The Legacy of the Cold War 1992-95

Question 1

What were the main causes for the disintegration of the Soviet Union?

Answer 1

Glasnost + Perestroika (Gorbachev’s policies)

Nationalist independance movements

The Coup of 1991

Question 2

How did Glasnost contribute to the disintegration of the Soviet Union?

Answer 2

• Religion tolerated
• Dissidents released + new political organisations set up - Democration Union
• Congress of People’s Deputies elected 1989
• Article 6 removed
• Communists had to compete in elections
  
  • Defeated 1990 but Gorb. made President
  • Yeltsin leads Russian democratic nationalism

Question 3

How did Perestroika contribute to the disintegration of the Soviet Union?

Answer 3

• Failed!
• Revenue declined
• Inflation rose
• $100 bn deficit
• Decline in living standards + shortages
• McDonald’s in Moscow

Question 4

How did nationalist independance movements contribute to the disintegration of the Soviet Union?

Answer 4

• ‘Popular Fronts’
• In Baltic elections 1990 indendence candidates win
  
  • Gorb hardline - blockades Villnius + sends troops
  • Mass demostrations after 13 killed, troops withdraw
• Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, ethnic clashes
  
  • USSR troops kill Azerbaijanis + alienate
• Georgian clashes outside Parliament, 19 killed, independance movement strengthened
• Other states follow suit peacefully

Question 5

How did the coup of 1991 contribute to the disintegration of the Soviet Union?

Answer 5

• 1990 Russia declared sovreign state by Congress
  
  • Other states follow suit in ‘Summer of Sovreignty’
• Grob tries to draft constitution, fails
  
  • Hardliners brought back in, attempt to overthrow whilst on holiday 1991
• Yeltsin rallies crowds against attempt + defeats coup
• Gorb saved but humiliated on live TV
  
  • Resigns, Yeltsin President
  • USSR defunct Jan 1992

Question 6

What were the three main areas of instability in Yeltsin’s Russia?

Answer 6

Political

Economic

Societal

Question 7

How was Yeltsin’s Russia politically unstable?

Answer 7

• Took over Gorb’s office on Xmas day 1991, huge party
• Democratic Union wins elections
• Former Communists refuse to follow orders in Duma
  
  • Tanks shell 1993
• Yeltsin corrupt, drunk, treated self to perks of office

Question 8

How was Yeltsin’s Russia economically unstable?

Answer 8

• Opens to capitalism completely - ‘shock therapy’
• Former Communist factory owners gain huge wealth (Abramovic)
  
  • Buerocracy -> Oligarchy
• Former black market leaders domminate lower aspects of economy
• Economy still weak compared to West + size/potential

Question 9

What was society in Yeltsin’s Russia unstable?

Answer 9

• Chechnyan war for independance 1994
  
  • Islamic
• 80,000 killed
• Weak economy leads to massive poverty
• Causes strain on relations with West + within Russia (other breakaway states)

Question 10

When did the Yugoslav wars occur?

Answer 10

1991-95

Question 11

What caused the breakup of Yugoslavia?

Answer 11

• Tito’s death 1980 - lack of powerful control + economic problems
• Leaders use ethnic rivalries to gain support
• Communists removed after 1990 following Glasnost
• Markovic announces multiparty elections, only at state level
  
  • Nationalist victories
• Serbia most powerful, led by nationalist Milosovic

Question 12

What were the main events in the breakup of Yugoslavia?

Answer 12

• Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Macedonia declare independance
• Slovenia fights Yugoslav-Serb forces first + successfully
• Croatia next, eventually wins 1994/5
• Bloodiest between Bosnia - 1992-95

Question 13

What were the consequences of the breakup of Yugoslavia?

Answer 13

• Ethnic conflict in Bosnia
  
  • Serb forces attempt ‘ethnic cleansing’
• Srebrenica massacre - 8,000 killed
  
  • Dutch NATO peacekeepers helpless
• Continued fighting + tensions in Kosovo + with Albanians until 2008
• NATO air strikes on Serbia