Kellen Smythe - The End of the Cold War Part A PDF

The End of the Cold War: The Expansion of Democracy and Continuing Challenges Unit 4 Pre - Knowledge (Cover Page) 1. What is the difference between a cold and hot war? 2. What will play a factor in the collapse of the Soviet Union? 3. What has China been up to since the Korean Wa...

The End of the Cold War: The Expansion of Democracy and Continuing Challenges Unit 4 Pre - Knowledge (Cover Page) 1. What is the difference between a cold and hot war? 2. What will play a factor in the collapse of the Soviet Union? 3. What has China been up to since the Korean War? 4. How do you fix the divide in Europe between Eastern and Western Europe? Lesson 1 Setting the Scene Familiar Figure Returns To begin this unit our favorite dumpster fire of a crook is about to make his re-entry Richard Nixon The World Changed In 1972 Richard Nixon elected to make a 7 day visit to the People’s Republic of China But Why? Why is this such a big stepping stone? Another Return Mao Zedong ruler of China from 1949-1976 Korean War The Soviet-backed North Korean People’s Army invaded South Korea on June 25. The United Nations and the United States rush to South Korea’s defense. China, in support of the communist North, retaliates when U.S., UN, and South Korean troops approach the Chinese border. As many as four million people die in the three-year conflict until the United Nations, China, and North Korea sign an armistice agreement in 1953 Taiwan and China Mao Zedong’s communists take power in Beijing in October 1949 after defeating Chiang Kai-shek’s Kuomintang (KMT) nationalists in a civil war. The KMT flee to the island of Taiwan and form their own government in Taipei in December, cutting off contacts with mainland China. In 1950, Taiwan becomes an ally of the United States, which is at war with Communist China in Korea. It deploys a fleet in the Taiwan Strait between the two to protect its ally from possible attack from the mainland. Mao Brainwashes China Let’s discuss, how to you brainwash the people to have them accept whatever political ideology you’re preaching? Some Tactics Mao Employed Get rid of the opposition (mass executions) Many Chinese teachers are killed (doesn’t matter if they are loyal to Mao) They can teach a new generation of teachers Have positive propaganda that misleads the people Create a generation that hates Western culture and Capitalism Détente Détente is the relaxation of strained relations, especially political, by verbal communication. The term, in diplomacy, originates from around 1912 when France and Germany tried unsuccessfully to reduce tensions. U.S Opens Diplomacy with China The 1972 visit by United States President Richard Nixon to the People's Republic of China was an important strategic and diplomatic endeavor that marked the culmination of the Nixon administration's resumption of relations between the United States and mainland China after years of diplomatic isolation. Lesson 2 Fixing Wounds The War of Egos During the Cold War the United States and the Soviet Union never progressed to a hot war Why? What would have been the consequences if the U.S. went to war with the Soviets? Peace? For more than two decades the U.S. and Russia had been at each other’s throats to compete for the #1 Country spot. Tensions at times had been pretty high to say the least. Why was there so much bad blood between these two countries? S.A.L.T So the question becomes how can you begin to ease the tensions going on between the U.S. and the Soviets Based off of what you know how could we begin negotiations with the Soviets? S.A.L.T Continued S.A.L.T - stands for Strategic Arms Limitation Talks,it was negotiations between the United States and the Soviet Union that were aimed at curtailing the manufacture of strategic missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons. S.A.L.T 1 Crowning Achievement SALT I is considered the crowning achievement of the Nixon-Kissinger strategy of détente. The Treaty limited strategic missile defenses to 200 interceptors each and allowed each side to construct two missile defense sites, one to protect the national capital, the other to protect one ICBM field. (1972) S.A.L.T 2 Intentions With Salt 2 limits were put on the number of MIRVed ICBMs, MIRVed SLBMs, heavy (long-range) bombers, and the total number of strategic launchers. The treaty set an overall limit of about 2,400 of all such weapons systems for each side. (1979) What’s the Problem Unfortunately neither the United States or Russia held up their ends of the agreements. Although SALT II resulted in an agreement in 1979 in Vienna, the US Senate chose not to ratify the treaty in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, which took place later that year. Jimmy Carter Born October 1, 1924 Was the 39th president of the United States and served from 1977 - 1981 A New Foreign Policy