What were the reasons responsible for the breakup of the ...



What were the reasons responsible for the breakup of the Soviet Union?

• Widespread nationalism.

- Soviet Union was made up of 15 republics

- Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia (1941/42) and Georgia wanted to breakaway to introduce their own reforms and own independence

- Gorbachev would not allow

- Use force and then later decided against it. (Lithuania and Latvia)

• Glasnost and perestroika led to more misery for the people

- reforms not far reaching enough

- yak… debating society

- lack of food, basic goods, inflation

• Radical reformers – Boris Yeltsin

- privatization of ALL industries

- became very appealing.

• Final Blow: Coup d’etat by hardcore conservative communists who arrested Gorbachev

- discredited communism totally.

- People rallied behind yeltsin and democracy, calling for Gorby to be freed. Troops refuse to obey.

What were the effects of Glasnost and Perestroika on Eastern Europe?

Eastern Europe – Glasnost takes the form of refusal to intervene in the internal affairs of Eastern Europe

Eastern Europe – Perestroika takes the form of encouraging the opening of borders with the West – Hungary, East Germany.

• Free-elections and calls for more democracy in Eastern Europe.

- Hungary 1956 and Czechslovakia 1968 – Soviet Union/ Warsaw pact troopps

- Eg. Poland – 1st free elections and 1st non communist government

• Refugee problem

- Hungary opens the flood gates an borders

- East Germans rush there

- Brain drain

• Fall of the Berlin Wall and reunification of East and West Germany

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