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Struggle for Democracy in Eastern Europe. How does Communism end in Eastern Europe?. Poland. 1980: Polish shipyard workers led by Lech Walesa go on strike, demand communist govt recognize their union Solidarity Polish gov outlaws Solidarity and cracks down on dissent
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Struggle for Democracy inEastern Europe How does Communism end in Eastern Europe?
Poland • 1980: Polish shipyard workers led by Lech Walesa go on strike, demand communist govt recognize their union Solidarity • Polish gov outlaws Solidarity and cracks down on dissent • 1985: Soviet leader Gorbachev announces glasnost (more freedom) • 1987-89: Polish Economy worsens, walkouts, strikes & rioting occur, Polish gov will allow elections, Communists voted out, Walesa is Pres Hungary • 1989: Inspired by glasnost & Poland,Hungary’s leaders call for elections • Radicals take over Hungarian Communist Party & vote to dissolve party • 1990: First national elections held, communists no longer control govt
Germany • 1989: Many E. Germans flee into Hungary (no longer communist) • E. German leader Erick Honecker closes all borders – major protests • Nov 89: Hoping to stop protests, E. German govt allows people to travel between East & West Berlin – thousands leave for the west http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MM2qq5J5A1s&feature=related • 1990: E. German communists lose power, two Germanys reunified Czechoslovakia • Czech writer Vaclav Havel calls for democracy and is arrested • Thousands protest, Czechs have new elections, Velvet Revolution • New economic policy creates unemployment, esp in Slovakia • Czechs and Slovaks agree to split country
Romania • Thousands protest in Timisoara, Ceausescu orders army to open fire on protestors • Communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu uses his secret police to end reform movements • Major uprising occurs, Ceausescu tries to flee but is caught, tried and executed Yugoslavia • 1980s: ethnic & cultural tensions grow after Josip Titio’s death • 1991: War breaks in Slovenia & Croatia, Serb led Yugoslav army tries to stop their independence, Serbs defeated in both wars • 1995: Bosnia wants independence, Radovan Karadžić leads Bosnian Serbs against Bosnian Muslims, starts ethnic cleansing, UN steps in • 1998: Muslims in Serbian province of Kosovo want indp. Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic begins a ethnic cleansing against Muslims • UN intervenes, arrest Milosevic. 2006: Serbia & Montenegro split ending Yugoslavia