Challenges the USSR Faced in the 1980s that led to its Impending
Collapse
Explanations
Leadership Challenges
Strategic Defence
• 3 leaders died in office from 1982 to 1985. Initiative (SDI): Came to be
• Administration was inefficient bureaucratically managed. . known as the Star Wars
2. Andropov
Project. The initiative aimed to
1. Brezhnev • Died 1984
build a missile defence system
• Died 1982 • Set up anti-corruption to protect the US against the
• Brezhnev Doctrine 1968: The policy claimed that the USSR campaign and failed to Soviet Nuclear Threat.
had the right to use military force to intervene in satellite secure nuclear arms Détente: A relaxation of
states if they were not following a Soviet style of communism. controls like he had tensions between two
• Brezhnev built up the military and it became on par with intended. countries - particularly the
several areas of US nuclear weaponry. • Did not end war in USA and USSR in this case.
○ However: The economy suffered Afghanistan
○ USSR was still behind the USA in technology and
industrial productivity declined. 3. Chernenko
→ Problems escalated under Brezhnev's successors. • Died 1985
• 1979: Invaded Afghanistan - ending period of détente • Boycotted 1984 Olympics
(policy to normalise relations with West) in Los Angeles and did not
end war in Afghanistan
Economic Challenges
• Resources were drained as a result of the Cold War.
• Industrial and agricultural production was in decline and could not compare to US economic dominance.
• Population demoralised by: shortage of consumer goods, inadequate housing, alcoholism and poor
public healthcare.
• Centralised economy was inefficient and faced corruption.
• Technology lagged behind the USA
• US placed oil and gas embargoes on and cut trade with the USSR.
Military Challenges
• Afghanistan War was unwinnable and had a mounting financial, military and human cost.
○ Soviet troops invaded Afghanistan to support the pro-Soviet government against the Mujahideen
(Islamist anti-communist militant groups).
§ USSR wanted to defeat the Mujahideen because they feared Islamist extremism could influence
the large Muslim population in Central Asian regions of the USSR.
○ USSR faced boycotts (e.g. 1980 Olympics) and embargoes.
○ It was compared to the Vietnam War as it was costly, unpopular, unwinnable and drained
morale.
- USSR began to withdraw on 15 May 1988 and ended on 15 February 1989.
• Reagan's Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI): Deepened nuclear arms race and put the USSR under
strain to develop weapons.
Cold War Challenges
• Reagan's SDI meant that the USSR faced extreme cost of maintaining nuclear arms race.
• The Reagan Doctrine 1985 : Strategy to overwhelm/diminish Soviet global influence to win the Cold
War.
• Extended Afghanistan War to a proxy war
○ USA provided support to the Mujahideen.
○ Continuing conflict placed further pressure on Soviet economy.
○ USA gave aid to anti-communist guerrillas & resistance movements to counter Soviet-backed pro-
communist governments in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
, Gorbachev's Reforms
Important Definitions
Context on Mikhail Gorbachev
• Market forces: The effects of
• 11 March 1985: Gorbachev was elected as General Secretary of the CPSU
supply and demand on the
• He intended to end the Cold War, but wanted to revitalise communism.
economy.
• Brought new energy: Youngest and first university-educated leader since Stalin and did not want Marxist-
• Centrally planned
Leninist ideology to determine Soviet foreign policy. economy/Command
• Unintentionally, his reforms hastened the collapse of the USSR. economy: An economic system
• Shifted Soviet policy to have some similarities to Western policies (e.g. political openness and economic where the government controls
competition). the production and distribution of
• His internal reforms and withdrawal from Afghanistan were welcomed by Western leaders. goods and services.
• CPSU: Communist Party of the
Gorbachev's Reforms Soviet Union
• Subsidies: Money paid by the
government to assist and support
Perestroika Glasnost certain sectors in the economy.
• Means 'restructuring' of the economy. • Means 'openness' of the Soviet government.
○ Aimed to reform the communist system. ○ Up until this time, the Communist party had controlled all
Aims: art, literature and media.
• Rebuild the economy by: ending economic Aims:
stagnation, improving economic efficiency & creating • To make people more understanding of the changes made
an incentive to build economy. due to greater access to information.
• Modernise the USSR • Encourage openness in Soviet politics
• Stamp out corruption • Soften the initial difficulties arising from perestroika/economic
• Attract much needed foreign investment, aid and restructuring - e.g. work insecurity and high prices.
trade.
Course of Events
Course of Events • Gave people the right to criticise (even encouraged criticising
• Moved away from a complete centrally planned the government) and freedom of speech.
economy and increased local management of • Liberalisation of the media.
enterprises. • Political purging and modernisation of the bureaucracy.
• Called for a major cut in military spending and • Old versions of Soviet history were debated.
embarked on dialogue with US Pres. Reagan to end • Political prisoners released.
arms race. • Demokratizatsiya : Introduced elements of democracy.
