The Collapse of the The Collapse of the Soviet UnionSoviet Union

And the world watched And the world watched with wonder …with wonder …

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

A massive, home-grown A massive, home-grown insurgency, led by a 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 ReformersReformers

Polish Trade Union: SolidarityPolish Trade Union: Solidarity

The downfall began in The downfall began in 1980 when striking Polish 1980 when striking Polish workers organized workers organized Solidarity, an Solidarity, an independent trade union independent trade union of nearly 10 million of nearly 10 million members. members.

*Led by Lech Walesa, *Led by Lech Walesa, Solidarity was one of the Solidarity was one of the first groups to defeat first groups to defeat communismcommunism

Support from Catholic ChurchSupport from Catholic Church

Solidarity, which had Solidarity, which had strong support from the strong support from the powerful Polish Catholic powerful Polish Catholic Church, demonstrated Church, demonstrated how a working-class how a working-class movement could offer an movement could offer an entire nation moral and entire nation moral and political leadership.political leadership.

*Walesa led the people of *Walesa led the people of his nation toward a more his nation toward a more democratic governmentdemocratic government

The Gorbachev Revolution The Gorbachev Revolution

Mikhail Gorbachev, who Mikhail Gorbachev, who came to power in 1985 came to power in 1985 as the General Secretary as the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union of the Soviet Union (CPSU), recognized that (CPSU), recognized that the Soviet Union could the Soviet Union could not remain politically and not remain politically and economically isolated economically isolated and *he encouraged and *he encouraged many political changes.many political changes.

Gorbachev's Five-Point PlanGorbachev's Five-Point Plan *The key pieces to Gorbachev's policies to reform *The key pieces to Gorbachev's policies to reform

the Soviet Union politically and economically for the Soviet Union politically and economically for the survival of the Soviet Union were the followingthe survival of the Soviet Union were the following1.1. *Glasnost *Glasnost (openness) – greater freedom of (openness) – greater freedom of

expression expression 2.2. *Perestroika*Perestroika (restructuring) – decentralization (restructuring) – decentralization

of the Soviet economy with gradual market of the Soviet economy with gradual market reforms reforms

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

4.4. Reform of the KGBReform of the KGB (secret service) (secret service)5.5. Reform of the Communist Party Reform of the Communist Party

Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!””

ReaganReagan’’s Brandenburg Gate Speechs 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 Beginning in September 1989 demonstrations 1989 demonstrations shook Communist shook Communist regimes; undermining regimes; undermining the authority of the the authority of the Communist hard-liners Communist hard-liners who still clung to power who still clung to power in the German in the German Democratic Republic Democratic Republic (GDR). (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 Wall Came DownThe Wall 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.Berlin Wall.

*This act was symbolic *This act was symbolic of the end of Soviet of the end of Soviet domination in Eastern domination in Eastern EuropeEurope

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. Super Cute Protesters:

Moldova: The hot, 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

Radical change finally reached the Soviet Radical change finally reached the Soviet heartland in August 1991, when thousands of heartland in August 1991, when thousands of Russian citizens poured into the streets to defeat Russian citizens poured into the streets to defeat a reactionary coup d'état. a reactionary coup d'état.

Independent RepublicsIndependent Republics

The Communist party The Communist party quickly collapsed, and quickly collapsed, and the Soviet Union began the Soviet Union began the painful and uncertain the painful and uncertain process of reorganizing process of reorganizing itself as a loose itself as a loose confederation of confederation of independent republics.independent republics.

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.