Approach Upon taking office, Jimmy Carter reoriented the U.S. foreign policy towards a new emphasis on human rights, democratic values, nuclear non-proliferation, and global poverty. Foreign Policy Success Through the use of peaceful foreign policy, one of Carter's biggest foreign policy successes was the Camp David Accords, which established a lasting peace between Egypt and Israel. Lesson 3 Breakup of the USSR Arms Race Arms Race - a competition between nations for superiority in the development and accumulation of weapons, especially between the US and the former Soviet Union during the Cold War Arms Race Exhausts USSR Economy The Soviet Union and the United States were both funneling A LOT of money into the arms race. How much becomes the question. Perspective America had suffered from inflation and its commitment to the Vietnam War. By the end of the war, America had spent $120 billion on trying to prop up the South Vietnamese regime. This is nothing compared to Russia. Soviet Spending It’s difficult to gauge just how much the USSR spent on its nuclear forces because it had an economy that did not rely on cash expenditure to fund its programs. Estimates from various sources put the expenditure of over 35% of the GDP of the USSR on its military forces. Between 15% and 20% went to its nuclear weapons and programs in an attempt to match and even outspend the US. Grand Total Estimates say that the USSR spent around the same as the United States on the arms race. But why did it hurt Russia so much worse? Money Isn’t Infinite The Soviet Union spent a much higher percentage of their GDP on the arms race that the U.S. GDP - Otherwise known as gross domestic product is the monetary measure of the market value of all the final goods and services produced in a specific time period. Negative Impact Even for arms-producing countries, excessive military expenditure is likely to have negative economic consequences if it isn’t well managed. The Soviet Union's economic difficulties were enhanced by the high proportion of the gross domestic product devoted to the arms race. A Useless Race The decades-long arms race that it caused left the Soviet Union with a huge military arsenal. However it turned out virtually worthless, and a devastated economy with a tremendous budget deficit and very low living standards Lives Affected “The poverty level in the Soviet Union for an urban family of four was about about 206 rubles a month, or $340 in U.S. currency. But Soviet authorities and academics readily admit that the figure, calculated in the 1960s, is outdated, and that it takes about 300 rubles a month to provide what the government calls ''minimum material security'' for a family of four.” (New York Times, 1989) Lesson 4 Soviet Afghanistan War Afghanistan This famous sign comes from the winter Olympic games when the Soviet Union played the “miracle team” circa 1980 How can sports be a place to display/protest current events and issues Afghanistan War The roots of the Afghan war lay in the overthrow of the former government lead by President Mohammad Daud Khan in April 1978 by left-wing military officers. They were led by Nur Mohammad Taraki. Power was thereafter shared by two Marxist-Leninist political groups With these ties to communism who might they reach out to? Soviet Ties The new government forged close ties with the Soviet Union and launched ruthless purges of all domestic opposition. Additionally extensive land and social reforms were bitterly resented by the devout Muslims Country composed of largely anticommunist population. Why? Domino theory the Soviets want to indoctrinate Afghanistan with their communism ideas and bring them into the Soviet Union Soviet Union - Primarily dominated by Russia it was a collection nominally a federal union of multiple national republics. Anti-Communist Insurgents Insurgencies arose against the government among both tribal and urban groups, and all of these—known collectively as the mujahideen “those who engaged in jihad” were Islamic in orientation. Mujahideen - would be the primary foe against the Soviet Union and utilized guerrilla warfare tactics. Soviets Involved Uprisings, along with internal fighting, and coups within the government escalate. This prompted the Soviets to invade the country in December 1979, sending in some 30,000 troops and toppling the short-lived presidency of People’s leader Hafizullah Amin. Stalemate The Afghan War quickly became a stalemate. Some 100,000 Soviet troops controlled the cities, larger towns, and major garrisons. The mujahideen moved with relative freedom throughout the countryside. Soviet troops tried to crush the insurgency by various tactics, but the guerrillas generally eluded their attacks. The Soviets then attempted to eliminate the mujahideen’s civilian support by bombing and depopulating the rural areas. These tactics sparked a massive flight from