The End of the Cold War

The End of the Cold War - Part I

Opposition to Communist Rule • Direction of life • Restrictions of freedom • Restrictions on creativity • Shortages • Lack of luxury goods • Concentration on armaments • Poor housing • Contrast with living conditions in the West – West was getting better; East was getting worse • Increased communication made it easier to find out how the West was living

Khrushchev to Brezhnev • Khrushchev believed in “separate roads to socialism” • Brezhnev believed that any state in which communism was threatened, the USSR had the right and duty to intervene • This led to violent intervention in Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Afghanistan

Hungary • In 1956, Khrushchev denounced Stalin in his “secret speech” • Later that year, a bad harvest and fuel shortages led to demands and protests • Hungarians wanted personal freedoms, food, the removal of secret police, and removal of Russian control • To solve the problem, Imre Nagy was appointed prime minister and Janos Kadar foreign minister

Hungary • On October 31st, 1956, Nagy broadcast that Hungary would withdraw itself from the Warsaw Pact • This was pushing the Russians too far and Kadar left the government in disgust and established a rival government in eastern Hungary which was supported by Soviet tanks • On November 4th, Soviet tanks went into Budapest to restore order and they acted with immense brutality even killing wounded people • Tanks dragged round bodies through the streets of Budapest as a warning to others who were still protesting

Hungary • Hundreds of tanks went into Budapest and probably 30,000 people were killed • To flee the expected Soviet reprisals, probably 200,000 fled to the west leaving all they possessed in Hungary • Nagy was tried, executed, and buried in an unmarked grave • By November 14th, order had been restored. Kadar was put in charge. Soviet rule was re-established

Czechoslovakia • Alexander Dubcek, Communist Party chairman in 1968, attempted to create a socialist system based on the consent of the people • He was committed to reform, debate, and relaxing censorship (Prague Spring) • When censorship was relaxed, bitter criticism of the USSR and of the hard-line policies of the Czech Communist Party were unleashed • This began to worry Brezhnev and other leaders of the Warsaw Pact countries

Czechoslovakia • Brezhnev feared that: • Communist Party control in the country was being endangered • Dubcek’s policies were undermining the USSR’s leadership of world communism • The reforms would cause the Czech Communist Party to lose control and the result would be open rebellion, like in Hungary • The Warsaw Pact countries invaded Czechoslovakia in Aug. 1968

Czechoslovakia • Dubcek and several other Czech leaders were arrested. Little resistance was put up and only 100 were killed • After agreeing to end political reform, Dubcek was allowed to return to Czechoslovakia until he was replaced by a less reform-minded politician • The U.S. condemned the invasion, but took no action because they were bogged down in Vietnam

Importance of Developments in Czechoslovakia • Sino-Soviet tensions escalated rapidly, prompting rapprochement between the Chinese and the U.S. • The Soviets then sought better relations with the West (détente) • As a result of the Sino-Soviet tension, the U.S. drove a wedge between the two countries • This split weakened communist movements around the world

Importance of Developments in Czechoslovakia • Led to the issuing of the Brezhnev Doctrine for justification of force • Successful Soviet intervention in Czechoslovakia led to the invasion of Afghanistan • The invasion of Afghanistan eventually led to a quagmire and a strain in the USSR’s economy that contributed to their collapse

Poland • The Solidarity movement began because of the repressive conditions in Poland and high food prices • The original Solidarity was formed by the delegates of 36 regional trade unions, and it grew from there. By early 1981 it had over 10 million members, most every worker in Poland • They implemented a series of controlled strikes in 1981 as it requested additional freedoms, such as free elections and economic reforms

Poland • Poland was an important ally to the Soviets because of its central location it was the home of the USSR’s communications equipment between the Soviets and their satellite countries • The Soviets mobilized along the Polish border, so the Poles imposed martial law on December 13, 1981 • Solidarity was declared illegal and its leaders were arrested. The union was dissolved by Parliament on October 8, 1982 • The movement went underground and rose again when Gorbachev took power • They would eventually win elections that would oust the communists out of power in 1989

Mikhail Gorbachev • Was the new, charismatic leader of the Soviet Union in 1985 • He was personable, energetic, imaginative, and committed to radical reforms in the Soviet Union • The problems he faced were: • A stagnated economy resulting from the Cold War arms race • An bureaucracy stuck in their ways • A population that did not trust their leaders • Rising discontent in satellite states

Reformers • The two groups that wanted reform were: • Neo-Stalinists – who wished to bring Stalin’s system back • Pro-western liberal democrats – who wished to replace the existing system with something else • Of the two, the neo-Stalinists were the more powerful group

Gorbachev Builds Power • During 1985 to 1986, Gorbachev built his power base • Influential Brezhnevites retired • New figures from the provinces were introduced into leadership (i.e. – Boris Yeltsin)

Gorbachev’s First Actions • In an effort to address the social problems facing his country, such as poor housing and health care, Gorbachev’s first actions was to shut down production and sale of vodka • He launched an anti-corruption campaign in 1986 • He removed the Soviet troops from Afghanistan

Gorbachev’s Main Policies • He announced two policies: • Glasnost – • Means “openness” • Aimed to introduce free speech and some other liberties • Perestroika – • Means “restructuring” • Was intended to revive the Soviet economy by adopting many of the free-market practices of the capitalist West

Glasnost • A liberal press was allowed to grow and flourish • Books previously banned began to appear • The work of Lenin was questioned • The government was more open and honest (i.e. – Chernobyl nuclear disaster) • Political prisoners were released from exile

Glasnost • There were open political discussions (i.e. – Democratic Union organized mass street demonstrations) • Religious freedom was given • Free elections were held • All enterprises were allowed to establish trade relations with foreign partners (i.e. – PepsiCo)

Perestroika • People could be motivated by profit • There was private ownership in agriculture • Private enterprises were allowed (i.e. – retail kiosks and small restaurants) • Owners could pay their own workers and seek their own resources • Farmers and individuals could now lease land and housing from the government

The End of East-West Confrontation • Both policies required that the Soviet Union shrink the size of its military operations and redirect its energies to the economy. So that meant they needed to end the Cold War • Within 6 months, both Gorbachev and Reagan announced a 6-month freeze on the deployment of missiles in Europe

The End of East-West Confrontation • Geneva Summit (1985) • Called for the abolition of all nuclear weapons • Called for the abolition of all bases on foreign soil • Reykjavik Summit (1986) • Reagan proposed the “zero option” – elimination of all INF and strategic missiles • However, Gorbachev insisted that SDI be included, but Reagan refused

The End of East-West Confrontation • Summit (1987) • Both signed the INF treaty, banning all intermediate-range nuclear missiles from Europe • Summit (1988) • Reagan praised Gorbachev • The Soviet army was reduced to ½ million men • USSR would have a “defensive posture” • Withdrew 10,000 tanks in Eastern Europe

The End of the Cold War - Part I