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 What kind of man was Mikhail Gorbachev? Working with a partner, try, Gorbachev? Working with a partner, try, based on the evidence, to determine the based on the evidence, to determine the following:following:
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
As an advisor to Gorbachev, make a As an advisor to Gorbachev, make a graphic for him, outlining the political, graphic for him, outlining the political, socio-economicsocio-economic and military problems and military problems that face the USSR.that face the USSR.
This graphic could be in the form of This graphic could be in the form of A mind mapA mind map Venn diagramVenn diagram TableTable Google Earth tourGoogle Earth tour
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