The End of the Cold War
Events in 1985 in the USSR
Mikhail Gorbachev came into power in 1985 in the USSR. The Soviet Union was in a state of
crisis due to many reasons:
• Many of the resources were lost to the Arms Race in the Cold War. The economy and
agricultural production was failing leading to shortages of consumer goods,
inadequate housing, and poor healthcare.
• There was a huge alcoholism crisis and a huge wealth gap leading to demoralised
citizens.
• The Afghanistan war:
→ The USSR sent troops into Afghanistan in 1979 to support the newly elected
pro-soviet government as they were being challenged by the Mujaheddin –
anti-communist, Islamic fighters who were being supplied weapons by the
USA.
→ The USSR were unable to defeat the resistance and by 1985 over 20 000
troops had died and tons of resources lost.
→ It was a war that could not be won and continuously drained the resources
and morale of the USSR.
Gorbachev’s Reforms
When Gorbachev came into power her brought a new energy and drive to Soviet leadership.
He recognised the problems within the Soviet Union and realised that major changes
needed to occur but did NOT wish to dismantle communism. He decided to withdraw from
Afghanistan and introduced new policies “Glasnost” and “Perestroika”.
Glasnost
Meaning “openness”, Glasnost allowed people to speak more freely and give constructive
criticism to the government. Before this everything was censored by the government but
now freedom of speech was encouraged.
The government still controlled the press but newspapers and magazines could report
openly and question the government.
Perestroika
Meaning “restructuring”, Perestroika aimed to rebuild the Soviet economy by reforming the
communist economy but NOT replace it with capitalism.
, • The economy remained state owned and centrally planned but market forces could
operate.
• Some private businesses were allowed to exist and they could make their own
decisions about prices, production, and marketing.
• Bankrupt state-owned businesses no longer got state support and state subsidies
were withdrawn allowing for more realistic prices based on supply and demand.
• People could start to buy and sell for profit and foreign investment was encouraged.
Détente
The easing of hostile and strained relations with the West.
Democratisation
To allow a true and functioning democracy. Political parties would compete for people’s
votes and therefore give people better representation.
Gorbachev’s reforms in the West
• Gorbachev’s reforms were welcomed and supported by western leaders.
• Gorbachev and President Raegan had meetings on easing the Arms Race and
Margaret Thatcher expressed that she could do business with Gorbachev.
• The West saw it as the coming to end of communism and saw Gorbachev as less of a
threat.
Gorbachev’s reforms in the Soviet Union
• The aim of Perestroika was to promote economic growth however without the state
support and control many of the systems collapsed.
• The cost of living increased greatly with prices for housing, food, and medicine rising.
• Production remained low resulting in a shortage of basic goods.
• Inflation and foreign debt increased.
Gorbachev lost support and due to Glasnost were able to speak out freely. The Bolsheviks
firm control that had been established since 1917 began to collapse.
Impact of Gorbachev’s reforms
By 1991 Gorbachev lost a lot of support as his reforms began to fail.
• The openness of Glasnost lead to an overwhelming criticism of the government.
→ Conservatives wanted to return to old communist ways.
→ Reformers wanted more far reaching change.
, → Officials in the communist bureaucracy resisted the changes as the saw
Gorbachev as betraying the communist vision and falling trap to western
influences.
• Major critic Boris Yeltsin became a major influential figure with massive support.
→ He believed Gorbachev did not go far enough in his reforms.
→ He became leader of the Russian republic and called for full democracy and
allowing other political parties to compete for power.
→ He believed that the USSR should be dissolved and boldly criticized the
special privileges and corruption of Soviet leaders.
Events in Poland 1980
The first protests against Soviet control occurred in the satellite state Poland. Many link this
to the idea that the Poles were able to stay a strongly religious Roman Catholic society
despite communist efforts to prevent it.
• Pope John Paul II was an outspoken critic of communism in Poland. In 1979 he made
an influential visit to Poland which inspired many Polish Catholics to demand greater
freedom.
• From 1980 Poland also suffered major economic problems and this inspired people
to form trade unions such as Solidarity.
Solidarity
• The trade union was formed in 1980 by the workers at Gdansk shipyard with
electrician Lech Walesa as the leader.
• They put forward a list of 21 demands to the Polish government which included:
→ The right to strike.
→ Ending censorship.
→ Right to broadcast Catholic church services.
→ Right to form free trade.
• The Polish government agreed to all 21 demands and the trade union gained mass
support in Poland.
• The USSR however opposed Solidarity and In December 1981 the Soviet Union
carried out “training exercises” on Poland’s boarder and the Polish government
introduced Marshall law.
→ Solidarity was banned.
→ Many Polish leaders including Walesa were arrested.
→ This event showed that the USSR were not prepared to accept any challenges
to its control in 1981/1982 (This was before Gorbachev was in power).
