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Decline of Communism & Revolutions of 1989

Explore the postwar history of Europe, highlighting significant events such as Solidarity in Poland, Gorbachev's reforms in the Soviet Union, and the series of peaceful revolutions in 1989 that reshaped the political landscape of the continent. Learn about the fall of the Berlin Wall, German reunification, and the disintegration of the Soviet Union, marking a shift towards democracy and the end of the Cold War era.

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Decline of Communism & Revolutions of 1989

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  1. Decline of Communism & Revolutions of 1989 U16: Postwar Europe AP European History Ms. Tully - UHS

  2. A. Solidarity in Poland • Poland an unruly satellite state • Economic mismanagement • Cardinal Karol Wojtyla Pope John Paul II • Aug. 1980 – strike at Lenin shipyards in Gdansk

  3. 5. Gdansk Agreement 6. Solidarity – free & democratic trade union led by Lech Walesa 7. Economic decline in 1970s, Polish communist leadership blamed Solidarity 8. Solidarity survived, Poles continued push for freedom

  4. B. Gorbachev’s Reforms in the Soviet Union • Communist party bureaucracy still strong in early 1980s • Mikhail Gorbachev became leader in 1985 – idealist, reformer • Perestroika  economic reform

  5. 4. Glasnost  openness in gov & media 5. Democratization  free elections in April 1989 to Congress of People’s Deputies 6. Calls for national independence by non-Russian minorities 7. Reforms on foreign policy  cooling of cold war tensions

  6. E. Revolutions of 1989 • Gorbachev’s reforms  snowball effect • Series of peaceful revolutions • Broke apart SU  15 countries • Germany reunified • US only superpower

  7. F. Revolution in Poland • 1988 – brink of economic collapse • 1989 – Solidarity legalized, free elections • Aug. 1989 – Lech Walesa new leader of Poland, new Solidarity gov • Shock therapy economic reforms

  8. G. Revolution in Hungary/East Germany • Minor liberalization of economy after 1956 • Communist embraced reform, free elections • Opened border with EGR, AUS  refugees pour into WGR

  9. Homegrown protests in EGR • Berlin Wall opened Nov. 1989 • Reform gov replaced CM

  10. H. Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia • CM declined rapidly in Nov-Dec 1989 • Vaclav Havel, large demonstrations • Vaclav Havel elected president

  11. I. German Unification • Reform CM came to power in Oct. 1989 • EGR absorbed in WGR • Fall of Berlin Wall • Leadership of Helmut Kohl • Alliance for Germany • Peace agreement, July 1990 • WGR + EGR = Unified GR! Oct. 1990 • Paris Accord

  12. J. Disintegration of Soviet Union • Rising nationalism from ethnic minorities • Lithuania declared independence • New constitution in SU • Rise of Boris Yeltsin (1931-2007) • Attempted CM coup, Aug. 1991 • Yeltsin elected president of Russian Federation • Dec. 25, 1991  collapse of SU

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