the countryside; by 1982 some 2.8 million Afghans had sought asylum in Pakistan, and another 1.5 million had fled to Iran. United States Involvement? The dominant historical narrative surrounding US policy and actions during the Soviet-Afghan War (1979-1989) Stated that the US government launched its extensive covert operation in support of the Mujahedin against the Soviet army in response to the Soviet Union’s December 25, 1979 invasion of Afghanistan. Covert operation A covert operation is a military operation intended to conceal the identity of the party that instigated the operation. According to such historical accounts, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan blindsided US officials and, in response, the US government began supporting the Mujahedin in order to defend Afghanistan’s sovereignty and religious freedom. It also incentivises us because we want to get back at Russia in whatever capacity we can. Conclusion The war in Afghanistan became a precursor for what by the late 1980s was a diminishing Soviet Union. The Soviets suffered 15,000 dead and many more injured during the war. In 1988 the United States, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the Soviet Union signed an agreement by which the latter would withdraw its troops (completed in 1989), and Afghanistan returned to nonaligned status. Lesson 5 Helsinki Accords Back Track a Tad After concluding the invasion of Afghanistan this next section backtracks just a bit Helsinki Accords on human rights The Helsinki Accords were primarily an effort to reduce tension between the Soviet and Western blocs by securing their common acceptance of the post-World War II status quo in Europe (aka making sure country borders were accepted universally). Helsinki Accords The accords were signed by nearly all the countries of Europe, the United States, and Canada. The agreement recognized the sacredness of the post-World War II frontiers and borders in Europe and pledged the 35 signatory nations to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms and to cooperate with each other. Build Up Sought by the Soviet Union from the 1950s, a European security conference was proposed by the Warsaw Pact in 1966 and was accepted in principle by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. In 1972 preparatory talks on the ambassadorial level opened in Helsinki. Over the next several months, an agenda was prepared consisting of four general topics. Détente All of this was made possible because of détente. Détente was a period in which Cold War tensions eased between the Soviet Union and the United States from the late 1960s to 1979. Détente Continued Détente was characterized by improved relationships between US president Richard Nixon (1969–1974) and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev (1964–1982). Détente is the relaxation of strained relations, especially political, by verbal communication. Four Topics Brought Up During Negotiations (1) questions of European security (2) cooperation in economics, science and technology, and the environment (3) humanitarian and cultural cooperation (4) follow-up to the conference. Which one of these did the Soviet Union have an immediate problem with Wrapping Up Following a foreign ministers’ meeting in Helsinki in July 1973, committees met in Geneva to draft an agreement (September 1973 to July 1975). The principal interest of the Soviet Union was in gaining recognition of its postwar influence in eastern Europe through guarantees of the safety and security of frontiers and noninterference in the internal affairs of states. Conclusion In return for their recognition of this, the United States and its western European allies pressed the Soviet Union for commitments on issues such as: (1) Respect for human rights (2) Expansion of contacts between eastern and western Europe, (3) Freedom to travel, (4) Free flow of information across borders. The Final Act, signed at a summit meeting in Helsinki, reflected both viewpoints. The agreement in effect marked the formal end of World War II,since it recognized all the European national frontiers. Lesson 6 Key Soviet Figures Andrei Sakharov Born May 21, 1921, Moscow, Russia Died December 14, 1989, Moscow, Russia Man of Many Talents Sakharov was an exceptionally talented man: Top Soviet nuclear theoretical physicist who headed many nuclear programs Advocate of human rights, civil liberties, and reform in the Soviet Union as well as expanding relations with non communist nations. Why would Sakharov be considered somewhat radical for the time? Background/Upbringing His father, Dmitry Sakharov, taught physics at several Moscow schools and institutes he was also well known for his writings in popular scientific works and textbooks. Dmitry inspired his son to follow the same scientific path. Andrei Sakharov was tutored at home by his father for several years