Collapse of the Soviet Collapse of the Soviet Union (1922-1991)Union (1922-1991)

““The collapse of the Soviet Union The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 was an astonishing, in 1991 was an astonishing,

unanticipated event.”unanticipated event.”

Eastern Bloc

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics15 Republics: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

7 SatelliteCountries:Bulgaria, Czech Republic, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia

Was the Collapse Due to Force? NoWas the Collapse Due to Force? No

The Cold War cost more than The Cold War cost more than $11 trillion. But the collapse $11 trillion. But the collapse of the Soviet Union and its of the Soviet Union and its satellites was not a result of satellites was not a result of force. force. No NATO tank fired a shot. No NATO tank fired a shot. No bomb fell on the No bomb fell on the

Kremlin. Kremlin.

A Home-Grown InsurgencyA Home-Grown Insurgency

Instead, a massive, home-Instead, a massive, home-grown insurgency, led by a grown insurgency, led by a number of different number of different participants, contributed to participants, contributed to the collapse:the collapse: WorkersWorkers Dissident intellectualsDissident intellectuals Advocates of national Advocates of national

self-determinationself-determination Reformers (within the Reformers (within the

Gov’t)Gov’t)

The Death of StalinThe Death of Stalin Stalin died in 1953 and a power Stalin died in 1953 and a power

struggle ensued.struggle ensued. Party leaders settled on the Party leaders settled on the

choice of choice of Nikita KhrushchevNikita Khrushchev for the next Premier of the for the next Premier of the USSR.USSR.

KhrushchevKhrushchev’s policies: ’s policies: DeStalinizationDeStalinization = less gov’t = less gov’t control, peaceful coexistence control, peaceful coexistence with capitalism; with capitalism;

Conservative or Liberal?Conservative or Liberal?

Krushchev replacedKrushchev replaced His policies made him enemies His policies made him enemies

within the conservative leaderswithin the conservative leaders The handling of the Cuban The handling of the Cuban

Missile Crisis lost him many Missile Crisis lost him many allied in the Soviet Militaryallied in the Soviet Military

Leonid Brezhnev comes to Leonid Brezhnev comes to power and took on a much more power and took on a much more conservative governmental role.conservative governmental role.

Brezhnev comes dies in 1982; Brezhnev comes dies in 1982; replaced by a reformer from a replaced by a reformer from a younger generation of Soviets.younger generation of Soviets.

The Gorbachev Revolution The Gorbachev Revolution

Mikhail GorbachevMikhail Gorbachev, who , who came to power in 1985 as came to power in 1985 as the General Secretary of the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU), Soviet Union (CPSU), recognized that the Soviet recognized that the Soviet Union could not remain Union could not remain politically and economically politically and economically isolated and that the Soviet isolated and that the Soviet system had to be changed system had to be changed if it was to survive. if it was to survive.

Gorbachev's PlansGorbachev's Plans The key pieces to Gorbachev's plan for the survival The key pieces to Gorbachev's plan for the survival

of the Soviet Union were a series of reforms:of the Soviet Union were a series of reforms:1.1. Glasnost Glasnost (openness) – greater freedom of (openness) – greater freedom of

expression; many republics within the USSR were expression; many republics within the USSR were venting hostility towards the Soviet authorities venting hostility towards the Soviet authorities (Poland, Yugoslavia)(Poland, Yugoslavia)

2.2. PerestroikaPerestroika (restructuring) – decentralization of (restructuring) – decentralization of the Soviet economy with gradual market reforms; the Soviet economy with gradual market reforms; private industry allowed, price reformsprivate industry allowed, price reforms

3.3. Renunciation of the Brezhnev DoctrineRenunciation of the Brezhnev Doctrine (armed (armed intervention where socialism was threatened) and intervention where socialism was threatened) and the pursuit of arms control agreements the pursuit of arms control agreements

4.4. DemocratizationDemocratization Created the Congress of Created the Congress of People’s Deputies with directly elected reps. (many People’s Deputies with directly elected reps. (many newly elected were critical of Gorbachevnewly elected were critical of Gorbachev

The Objective: SurvivalThe Objective: Survival Gorbachev knew that the Soviet Union would have to Gorbachev knew that the Soviet Union would have to

change if it was to survive.change if it was to survive. Central planningCentral planning in a modern industrial economy in a modern industrial economy

brought many inefficiencies. brought many inefficiencies. The The factory management systemfactory management system provided little provided little

incentive to make technological improvements and incentive to make technological improvements and every incentive to hide factory capacities to ensure every incentive to hide factory capacities to ensure low quotas low quotas

The The socialist farm systemsocialist farm system was inefficient – there was inefficient – there were poor worker incentives and storage and were poor worker incentives and storage and transportation problems. transportation problems.

