Why did the Soviet Union and Soviet Bloc Fall?

1. Why did the Soviet Union and Soviet Bloc Fall? • Growth of resistance movements • The desire of political rights • The Economic system was ineffective • Production, standard of living and income declined • Citizens in communist countries saw in the “West” • Political freedoms, better economies and success of democratic nations

2. Poland • Solidarity: A Polish Labor Union • Opposed communist rule • Demanded government recognition of their group • Led by Lech Walesa • Gained popularity through strike and sit-ins • Was elected Poland’s first President in April 1989

3. Hungary • Citizens began fleeing to the west in 1989 • A hole was cut in the fence between Hungary and Austria • Hole got bigger defections continued to grow • Stated to include people from E. Germany

4. East Germany • Demands for reforms and protests increased • For political and economic rights • November 1989 the Berlin Wall began to be torn down • Protests started on West Berlin side • Protests culminated with W. Berlin citizens climbing up on the wall and starting to break it apart with sledge hammers • Protests ended with the opening of the Brandenburg Gate (Check Point Charlie)

5. East Germany • The fall of the Berlin Wall removed a symbol of division between Communism and Capitalism • East and West Germany reunited into a democratic country • The collapse of the Berlin Wall reflected the changes in Communist Eastern Europe in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s

6. The Soviet Union • The primary communist country throughout the Cold War • Changes in Eastern Europe connected to the economic collapse of the Soviet Union • Cost of stopping resistance movements • Cost of supporting the spread of Communism • Cost of the space and arms race

7. The Soviet Union • U.S.S.R. faced declining levels of production, income and standard of living • Made failures of Communist (Command) economy more apparent • Citizens began demanding changes and wanted more political freedom

8. The Soviet Union • Mikhail Gorbachev leader of Soviet Union 1982 • Under his leadership Soviet Union moved away from totalitarian system • Gorbachev encouraged economic and social reforms

9. The Soviet Union • Perestroika-economic restructuring • Allowed for decision making in manufacturing and private ownership of private business • Glasnost- a policy of openness • More public participation in government and greater individual rights • Began working with US President Ronald Reagan • Symbolizing a decline (détente) in tensions of the Cold War

10. Ronald Reagan • US President from 1980-1988 • Began his 1st term in a defensive and hostile manner towards the Soviet Union • 1983 referred to U.S.S.R. as “The Evil Empire” • Proposed the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) or “Star Wars”

11. “Star Wars” • Continued the trend of competition and animosity between the two superpowers • Was designed to use ground and space systems to defend the US from possible nuclear attack

12. Reagan and Gorbachev • 1985 both met in person and relationship changed for the better • 1987 signed a treaty to begin reducing the number of nuclear weapons • It was to show an end to the arms race and greater cooperation between both sides

13. The Soviet Union • 1987 Gorbachev introduced democratization • Process of creating a government elected by the people • This leads to nationalist groups in U.S.S.R. to call for independence • 1990 Lithuania declares independence • Gorbachev ordered economic blockade of Lithuania • Blockade ineffective had to use force in early 1991 • This the beginning of the end for the Soviet Union

14. The Fall of the Soviet Union • December 1991 the Soviet Union officially collapsed and was dissolved • Frustrated by economic difficulties and lack of political rights the people of Russia turned to Boris Yeltsin • June 1991 1st directly elected President of the Russian Federation • Gorbachev was still President of the Soviet Union

15. The Fall of the Soviet Union • August 1991 conservative Communist unsuccessfully attempt to overthrow Gorbachev • Due to this the Soviet Party lost power • All 15 Soviet Republics declare independence • All 15 Soviet Republics agree to form Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) • Gorbachev officially resigned on Dec. 25 1991 • This is the official end of the Soviet Union

16. The “New” Russia • Yeltsin adopted plan called “Shock Therapy” • An abrupt and immediate shift to Free Market (Capitalist) economics • By 1993 this plan led to outrageous inflation, economic and social hardships

17. “New” Russia, Same Problems • Yeltsin had problems as a region inside Russia fought for independence • Chechnya declared independence in 1991 • Chechnya used terrorist tactics • A cease fire was declared in 1996 • War continued through 1999 even as new President Vladimir Putin took control

18. Czechoslovakia • Following WWII Czechoslovakia was a two state federation made up Czechs and Slovaks • Communism collapse due to economic and political problems • Led to split in country in 1993

19. Czechoslovakia • Faced challenges and demands for reforms • Frustrated over lack of economic success and lack of political rights under Communist regime • When Communist rule collapsed political problems immediately surfaced

20. Czechoslovakia • Political differences between Czechs and Slovaks appeared in 1st democratic election 1990 • This separation of political agendas became more apparent after 1992 elections • Government peacefully negotiated the dissolution of the Federation in 1993 • Czech Republic • Slovakia

21. Yugoslavia • Political differences , economic concerns, and nationalism helped to break-up Yugoslavia • Not accomplished peacefully • Was a Federal State made up of six republics • Slovenia • Croatia • Bosnia-Herzegovina • Serbia • Macedonia • Montenegro

22. Yugoslavia • 1945 Communist Marshall Tito took control until 1980 • Continually suppressed democratic reforms • With Tito’s death the stability of government decreased and challenges from different republics increased

23. Yugoslavia • Economically like other Communist countries in Eastern Europe • Republics sought reforms due to lack of prosperity • Nationalism, protests and demands for reform amongst the republics grew stronger • Republics were inspired by the Communist Revolutions in Poland and Hungary in 1989

24. Yugoslavia • 1990 first free election in Slovenia and Croatia • Met with violence by police and military • Slovenia was the first republic to successfully secede from Yugoslavia • Followed by Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Macedonia

25. Yugoslavia • Serbia and Montenegro under the control of Slobodan Milosevic had cases of “Ethnic Cleansing” • Mass atrocities against nationalist minorities by local militias • Milosevic was arrested in 2001 and the UN recognized Serbia and Montenegro in 2003 • 2006 Serbia and Montenegro split into two separate countries • Serbian region called Kosovo experiences violence break out between Albanians and Serbians • Kosovo now the newest nation in Europe

26. The Birth of the European Union (EU) • Based on the former European Economic Community (EEC) • EEC created in 1957 • EEC sought to strengthen the countries of Western Europe • Allowed for beneficial trade • Lowered trade restriction-Tariffs • Increase trade opportunities • EEC wanted to create a “single market”

27. European Union • Established in 1993 • Continued economic cooperation • Created a single monetary unit called the Euro • Brought union of nations even closer

28. European Union • Also focused on non-economic issues • Democratic practices • Foreign policy • Common defense • EU expanded into Eastern Europe after Communism collapsed • Currently 27 member nations

29. NAFTA • North American Free Trade Association • Very similar economic philosophy to EU • Canada, Mexico, US

30. NAFTA • Allows for free trade between Canada, Mexico and US • Created the world largest free trade area • Marked another step towards a truly global economy and global interdependence