and eventually entered school in the fall of 1933. His scientific potential was recognized early, and in 1938 he enrolled in the physics department of Moscow State University. Nuclear Research After school and WW2 Sakharov had built quite the reputation as a scientist. In March 1950 Sakharov arrived at the “Installation” (secret military base). Where he would work to develop and produce Soviet nuclear weapons. Questioning Authority In the late 1950s Sakharov became concerned about the consequences of nuclear testing in the atmosphere. He foresaw an eventual increased global death toll over time. In 1961 Sakharov went on record against Soviet Premier Nikita S. Khrushchev’s plan for an atmospheric test of a 100-megaton thermonuclear bomb, fearing the hazards of widespread radioactive fallout. (The Tsar Bomba was 50 megatons) Powerful Writing May 1968 Sakharov finished his essay “Reflections on Progress, Peaceful Coexistence, and Intellectual Freedom.” The publication made waves and had caught wind in the West by The New York Times and elsewhere beginning in July. Sakharov warned of the threats against the human race, called for nuclear arms reductions, predicted and endorsed the eventual convergence of communist and capitalist systems in a form of democratic socialism, and criticized the increasing repression of Soviet officials. Silencing the Voice In 1975 Sakharov was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace. However, the Soviet government reacted negatively and prevented Sakharov from leaving the country to attend the Nobel ceremony in Oslo. Public Enemy Sakharov’s Nobel lecture, “Peace, Progress, and Human Rights,” was instead delivered by Yelena G. Bonner, a human rights activist whom he had married in 1972. Sakharov and Bonner continued to speak out against Soviet political repression at home and hostile relations abroad, for which Sakharov was isolated and became the target of official censure and harassment. Isolation In January 1980, the Soviet government stripped him of his honours and exiled him to the restricted city of Gorky. The intention was to silence him following his open criticism of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and his call for a worldwide boycott of the coming Olympic Games in Moscow. Reunification In 1985 Sakharov undertook a six-month hunger strike, eventually forcing the new Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev to grant Bonner permission to leave the country to have a heart bypass operation in the United States. During her six-month absence, she met with Western leaders to focus concern on her husband’s causes. Several months after she was reunited with her husband, Gorbachev released Sakharov and Bonner from their exile, and in December 1986 they returned to Moscow. Final Years The final three years of Sakharov’s life were filled with meetings with world leaders, press interviews, travel abroad, renewed contacts with his scientific colleagues, and the writing of his memoirs. Mikhail Gorbachev Born March 2, 1931, in Privolnoye, Stavropol, U.S.S.R. Died August 30, 2022 Different Ideas Aspects that separated Gorbachev from his peers were his efforts to democratize his country’s political system and decentralize (change the body of power in control) its economy. This would lead to the downfall of communism and the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. Communistic Upbringing Gorbachev was the son of Russian peasants from southwestern Russia. He joined the Komsomol (Young Communist League) in 1946 and drove a combine harvester at a state farm in Stavropol for the next four years. He proved a promising Komsomol member, and in 1952 he entered the law school of Moscow State University and became a member of the Communist Party. Graduation He graduated with a degree in law in 1955 and went on to hold a number of posts in the Komsomol and regular party organizations in Stavropol, rising to become first secretary of the regional party committee in 1970. Dots Aligning Gorbachev was named a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party in 1971. He was later appointed a party secretary of agriculture in 1978. He became a candidate member of the Politburo in 1979 and a full member in 1980. Politburo? The Politburo (The Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party) of the Soviet Union was the highest policy-making authority within the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Policy is what the government chooses to do (actual) or not do (implied) about a particular issue or problem. Gorbachev’s Rise From 1982 - 1984 Gorbachev became one of the Politburo’s most highly active members In February 1984, after some key politicians passed away, Gorbachev became a likely successor. Chernenko (Soviet politician) died on March 10, 1985, and the following day the Politburo elected Gorbachev general secretary. Upon his