The Soviet State could no longer afford the The Soviet State could no longer afford the high high defense spendingdefense spending that accompanied the Cold War. that accompanied the Cold War.

Insistent Calls for ChangeInsistent Calls for Change

He believed that his He believed that his reforms were necessary reforms were necessary and used his leadership and used his leadership and power to attempt to and power to attempt to implement them. implement them.

The policy of The policy of glasnostglasnost (openness) made it (openness) made it possible for people to more possible for people to more freely criticize the freely criticize the government's policies. government's policies. When people realized it When people realized it was safe to speak out, the was safe to speak out, the calls for change became calls for change became more insistent. more insistent.

Reforms Were Too SlowReforms Were Too Slow

The gradual market reforms The gradual market reforms and decentralization of the and decentralization of the economy (economy (perestroikaperestroika) were ) were too slow and failed to keep too slow and failed to keep pace with the crises and his pace with the crises and his people's demands. people's demands.

The Soviet Union was The Soviet Union was suffering a deterioration of suffering a deterioration of economic and social economic and social conditions and a fall in the conditions and a fall in the GNP. GNP.

Release from Soviet DominationRelease from Soviet Domination

The renunciation of the The renunciation of the Brezhnev DoctrineBrezhnev Doctrine (armed (armed intervention in support of intervention in support of socialism) released the socialism) released the Eastern European states Eastern European states from Soviet domination. from Soviet domination.

The communist rulers of The communist rulers of these states could not these states could not survive without the support survive without the support of the Soviet Union. of the Soviet Union.

The Brezhnev Doctrine was articulated in 1968 when the Soviet army occupied Czechoslovakia to end the Prague Spring, an attempt by Alexander Dubcek to build “socialism with a human face.”

Reagan’s Brandenburg Gate SpeechReagan’s Brandenburg Gate Speech President Ronald Reagan called upon President Ronald Reagan called upon

Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall: Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall: ""In the Communist world, we see failure, In the Communist world, we see failure, technological backwardness, declining technological backwardness, declining standards... Even today, the Soviet Union standards... Even today, the Soviet Union cannot feed itself. The inescapable conclusion cannot feed itself. The inescapable conclusion is that freedom is the victor. General Secretary is that freedom is the victor. General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace,Gorbachev, if you seek peace,if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”

President Reagan giving a speech at the Berlin Wall, Brandenburg Gate, Federal Republic of Germany. June 12, 1987

Wave of DemonstrationsWave of Demonstrations

Beginning in September 1989, Beginning in September 1989, a wave of huge a wave of huge demonstrations shook demonstrations shook Communist regimes across Communist regimes across eastern Europe. A massive eastern Europe. A massive tide of East German emigrants tide of East German emigrants surged through surged through Czechoslovakia and Hungary Czechoslovakia and Hungary to the West, undermining the to the West, undermining the authority of the Communist authority of the Communist hard-liners who still clung to hard-liners who still clung to power in the German power in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Democratic Republic (GDR).

A tram is blocked by East German demonstrators in the center of the city in October 1989. Their banner reads: 'Legalization of opposition parties, free democratic elections, free press and independent unions.'

The The Berlin WallBerlin Wall Came Down Came Down Finally, on the night of Finally, on the night of

November 9, 1989, November 9, 1989, ordinary Germans ordinary Germans poured through the poured through the Berlin Wall. The GDR Berlin Wall. The GDR quickly disintegrated, quickly disintegrated, and by the end of 1990, and by the end of 1990, all of East Germany had all of East Germany had been incorporated into been incorporated into West GermanyWest Germany

The Rise of NationalismThe Rise of Nationalism

With the iron grip of the With the iron grip of the centralized Soviet state centralized Soviet state relaxed and the growing relaxed and the growing failure of the state to failure of the state to adequately feed and adequately feed and clothe its people, clothe its people, nationalism in the nationalism in the republics surged and republics surged and separatist movements separatist movements threatened the very threatened the very existence of the Soviet existence of the Soviet Union. Union. Moldova: The angry face of

nationalism - Apr 13, 2009

Events in Eastern EuropeEvents in Eastern Europe Communist governments Communist governments

in Czechoslovakia, in Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Bulgaria Hungary, and Bulgaria either tumbled or either tumbled or underwent reform.underwent reform.

The Communist The Communist dictatorship in Romania dictatorship in Romania fell after a week of bloody fell after a week of bloody street battles between street battles between ordinary citizens and ordinary citizens and police, who defended the police, who defended the old order to the bitter end. old order to the bitter end.

Radical ChangeRadical Change

USSR’s conservatives (who USSR’s conservatives (who wanted to remove wanted to remove Gorbachev’s reforms led a Gorbachev’s reforms led a coup d’etat. Members coup d’etat. Members inclued the VP, head of KGB inclued the VP, head of KGB and military leaders;and military leaders;

The coup failed when Boris The coup failed when Boris Yeltsin and other citizens Yeltsin and other citizens (with the help of military (with the help of military defectors) defeated the defectors) defeated the coup and announced the coup and announced the creation of the Russian creation of the Russian Federation [Republic] Federation [Republic] December, (1991).December, (1991).