• Businesses no longer to be bailed out if bankrupt. ○ Aim: Revive politics by offering more choice.
• Businesses given greater freedom (in prices, production ○ Initially: Democratic election of candidates to the CPSU.
and marketing) ○ March-April 1989: Partially free elections were held
• Some private ownership allowed. and opposition parties were allowed, but CPSU
• Prices to be based on supply and demand instead of dominance was retained.
state subsidising.
Impact and Consequences
Impact and Consequences • Undermined by findings of the Chernobyl nuclear explosion as
• Failed to revive economy. the government had tried to hide it.
• Cost of living sharply increased. • Openness led to public criticism and hostility towards the
• Shortages worsened as production remained low and CPSU - not the intention.
factories struggled to get required products from the state. ○ The CPSU lost firm control in various republics as the
• Many systems collapsed without state control and party's legitimacy and dominance were challenged.
support. • Growth of nationalism.
• Gorbachev did not have a clear view on condition of • Created desire for further freedoms.
economy and could not intervene due to ○ Some called for full democratisation and decentralisation
decentralisation. • Conservatives criticised reforms as a betrayal of communism.
• Inflation and foreign debt sharply increased.
→ Gorbachev lost support.
Impact of Reforms on Foreign Affairs
• New Thinking approach:
• New thinking was necessary to cut down the cost of the Cold War.
• New Thinking definition: An emphasis of cooperation in foreign policy rather than aggression and military intervention
• New Thinking entailed:
§ An end to secret diplomacy
§ Aimed to stop the arms race as it was seen as pointless.
• Glasnost and Perestroika also led to:
• Talks to end the arms race and arms control initiatives (in part because funding was needed for perestroika).
• Political accommodation in foreign affairs over military power.
• Greater freedom for Eastern European states to go their own way.
• An end to support for liberation movements.
• 1988: Gorbachev's landmark speech at the UN:
• Publicly abandoned the Brezhnev Doctrine
• Stated that the number of the USSR troops in the Warsaw Pact would be cut by 500 000.
• Made it clear that USSR troops would not be sent to defend existing regimes in Eastern Europe or crush any reformist
initiatives there.
§ Direct contrast to the Soviet-led invasions of Hungary (1956) and Czechoslovakia (1968)
• Indicated ideology should play a smaller role in Soviet foreign affairs.
Collapse
Explanations
Leadership Challenges
Strategic Defence
• 3 leaders died in office from 1982 to 1985. Initiative (SDI): Came to be
• Administration was inefficient bureaucratically managed. . known as the Star Wars
2. Andropov
Project. The initiative aimed to
1. Brezhnev • Died 1984
build a missile defence system
• Died 1982 • Set up anti-corruption to protect the US against the
• Brezhnev Doctrine 1968: The policy claimed that the USSR campaign and failed to Soviet Nuclear Threat.
had the right to use military force to intervene in satellite secure nuclear arms Détente: A relaxation of
states if they were not following a Soviet style of communism. controls like he had tensions between two
• Brezhnev built up the military and it became on par with intended. countries - particularly the
several areas of US nuclear weaponry. • Did not end war in USA and USSR in this case.
○ However: The economy suffered Afghanistan
○ USSR was still behind the USA in technology and
industrial productivity declined. 3. Chernenko
→ Problems escalated under Brezhnev's successors. • Died 1985
• 1979: Invaded Afghanistan - ending period of détente • Boycotted 1984 Olympics
(policy to normalise relations with West) in Los Angeles and did not
end war in Afghanistan
Economic Challenges
• Resources were drained as a result of the Cold War.
• Industrial and agricultural production was in decline and could not compare to US economic dominance.
• Population demoralised by: shortage of consumer goods, inadequate housing, alcoholism and poor
public healthcare.
• Centralised economy was inefficient and faced corruption.
• Technology lagged behind the USA
• US placed oil and gas embargoes on and cut trade with the USSR.
Military Challenges
• Afghanistan War was unwinnable and had a mounting financial, military and human cost.
○ Soviet troops invaded Afghanistan to support the pro-Soviet government against the Mujahideen
(Islamist anti-communist militant groups).
§ USSR wanted to defeat the Mujahideen because they feared Islamist extremism could influence
the large Muslim population in Central Asian regions of the USSR.
○ USSR faced boycotts (e.g. 1980 Olympics) and embargoes.
○ It was compared to the Vietnam War as it was costly, unpopular, unwinnable and drained
morale.
- USSR began to withdraw on 15 May 1988 and ended on 15 February 1989.
• Reagan's Strategic Defence Initiative (SDI): Deepened nuclear arms race and put the USSR under
strain to develop weapons.