accession, he was still the youngest member of the Politburo. The Last Soviet Premier Goals For USSR His primary domestic goal was to revive the stagnant Soviet economy after years of low growth during Leonid Brezhnev’s tenure in power (1964–82). First steps: Gorbachev called for rapid technological modernization and increased worker productivity. Additionally he tried to rally the Soviet bureaucracy to become more efficient and responsive. Bureaucracy - Large group of people who are involved in running a government but who are not elected. Tough Break When these changes failed to show results, Gorbachev in 1987–88 proceeded to begin deeper reforms of the Soviet economic and political system. Under his new policy of glasnost (which stood for “openness”), a major cultural shift took place. Freedoms of expression and of information were significantly expanded upon. Perestroika The media coverage was given new freedoms with their reporting and criticism. The country’s legacy of Stalinist totalitarian rule was eventually completely rejected by the government. Under Gorbachev’s policy of perestroika (“restructuring”), the first attempts to democratize the Soviet political system were undertaken. Democratization The emergence of multicandidate elections and the secret ballot were introduced to some political positions. Under perestroika, limited free-market mechanisms also began to be introduced into the Soviet economy. However, even these modest economic reforms encountered serious resistance from government bureaucrats who were unwilling to relinquish their control over the nation’s economic life. Foreign Affairs Gorbachev began pursuing better relations and trade with the developed nations of both West and East. In December 1987 he signed an agreement with Ronald Reagan for their two countries to destroy all existing stocks of intermediate-range nuclear-tipped missiles. In 1988–89 he oversaw the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan after their nine-year occupation of that country. Lesson 7 Solidarity Origin The origin of Solidarity traces back to 1976, when a Workers’ Defense Committee was founded known as Komitet Obrony Robotników (KOR) after several thousand striking workers had been attacked and jailed by authorities in various cities. The KOR supported families of imprisoned workers, offered legal and medical aid, and broadcasted news through an underground network. Pre-Solidarity in Gdańsk During a growing wave of new strikes in 1980 that were protesting rising food prices. Gdańsk, Poland became a hotbed of resistance to government decrees. 17,000 workers at the Lenin Shipyards were ready to engage in a massive strike In mid-August 1980 an Factory Strike Committee was established in Gdańsk to coordinate the rapidly spreading strikes. Gdańsk Continued Within a week the Polish government was presented with a list of demands that were based largely on KOR’s Charter of Workers’ Rights. On August 31, accords reached between the government and the Gdańsk strikers sanctioned free and independent unions with the right to strike. This also opened the door for greater freedom of religion and political expression. Official Gathering Solidarity formally was founded on September 22, 1980. The KOR subsequently disbanded, its activists became members of the union, and Wałęsa was elected chairman of Solidarity. A Leader Emerges Lech Wałęsa grew up in a lower income family in Poland and received only primary and vocational education. In 1967 began work as an electrician at the Lenin Shipyards. Taking a Stand Wałęsa emerged as an anti government union activist and lost his job as a result. On August 14, 1980, during protests at the Lenin Shipyard caused by an increase in food prices, Wałęsa joined the congregation to protest He was elected head of a strike committee to negotiate with management. Despite being unsuccessful with his efforts at first, Wałęsa would continue to strike out of solidarity. I am the Captain now The former Strike Committee was transformed into a national federation of unions under the name Solidarity (Solidarność), Wałęsa would emerge as its chairman and chief spokesman. Solidarity was officially recognized by the Polish government in October, and Wałęsa steered the federation to have limited confrontations with the government in order to avoid the possibility of Soviet military intervention in Poland. Another Prize Not Attended December 13, 1981, the Polish government outlawed solidarity. Most of the leaders of Solidarity were arrested, including Wałęsa. The awarding of the Nobel Prize for Peace to Wałęsa in 1983 was criticized by the Polish government. Fearing involuntary exile, he remained in Poland while his wife, Danuta, traveled to Oslo, Norway, to accept the prize on his behalf. Underground Until… As the leader of the now underground Solidarity movement, Wałęsa was subjected to constant