The Fall of the Soviet The Fall of the Soviet UnionUnion

HistoryHistory’’s Important?s Important?

Russian Revolution in Russian Revolution in 19171917

Established a Established a communist state; communist state; became totalitarianbecame totalitarian

Tried to create Tried to create unified, central state unified, central state where national and where national and ethic differences were ethic differences were eliminatedeliminated

Historical Problems in RussiaHistorical Problems in Russia

Non-Russian ethnic Non-Russian ethnic groups resisted groups resisted assimilationassimilation

Economic planning Economic planning failed to meet the failed to meet the needs of the State needs of the State (arms race with US)(arms race with US)

Communism never Communism never took root and lost took root and lost influenceinfluence

Underlying CausesUnderlying Causes

Years of Soviet military Years of Soviet military buildup at the expense of buildup at the expense of domestic development domestic development economic growth economic growth stalled/stagnant economystalled/stagnant economyFailed attempts at reformFailed attempts at reformwar in Afghanistan war in Afghanistan general feeling of general feeling of discontent, especially in discontent, especially in the Baltic republics and the Baltic republics and Eastern Europe (i.e. Eastern Europe (i.e. Chernobyl)Chernobyl)

Mikhail Gorbachev Mikhail Gorbachev

March 11, 1985March 11, 1985

Inherited many Inherited many problems; recognized problems; recognized need for change (the need for change (the economy needed economy needed fundamental reforms)fundamental reforms)

Introduced two-tiered Introduced two-tiered policy of reform to policy of reform to meet the needs of the meet the needs of the Russian stateRussian state

Policy #1: Policy #1: GlasnostGlasnost

Freedom of speech Freedom of speech and free elections and free elections 1989 elections - 1989 elections - reformist politicians reformist politicians swept into powerswept into powerunwittingly unleashed unwittingly unleashed emotions and political emotions and political feelings that had been feelings that had been pent up for decadespent up for decadesPandoraPandora’’s Boxs Box

Policy #2: Policy #2: PerestroikaPerestroika

Economic reform and Economic reform and rebuilding (complete rebuilding (complete economic restructuring)economic restructuring)did not have the did not have the immediate results immediate results Gorbachev had hoped for Gorbachev had hoped for and had publicly and had publicly predictedpredictedUnsuccessful – Unsuccessful – bureaucratic corruptionbureaucratic corruptionPeople used free speech People used free speech to criticize Gorbachevto criticize Gorbachev

Fall of the USSRFall of the USSR

Disintegration began Disintegration began on the peripherieson the peripheriesBaltic nationalist Baltic nationalist movements; movements; demanded autonomydemanded autonomychallenge to challenge to glasnostglasnost Non-Russian minority Non-Russian minority groups agitated for groups agitated for independence during independence during this period this period

GorbachevGorbachev’’s Responses Response

decision to not use decision to not use military force to put down military force to put down revolutions in Eastern revolutions in Eastern EuropeEurope

allowing revolutions to allowing revolutions to run their course would run their course would spell disaster for the spell disaster for the Soviet UnionSoviet Union

Ultimately eroded the Ultimately eroded the power of the Soviet Union power of the Soviet Union during 1989 and 1990. during 1989 and 1990.

August CoupAugust Coup

August 1991 – August 1991 – ““hard-linehard-line”” Communists take over of Communists take over of governmentgovernmentlast-ditch effort to save last-ditch effort to save USSRUSSRcountry went into an country went into an uproar; massive protestsuproar; massive protestssoldiers themselves soldiers themselves rebelled – rebelled – ““cancan’’t fire on t fire on our countrymenour countrymen””Coup collapsed after 3 Coup collapsed after 3 daysdays

Results of August CoupResults of August Coup

Gorbachev was unable to Gorbachev was unable to reestablish real controlreestablish real controlnegotiated the transition of negotiated the transition of power made inevitable by the power made inevitable by the will of the people. will of the people. December 1, 1991 all non-December 1, 1991 all non-Russian republics declared Russian republics declared independence (population independence (population wanted democracy)wanted democracy)political movements which had political movements which had emerged since the emerged since the implementation of implementation of glasnostglasnost resulted in immediate fallresulted in immediate fall

Collapse of the Soviet UnionCollapse of the Soviet Union

a new entity was formed a new entity was formed ““Commonwealth of Commonwealth of Independent Republics" Independent Republics" Russia and 15 independent Russia and 15 independent former USSR countriesformer USSR countriescomplete political complete political independence, linked to other independence, linked to other Commonwealth countries by Commonwealth countries by economic, and military tieseconomic, and military tiesthe Soviet Union, with its the Soviet Union, with its centralized political and centralized political and economic system, had ceased economic system, had ceased to existto existDecember, 1991December, 1991

How does America fit in?How does America fit in?

Russia built up a military Russia built up a military arsenal surpassing that of the arsenal surpassing that of the United StatesUnited Statesenormous military expenses, in enormous military expenses, in combination with collectivized combination with collectivized agriculture and inefficient agriculture and inefficient manufacturing were a heavy manufacturing were a heavy burden on the economyburden on the economyReagan Administration Reagan Administration persuaded Saudi Arabia to persuaded Saudi Arabia to increase oil productionincrease oil productionresulted in a three times drop resulted in a three times drop of oil prices in 1985; oil was of oil prices in 1985; oil was the main source of Soviet the main source of Soviet export revenuesexport revenues

President Ronald ReaganPresident Ronald Reagan

recognized the change in recognized the change in the direction of Soviet the direction of Soviet leadership leadership shifted to diplomacy to shifted to diplomacy to pursue substantial arms pursue substantial arms agreements agreements four summit conferences four summit conferences between 1985 and 1988between 1985 and 1988believed that he could believed that he could persuade the Soviets to persuade the Soviets to allow for more democracy allow for more democracy and free speech, this and free speech, this would lead to reform and would lead to reform and the end of Communismthe end of Communism

Berlin WallBerlin Wall

June 12, 1987, Reagan June 12, 1987, Reagan challenged Gorbachev:challenged Gorbachev:““General Secretary General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!down this wall!””

Response in the WestResponse in the West

victory for freedomvictory for freedom

triumph of democracy triumph of democracy over totalitarianism, over totalitarianism,

superiority of capitalism superiority of capitalism over socialism over socialism

Rejoicing - formidable Rejoicing - formidable enemy was brought to its enemy was brought to its kneesknees

Relief – end of Cold War Relief – end of Cold War which had hovered over which had hovered over the two superpowersthe two superpowers

Results of the FallResults of the Fall

transformed the entire transformed the entire world political situationworld political situationreformulation of political, reformulation of political, economic and military economic and military alliances alliances America sole military and America sole military and world hegemonic powerworld hegemonic powerEnd of Cold War and End of Cold War and MAD threatMAD threat