let them through – people began to tear the wall down
Fall of Warsaw Pact?
March 1991 Warsaw Pact ends – November NATO offered the European ex-members involvement in a new North Atlantic Cooperation Council