harassment until collapsing economic conditions and a new wave of labour unrest in 1988. These conditions forced Poland’s government to negotiate with him and other Solidarity leaders. President Wałęsa would be elected president in 1990 and won Poland’s first direct presidential election by a landslide. As president, Wałęsa helped guide Poland through its first free parliamentary elections (1991) and watched as successive ministries converted Poland’s state-run economy into a free-market system. Big Connection Solidarity was founded in September 1980, however it was was forcibly suppressed by the Polish government in December 1981. It would reemerge in 1989 to become the first opposition movement to participate in free elections in a Soviet aligned nation since the 1940s. Poland wasn’t part of the Soviet Union but it was part of the Warsaw Pact Lesson 8 Reunifying Germany Divided no longer!! Mr. Gorbachev How’d We Get Here? In February 1945, Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin met in the town of Yalta in the Crimea. They were the leaders of the United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union. (Big Three) The purpose of the Yalta Conference was to discuss the postwar organization of Europe. The leaders agreed that Germany would be divided into occupation zones controlled by the United States, Britain, France, and the Soviet Union. Even the capital of Germany, Berlin, was to be divided into four quadrants among those 4 nations. Fast Forward Four Decades 1987 - 1989 How are you going to undo the past and get rid of the division? The divide in Germany and Berlin is referred to as the iconic symbol of the Cold War Reunification “Reunification took a tremendous amount of diplomacy, strong international partnerships, and deft political maneuvering,” -Stephen J. Hadley, chair of the U.S. Institute of Peace’s Board of Directors and a former U.S. national security advisor. “To many of the people closest to the process, it was nothing short of a miracle.” Berlin Wall The fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989, marked the beginning of the end of the Cold War and, eventually, the Soviet Union. Soviet-occupied East Germany was reunited with West Germany on October 3, 1990. And the Soviet Union collapsed a year later. Planting the Seeds On June 12, 1987, in one of his most famous Cold War speeches (that we just watched). President Ronald Reagan challenges Soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev to “tear down” the Berlin Wall. Gorbachev Decision All about perspective: Did Gorbachev really have a choice when it came to his new policies? Reminder Leonid Brezhnev (Soviet leader from 1964 - 1982) depleted the Soviet economy to keep up with the United States in the arms race. Gorbachev really wasn’t left with much of a choice when he implemented his democratic political policies. With the wall coming down as well Gorbachev didn’t have any breathing room and had to give in the United State’s demands Berlin Wall Comes Down On November 9, 1989 the spokesman for East Berlin's Communist Party announced a change in his city's relations with the West. Starting at midnight that day, he said, citizens of the GDR were free to cross the country's borders! Berlin Wall JENGA!! Da Rulez 4 Teams (France, Great Britain, Soviet Union, and United States. Loser gets a punishment from yours truly Everyone will be writing a summary on one variable that lead to the fall of the Berlin Wall Oops So if you were paying attention in class you would know we wanted the wall to fall. By this logic our first “losers” are actually our winners! So congratulations Hall of Fame! Year 1 Period 1:Logan, Sam, Presley, Noah, Austin, Liliana (Soviet Union) Period 3: Katie, Megan, Westley, Deagan, Cael, Bryn (United States) Period 5: Brooke, Zach, John, Henrik, Issac Period 6: Shea,James, Brendan,Kaydence, Ava Kelly, Maddy Wall of Fame! Year 2 Period 1: Bergen, Matty.B,Trevor,Brianna, Sydney Period 3: Kiara, Anna Sevinsky, Xavier, Alan (Lana) N., and Adam Velasco Period 5: Cece Elsmore, Maverick Cregier , Braxton, and Ethan Kraft with a K Period 6: Cash Rubenzer, Rocco Opfer,Kate Fletemeyer, Lily Salberg, Violet M, and Leah HOF Fr Year 3 Period 1: France: vivienne epstein, Natalie DeLa’O, Svanda, Maya Chrzanowski Period 3: Great Britain (TRUE WINNERS)Rowan Warner, LUCAS GREER (SIGMA), LuKe E. SmiTh (Skibity rizzer), Levi Haufschild (the main character), Alexa Staib, Lainey Pierce Period 5: USSR: Kalina P, Peyton Agnew (Zeus), mia levy Period 6: The UK: Jackson, trevor, jack, sophie, Benitez, Charlee Lesson 9 Consequences of the Breakup of the USSR Before We Begin Make sure you wrote 2 - 4 well written sentences after yesterday’s activity on a variable(s) that played a role(s) in the Berlin Wall falling Soviet Without the Union In September 1990, The Soviet Union was struggling. Gorbachev decided to reject a 500-day