Cold War Challenges
• Reagan's SDI meant that the USSR faced extreme cost of maintaining nuclear arms race.
• The Reagan Doctrine 1985 : Strategy to overwhelm/diminish Soviet global influence to win the Cold
War.
• Extended Afghanistan War to a proxy war
○ USA provided support to the Mujahideen.
○ Continuing conflict placed further pressure on Soviet economy.
○ USA gave aid to anti-communist guerrillas & resistance movements to counter Soviet-backed pro-
communist governments in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
, Gorbachev's Reforms
Important Definitions
Context on Mikhail Gorbachev
• Market forces: The effects of
• 11 March 1985: Gorbachev was elected as General Secretary of the CPSU
supply and demand on the
• He intended to end the Cold War, but wanted to revitalise communism.
economy.
• Brought new energy: Youngest and first university-educated leader since Stalin and did not want Marxist-
• Centrally planned
Leninist ideology to determine Soviet foreign policy. economy/Command
• Unintentionally, his reforms hastened the collapse of the USSR. economy: An economic system
• Shifted Soviet policy to have some similarities to Western policies (e.g. political openness and economic where the government controls
competition). the production and distribution of
• His internal reforms and withdrawal from Afghanistan were welcomed by Western leaders. goods and services.
• CPSU: Communist Party of the
Gorbachev's Reforms Soviet Union
• Subsidies: Money paid by the
government to assist and support
Perestroika Glasnost certain sectors in the economy.
• Means 'restructuring' of the economy. • Means 'openness' of the Soviet government.
○ Aimed to reform the communist system. ○ Up until this time, the Communist party had controlled all
Aims: art, literature and media.
• Rebuild the economy by: ending economic Aims:
stagnation, improving economic efficiency & creating • To make people more understanding of the changes made
an incentive to build economy. due to greater access to information.
• Modernise the USSR • Encourage openness in Soviet politics
• Stamp out corruption • Soften the initial difficulties arising from perestroika/economic
• Attract much needed foreign investment, aid and restructuring - e.g. work insecurity and high prices.
trade.
Course of Events
Course of Events • Gave people the right to criticise (even encouraged criticising
• Moved away from a complete centrally planned the government) and freedom of speech.
economy and increased local management of • Liberalisation of the media.
enterprises. • Political purging and modernisation of the bureaucracy.
• Called for a major cut in military spending and • Old versions of Soviet history were debated.
embarked on dialogue with US Pres. Reagan to end • Political prisoners released.
arms race. • Demokratizatsiya : Introduced elements of democracy.
• Businesses no longer to be bailed out if bankrupt. ○ Aim: Revive politics by offering more choice.
• Businesses given greater freedom (in prices, production ○ Initially: Democratic election of candidates to the CPSU.
and marketing) ○ March-April 1989: Partially free elections were held
• Some private ownership allowed. and opposition parties were allowed, but CPSU
• Prices to be based on supply and demand instead of dominance was retained.
state subsidising.
Impact and Consequences
Impact and Consequences • Undermined by findings of the Chernobyl nuclear explosion as
• Failed to revive economy. the government had tried to hide it.
• Cost of living sharply increased. • Openness led to public criticism and hostility towards the
• Shortages worsened as production remained low and CPSU - not the intention.
factories struggled to get required products from the state. ○ The CPSU lost firm control in various republics as the
• Many systems collapsed without state control and party's legitimacy and dominance were challenged.
support. • Growth of nationalism.
• Gorbachev did not have a clear view on condition of • Created desire for further freedoms.
economy and could not intervene due to ○ Some called for full democratisation and decentralisation
decentralisation. • Conservatives criticised reforms as a betrayal of communism.
• Inflation and foreign debt sharply increased.
→ Gorbachev lost support.
Impact of Reforms on Foreign Affairs
• New Thinking approach:
• New thinking was necessary to cut down the cost of the Cold War.
• New Thinking definition: An emphasis of cooperation in foreign policy rather than aggression and military intervention
• New Thinking entailed:
§ An end to secret diplomacy
§ Aimed to stop the arms race as it was seen as pointless.
• Glasnost and Perestroika also led to:
• Talks to end the arms race and arms control initiatives (in part because funding was needed for perestroika).
• Political accommodation in foreign affairs over military power.
• Greater freedom for Eastern European states to go their own way.
• An end to support for liberation movements.
• 1988: Gorbachev's landmark speech at the UN:
• Publicly abandoned the Brezhnev Doctrine
• Stated that the number of the USSR troops in the Warsaw Pact would be cut by 500 000.
• Made it clear that USSR troops would not be sent to defend existing regimes in Eastern Europe or crush any reformist
initiatives there.
§ Direct contrast to the Soviet-led invasions of Hungary (1956) and Czechoslovakia (1968)
• Indicated ideology should play a smaller role in Soviet foreign affairs.
