The Collapse of the Soviet Union

1. The Collapse of the Soviet Union

2. Mikhail Gorbechev becomes General Secretary of the Soviet Union in 1985—elected by the Politburo (ruling committee of the Communist Party)

3. Reforms under Gorbachev Glasnost: openness—free flow of ideas can help economic and social reform Perestroika: economic restructuring—make Communism more efficient and productive Democratization: gradual opening of political system Allowed for elections Arms control—signs Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty with US president Reagan

4. Collapse of Soviet Union Why did it begin? Lithuania declares independence— Gorbachev orders blockade Soviet troops attack unarmed civilians in Vilnius—14 dead, hundreds hurt

5. Boris Yeltsin Former mayor of Moscow First directly elected president of the Russian Federation in 1991 The August Coup: Hard-liner conservatives attempt to remove Gorbachev from office Yeltsin proclaims a return to the progress of reforms—emerges a hero and symbol of the future Gorbachev resigns soon after

6. End of Soviet Union Estonia and Latvia quickly declare independence after August coup By December 1991—all 15 republics declared independent Russia Lithuania Belarus Ukraine Azerbaijan Moldova Georgia Armenia Tajikistan Uzbekistan Turkmenistan Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan

7. Russia under Yeltsin Problems— 1) “shock therapy”: switch to free-market economy causes rapid inflation; unemployment skyrockets 2) political problems: opposition to Yeltsin’s policies Chechnya: Russia denies independence of Chechnya—area of southwestern Russia, largely Muslim population Fighting between Chechen rebels and Russia goes on into 21st century

8. Vladimir Putin President of Russia after Yeltsin’s resignation in 1999 Economic problems continue—standard of living goes down, homelessness up, high rates of unemployment Continued fighting against Chechnya