economic reform plan. This decision lost Gorbachev any remaining support he had from the Soviet people. Gorbachev’s attempts to modernize the Soviet system failed, in part, because he was unable to implement a complete overhaul, instead of making a series of minor reforms. Gorbachev’s failed plan for a slow, gradual economic reform negated any positive effects the reforms may have had, and the economy fully collapsed. Gorbachev Steps Down On December 25, 1991, Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev resigned as the 8th and final leader (premier) of communist Russia. He wanted to avoid a civil war. He was also exceptionally lucky and survived an assassination attempt. Crime, Cultural Changes and Social Upheavals The Soviet Union’s collapse threw economic systems and trade relations throughout Eastern Europe into chaos. It also produced upheaval in many Eastern European countries and led to increased crime rates and corruption within the Russian government. Mafia?? When the Soviet government fell, the Russian mafia, which had struggled to survive during the height of communism, stepped in to fill the power void. Government infrastructure ranging from public utilities to police services mostly faded away during the collapse. To This Day Government payroll services almost completely disappeared, so ex-KGB officers, police officers and Soviet Army soldiers flooded the mafia’s ranks in search of steady employment. The mafia seized state-owned assets and enterprises all throughout Russia, such as telecommunications and energy networks and industries. Additionally the mafia extorted the public in exchange for providing security and enforcing laws wherever the Russian government was unable to. The current Russian administration has had some success combating organized crime, but the Russian mafia is still extremely powerful and well-connected. Bigger Picture Lithuania The Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania or Act of March 11 was an independence declaration by Lithuania adopted on March 11, 1990, signed by all members of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania Lithuania was the first republic to declare independence from the USSR in the Act of March 11, 1990 Last Ditch Coup Lesson 10 Legacies of the Soviet Union Legacies of Soviet Policies The Soviet Union and its policies shaped their former republics both economically and politically (sometimes not for the better), and this history still influences those regions today. One example: under Soviet rule, Central Asian states served the role of primary resource providers to the central state (USSR). Industry and development was neglected in these republics of the Soviet Union. Why? Legacy Continued The economies and political systems of these republics were built around this specific role of serving the Soviet Union. For Central Asian Soviet republics the leaders were assigned the main task to ensure adherence to quotas and rules set by the Russians (Central State), rather than to serve their local populations. At the time of independence, the new states were severely underdeveloped and headed by leaders who had little interest in empowering the wider public, and many of whom remain in positions of power today. Diversity In Former Soviet Union The Soviet Union was one of the world's most ethnically diverse countries, with more than 100 distinct national ethnicities living within its borders. According to data from the 1989 Soviet census, the population of the Soviet Union was: 70% East Slavic, 12% Turkic peoples, all other ethnic groups were below 10%. Alongside the atheist majority of 60% there were sizable minorities of Russian Orthodox Christians (approx. 20%) and Muslims (approx. 15%). Russians accounted for 33.3% of the Soviet population. Diversity Map Numerous Internal Republics The Soviet Union was created by the treaty between the soviet socialist republics of Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, and the Transcaucasian Federation, by which they became its unified republics. However for most of its history, the USSR was a highly centralized state despite its structure as a federation of republics. The decentralization only commenced under reforms of Perestroika ("Restructuring") and Glasnost ("Openness") conducted by Mikhail Gorbachev Many Language Distinctions In 1922, it was declared that all nationalities in the Soviet Union had the right to education in their own language. The new orthography used the Cyrillic, Latin, or Arabic alphabet, depending on geography and culture. After 1937, all languages that had received new alphabets after 1917 began using the Cyrillic alphabet. This way, it would be easier for linguistic minorities to learn to write both Russian and their native language. In 1960, the school educational laws were changed and teaching became more dominated by Russian influence. An orthography