Events in 1985 in the USSR
Mikhail Gorbachev came into power in 1985 in the USSR. The Soviet Union was in a state of
crisis due to many reasons:
• Many of the resources were lost to the Arms Race in the Cold War. The economy and
agricultural production was failing leading to shortages of consumer goods,
inadequate housing, and poor healthcare.
• There was a huge alcoholism crisis and a huge wealth gap leading to demoralised
citizens.
• The Afghanistan war:
→ The USSR sent troops into Afghanistan in 1979 to support the newly elected
pro-soviet government as they were being challenged by the Mujaheddin –
anti-communist, Islamic fighters who were being supplied weapons by the
USA.
→ The USSR were unable to defeat the resistance and by 1985 over 20 000
troops had died and tons of resources lost.
→ It was a war that could not be won and continuously drained the resources
and morale of the USSR.
Gorbachev’s Reforms
When Gorbachev came into power her brought a new energy and drive to Soviet leadership.
He recognised the problems within the Soviet Union and realised that major changes
needed to occur but did NOT wish to dismantle communism. He decided to withdraw from
Afghanistan and introduced new policies “Glasnost” and “Perestroika”.
Glasnost
Meaning “openness”, Glasnost allowed people to speak more freely and give constructive
criticism to the government. Before this everything was censored by the government but
now freedom of speech was encouraged.
The government still controlled the press but newspapers and magazines could report
openly and question the government.
Perestroika
Meaning “restructuring”, Perestroika aimed to rebuild the Soviet economy by reforming the
communist economy but NOT replace it with capitalism.
, • The economy remained state owned and centrally planned but market forces could
operate.
• Some private businesses were allowed to exist and they could make their own
decisions about prices, production, and marketing.
• Bankrupt state-owned businesses no longer got state support and state subsidies
were withdrawn allowing for more realistic prices based on supply and demand.
• People could start to buy and sell for profit and foreign investment was encouraged.
Détente
The easing of hostile and strained relations with the West.
Democratisation
To allow a true and functioning democracy. Political parties would compete for people’s
votes and therefore give people better representation.
Gorbachev’s reforms in the West
• Gorbachev’s reforms were welcomed and supported by western leaders.
• Gorbachev and President Raegan had meetings on easing the Arms Race and
Margaret Thatcher expressed that she could do business with Gorbachev.
• The West saw it as the coming to end of communism and saw Gorbachev as less of a
threat.
Gorbachev’s reforms in the Soviet Union
• The aim of Perestroika was to promote economic growth however without the state
support and control many of the systems collapsed.
• The cost of living increased greatly with prices for housing, food, and medicine rising.
• Production remained low resulting in a shortage of basic goods.
• Inflation and foreign debt increased.
Gorbachev lost support and due to Glasnost were able to speak out freely. The Bolsheviks
firm control that had been established since 1917 began to collapse.
Impact of Gorbachev’s reforms
By 1991 Gorbachev lost a lot of support as his reforms began to fail.
• The openness of Glasnost lead to an overwhelming criticism of the government.
→ Conservatives wanted to return to old communist ways.
→ Reformers wanted more far reaching change.
, → Officials in the communist bureaucracy resisted the changes as the saw
Gorbachev as betraying the communist vision and falling trap to western
influences.
• Major critic Boris Yeltsin became a major influential figure with massive support.
→ He believed Gorbachev did not go far enough in his reforms.
→ He became leader of the Russian republic and called for full democracy and
allowing other political parties to compete for power.
→ He believed that the USSR should be dissolved and boldly criticized the
special privileges and corruption of Soviet leaders.
Events in Poland 1980
The first protests against Soviet control occurred in the satellite state Poland. Many link this
to the idea that the Poles were able to stay a strongly religious Roman Catholic society
despite communist efforts to prevent it.
• Pope John Paul II was an outspoken critic of communism in Poland. In 1979 he made
an influential visit to Poland which inspired many Polish Catholics to demand greater
freedom.
• From 1980 Poland also suffered major economic problems and this inspired people
to form trade unions such as Solidarity.
Solidarity
• The trade union was formed in 1980 by the workers at Gdansk shipyard with
electrician Lech Walesa as the leader.
• They put forward a list of 21 demands to the Polish government which included:
→ The right to strike.
→ Ending censorship.
→ Right to broadcast Catholic church services.
→ Right to form free trade.
• The Polish government agreed to all 21 demands and the trade union gained mass
support in Poland.
• The USSR however opposed Solidarity and In December 1981 the Soviet Union
carried out “training exercises” on Poland’s boarder and the Polish government
introduced Marshall law.
→ Solidarity was banned.
→ Many Polish leaders including Walesa were arrested.
→ This event showed that the USSR were not prepared to accept any challenges
to its control in 1981/1982 (This was before Gorbachev was in power).