Boris YeltsinBoris Yeltsin

Boris Yeltsin, who Boris Yeltsin, who headed the Russian headed the Russian Republic, replaced Republic, replaced Gorbachev as president Gorbachev as president of a much- diminished of a much- diminished state. Gorbachev found state. Gorbachev found that there was no that there was no Soviet Union to lead Soviet Union to lead and retired into private and retired into private life. life.

Time magazine's July 15, 1996, issue, featured a 10-page spread about a squad of U.S. political pros who "clandestinely participated in guiding Yeltsin's campaign.“

Nobel Peace PrizeNobel Peace Prize

Gorbachev won the 1989 Gorbachev won the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize. He Nobel Peace Prize. He brought a peaceful end to brought a peaceful end to the cold war, and dramatic the cold war, and dramatic change to his country's change to his country's economy, though not in economy, though not in the way he intended.the way he intended.

The End of the Cold WarThe End of the Cold War

The Cold War was over, The Cold War was over, brought to a close not by brought to a close not by the missiles and tanks of the missiles and tanks of the principal participants, the principal participants, but by the collective but by the collective courage and willpower of courage and willpower of ordinary men and women ordinary men and women throughout the USSRs throughout the USSRs nations. nations.

Ronald Reagan’s RoleRonald Reagan’s Role

In the United States, partisans of In the United States, partisans of Ronald Reagan claimed much of Ronald Reagan claimed much of the credit for ending the Cold War. the credit for ending the Cold War. Reagan's frank denunciation of the Reagan's frank denunciation of the Soviet Union as an “Soviet Union as an “evil empireevil empire," ," along with his administration's along with his administration's military buildupmilitary buildup, were said to have , were said to have inspired eastern bloc dissidents at inspired eastern bloc dissidents at the same time the the same time the arms race arms race exhausted the productive capacity exhausted the productive capacity of the Soviet Union and other of the Soviet Union and other inefficient Communist regimes. inefficient Communist regimes.

Another Side to the StoryAnother Side to the Story

According to U.S. diplomat George According to U.S. diplomat George Kennan, author of "The Sources of Kennan, author of "The Sources of Soviet Conduct" (1947) and Soviet Conduct" (1947) and architect of the containment architect of the containment policy, policy, the West's militarized the West's militarized posture helped the Communists to posture helped the Communists to rationalize their authoritarian rulerationalize their authoritarian rule. . The more U.S. policies followed a The more U.S. policies followed a hard line, the greater was the hard line, the greater was the tendency in Moscow to tighten the tendency in Moscow to tighten the controls and to discourage controls and to discourage liberalizing tendencies.liberalizing tendencies.

Lech Walesa'sSOLIDARITY

Gorbachev’sREFORMS

John Paul II’sCATHOLICCHURCH

GlasnostRonald Reagan’sFOREIGN POLICY

No BrezhnevDoctrine

Perestroika

ReformKGB

ReformComm Party

EVIL EMPIRESpeech

MILITARY BUILDUP

ARMS RACE

East GermanNATIONALISM

The Collapse of the Soviet Unionand the End of the Cold War

Ordinary MEN & WOMEN

WILL POWER

COURAGE

Eastern Bloc

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

Berlin Wall

Nuclear Stockpiles, 1945-2006Nuclear Stockpiles, 1945-2006

Source data from: Robert S. Norris and Hans M. Kristensen, "Global nuclear stockpiles, 1945-2006," Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 62, no. 4 (July/August 2006), 64-66. Online at http://thebulletin.metapress.com/content/c4120650912x74k7/fulltext.pdf

Communist CountriesCommunist Countries At its peak, communism was practiced in dozens of At its peak, communism was practiced in dozens of

countries:countries: Soviet UnionSoviet Union: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, : Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia,

Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan

Asian CountriesAsian Countries: Afghanistan, Cambodia, Mongolia, and : Afghanistan, Cambodia, Mongolia, and Yemen Yemen

Soviet Controlled Eastern bloc countriesSoviet Controlled Eastern bloc countries: Bulgaria, Czech : Bulgaria, Czech Republic, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Republic, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia. Slovakia.

The BalkansThe Balkans: Albania, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, : Albania, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia. Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia.

AfricaAfrica: Angola, Benin, Congo, Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea, and : Angola, Benin, Congo, Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea, and Mozambique.Mozambique.

CurrentlyCurrently only a handful of countries identified as communist only a handful of countries identified as communist remain: Laos, North Korea, Vietnam, China, and Cuba.remain: Laos, North Korea, Vietnam, China, and Cuba.