is a set of conventions for writing a language Cyrillic is the Slavic alphabet Rewind Just a Tad Forced Relocation of Ethnic Minorities Forced Relocations were the result of the population transfers in the Soviet Union performed in a series of operations organized according to social and national criteria of the deported (Stalin). Relocations of entire populations by ethnicity was a method of political repression in the Soviet Union. Involuntary settlement played a role in the colonization of remote areas of the Soviet Union. This role was specifically mentioned in the first Soviet decrees about involuntary labor camps. Relocation Continued The partial removal of potentially trouble-making ethnic groups was a technique used consistently by Joseph Stalin during his reign (between 1935 and 1938). At least ten different nationalities were deported. Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union led to a massive escalation in Soviet ethnic cleansing. Who was Targeted Deportations consisted of "anti-Soviet" categories of population (often classified as "enemies of workers"), deportations of entire nationalities, labor force transfer, and organized migrations in opposite directions to fill ethnically cleansed territories. (Basically those that didn’t believe in communism) Lesson 11 Soviets and the Environment Environmental Poisoning Thirty years ago a superpower was wiped off from the world map. The Soviet Union disappeared and 15 new countries appeared. These nations have walked different paths since then, formed new identities, but the horrific history of distrust, irresponsible growth and sheer disregard for sustainable development have restricted their future endeavours to a considerable extent. Complete Disregard During the seven decades of the Soviet regime, there was a trade-off between economy and environment. Like many socialist states, the Soviet Union believed in communal ownership of almost every property and treated nature as a free resource that the government has right to exploit. With very little regard for the future, the USSR continued to run its economic engine, leaving behind a legacy of environmental catastrophe, including desertification and pollution. Let’s Discuss What other negative legacies to the environment could the Soviet Union left? Chernobyl Disaster The Chernobyl disaster was a nuclear accident that occurred on 26 April 1986 at the No. 4 reactor in the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, near the city of Pripyat in the north of the Ukrainian SSR in the Soviet Union. It is considered the worst nuclear disaster in history both in cost and casualties. What Happened? The April 1986 disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine was the product of a flawed Soviet reactor design coupled with serious mistakes made by the plant operators. It was a direct consequence of Cold War isolation and the resulting lack of any safety culture. The accident destroyed the Chernobyl 4 reactor, killing 30 operators and firemen within three months and several further deaths later. Immediate Casualties and After Effects The resulting steam explosion and fires released at least 5% of the radioactive reactor core into the environment, with the deposition of radioactive materials in many parts of Europe. Two Chernobyl plant workers died due to the explosion on the night of the accident, and a further 28 people died within a few weeks as a result of acute radiation syndrome. Continued The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation had concluded that 5000 thyroid cancers (resulted in at least 15 fatalities) could be traced directly back to Chernobyl Some 350,000 people were evacuated as a result of the accident, but resettlement of areas from which people were relocated is ongoing. The Impact The accident caused the largest uncontrolled radioactive release into the environment ever recorded for any civilian operation. Large quantities of radioactive substances were released into the air for about 10 days. This caused serious social and economic disruption for large populations in Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine. Cleanup Crew The cleaning effort of the radioactivity at the site was required so that the remaining three reactors could be restarted, and the damaged reactor shielded more permanently. About 200,000 people ('liquidators') from all over the Soviet Union were involved in the recovery and clean-up during 1986 and 1987. Massive Tomb Once the cleanup efforts were completed they constructed the New Safe Confinement (NSC) built to confine the remains of the number 4 reactor unit Extra Stuff Post Knowledge 1. What is the difference between a cold and hot war? 2. What played a factor in the collapse of the Soviet Union? 3. What has China been up to since the Korean War? 4. How do you fix the divide in Europe between NATO and the Warsaw Pact?