starter activity

Gorby, Gorby!Gorby, Gorby!

You are the new Soviet president, Mikhail Gorbachev. You need to make a few changes to improve the situation at home and abroad. What steps do you take to improve the domestic economy and international relations?

Why did the Cold Why did the Cold War end?War end?

Gorbachev and the end of Gorbachev and the end of Cold WarCold War

How did Gorbachev improve How did Gorbachev improve relations with the US?relations with the US?

1985, Gorbachev & Reagan met at Geneva to 1985, Gorbachev & Reagan met at Geneva to discuss arms reductiondiscuss arms reduction

1987, Gorbachev & Reagan signed Intermediate-1987, Gorbachev & Reagan signed Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces treaty removing medium range Nuclear Forces treaty removing medium range nuc. weapons from Europerange nuc. weapons from Europe

SALT developed into START (Strategic Arms SALT developed into START (Strategic Arms Reduction Talks)Reduction Talks)

What was so

significant about the

1995 meeting?

How did Gorbachev How did Gorbachev reformreform the USSR?the USSR?

Identified key problems: Identified key problems: Communist bureaucracy; Communist bureaucracy; low industrial output; low industrial output; high inflation; social high inflation; social probs – alcoholism; probs – alcoholism; human rightshuman rights

PerestroikaPerestroika – free market – free market economicseconomics

Glasnost Glasnost – openness in – openness in govtgovt

Political prisoners Political prisoners released (e.g. Andrei released (e.g. Andrei Sakharov)Sakharov)

Why were hard-line Communists extremely

critical of this book?

Your taskYour task

What kind of man was Mikhail Gorbachev? What kind of man was Mikhail Gorbachev? Read the letters sent to the Soviet leader Read the letters sent to the Soviet leader in the late 1980s. Try to work out as much in the late 1980s. Try to work out as much as you can about him from their contents.as you can about him from their contents.

What kind of person was he?What kind of person was he? What changes did he introduce in the What changes did he introduce in the

USSR?USSR? What was his policy on Eastern Europe?What was his policy on Eastern Europe? What was his attitude to disarmament?What was his attitude to disarmament? What did he think about human rights?What did he think about human rights?

Your taskYour task

Write a letter to Gorbachev, Write a letter to Gorbachev, explaining how you feel about the explaining how you feel about the changes he made and why they are changes he made and why they are so important.so important.

How did the Soviet How did the Soviet control of Eastern control of Eastern Europe collapse?Europe collapse?

1989-19911989-1991

‘At the beginning of 1989 the

Communists had

been in complet

e…control

of Eastern Europe. At the end of

the year they were gone’.

Poland, 1989Poland, 1989

1989, Poland – free elections held 1989, Poland – free elections held for 1for 1stst time since WWII time since WWII

Lech Walesa elected presidentLech Walesa elected president 11stst non-Communist leader in Eastern non-Communist leader in Eastern

Europe since 1945Europe since 1945

East Germany, 1989East Germany, 1989 1000s fleeing every year 1000s fleeing every year

by 1989by 1989 Demonstrations in E. Demonstrations in E.

German cities during German cities during state visit by Gorbachevstate visit by Gorbachev

East Germany – Erich East Germany – Erich Honecker’s troops Honecker’s troops refused to shoot refused to shoot protestorsprotestors

Honecker forced to Honecker forced to agree to reformsagree to reforms

Nov 1989, Berlin Wall Nov 1989, Berlin Wall pulled downpulled down

What makes this one of the most powerful images of the entire

Cold War era?

Czechoslovakia, 1989Czechoslovakia, 1989

24 November 1989, 24 November 1989, massive anti-Communist massive anti-Communist demo in Praguedemo in Prague

Dubcek (former leader) Dubcek (former leader) & Havel (playwright) & Havel (playwright) rallied support of crowdsrallied support of crowds

December 1989, December 1989, Communist leader Communist leader resigned & replaced by resigned & replaced by HavelHavel

1990, free elections held1990, free elections held

Hungary, 1989Hungary, 1989

Communist leader, Imre Pozgay Communist leader, Imre Pozgay accepted need for reformaccepted need for reform

Ban on opposition parties liftedBan on opposition parties lifted Communist Party renamed Socialist Communist Party renamed Socialist

PartyParty 1990, free elections1990, free elections

Romania, 1989Romania, 1989

CoupCoup Communist Communist

dictator Nicolae dictator Nicolae CeauCeausesescu & wife scu & wife Elena shotElena shot

Bulgaria, 1989Bulgaria, 1989

November 19189 Communist leader November 19189 Communist leader resignedresigned

1990 free elections1990 free elections

Baltic States, 1990Baltic States, 1990

1990, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia 1990, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia declared independence from USSRdeclared independence from USSR

USSR, 1991USSR, 1991 Communists criticised Communists criticised

G. for allowing G. for allowing collapse of USSRcollapse of USSR

Reformers wanted Reformers wanted complete abolition of complete abolition of CommunismCommunism

Feb. 1990, anti-Feb. 1990, anti-Communist demo in Communist demo in MoscowMoscow

May Day 1990, G. May Day 1990, G. booedbooed Mounting opposition to Communism

The End of Soviet The End of Soviet CommunismCommunism

1991, G. under house arrest by hard-line 1991, G. under house arrest by hard-line CommunistsCommunists

Boris Yeltsin, an advocate ofBoris Yeltsin, an advocate of market economy market economy && reform, gathered support from Russians to reform, gathered support from Russians to resist the resist the coupcoup

Coup demonstrated the unpopularity of Coup demonstrated the unpopularity of Communism & popularity of reformersCommunism & popularity of reformers

Boris Yeltsin new Russian PresidentBoris Yeltsin new Russian President

Boris Yeltsin

DiscussionDiscussionWhat is this 1992 US cartoonist trying to say about the political What is this 1992 US cartoonist trying to say about the political problems facing America after the collapse of Communism in Eastern problems facing America after the collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe?Europe?

Exam practice, question Exam practice, question ‘‘The world owes much to Gorbachev.’ Summarise The world owes much to Gorbachev.’ Summarise

and evaluate Gorbachev’s contribution to the and evaluate Gorbachev’s contribution to the improvement in international relations in timprovement in international relations in thehe late1980’s. (10 marks)late1980’s. (10 marks)

Exam question, practiseExam question, practise

What are the claims of the Reagan What are the claims of the Reagan victory school? How adequate are victory school? How adequate are they as an explanation of the end of they as an explanation of the end of the Cold War?the Cold War?

Sample answer