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EASTERN EUROPE

EASTERN EUROPE. Beginning with Khrushchev, there had been a steady relaxation of Soviet control of Eastern Europe Marshall Tito of Yugoslavia (who had broke from Soviet control in 1948) welcomed back into communist fold Undermined Eastern European leaders who had followed Stalin. Marshall Tito.

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EASTERN EUROPE

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  1. EASTERN EUROPE • Beginning with Khrushchev, there had been a steady relaxation of Soviet control of Eastern Europe • Marshall Tito of Yugoslavia (who had broke from Soviet control in 1948) welcomed back into communist fold • Undermined Eastern European leaders who had followed Stalin Marshall Tito

  2. HUNGARY 1956 • Moderate nationalist communists appointed leaders in Poland and Hungary with Soviet approval • In Hungary, relaxation triggered further demands • On November 1, 1956, new government announced that country would withdraw from Warsaw Pact and create multi-party democratic system • Result was swift and bloody invasion by Soviet army • New government overthrown • Many leaders and supporters killed

  3. CZECHOSLOVAKIA 1968 • Liberal communist regime, headed by Anton Dubcek, established in 1968 • Initiated reforms with the goal of giving socialism “a human face” • Establishment of democratic system • Creation of open and uncensored press • Soviet troops invade, depose regime, and re-establish hard-line status quo • Brezhnev justifies invasion with “Brezhnev Doctrine” • Whenever socialism was threatened in one country, it was the duty of all other socialist countries to intervene and protect it Anton Dubcek

  4. SPEED UP OF CHANGE • Brezhnev Doctrine already fading by mid-1980s • Solidarity movement in Poland • Gorbachev’s speeded up process because his reforms in Soviet Union inspired like-minded reformers in Eastern Europe to do the same thing

  5. REASONS • Gorbachev rejected use of Brezhnev Doctrine to support Communist regimes in Eastern Europe • Military intervention would have damaged relations with U.S. • Military intervention would have provoked serious outcry within Soviet Union • Multiple interventions would have been required, costing tremendous amounts of money • Would have diverted scarce funds from economic programs • Gorbachev simply could not resort to old repressive measures to keep Eastern Europe in line • Whole new approach was called for

  6. “SINATRA DOCTRINE” • Gorbachev publicly rejects Brezhnev Doctrine in 1988 and affirmed the principle that each socialist country was free to follow its own path with no fear of intervention from the Soviet Union • “Sinatra Doctrine” • In 1989, Poles remove Communist regime and replaced it with government made up of former members of anti-communist Solidarity Movement • Gorbachev does nothing to intervene

  7. EAST GERMANY • Erick Honecker initially rejected the idea that any sort of reform would work in his country and attempt to resist all changes • Thousands of East Germans travel to Hungary and then crossed border into Austria and West Germany • East Germany responds with restricting travel to Hungary • Thousands of East Germans flee to West German embassy in Prague, Czechoslovakia • East Germany responds with restricting travel to Czechoslovakia Erick Honecker

  8. EAST GERMANY RISES UP • Demonstrations erupt in Liepzig • Honecker forced to resign in October 1989 • Replaced by Egon Krenz • Even though Krenz opened the Berlin Wall, demonstrations continue • Krenz resigns on November 9, 1989 • Moderate communist takes over and free elections held for first time Leipzig Demonstration Egon Krenz

  9. GERMANY REUNITES • Christian Democratic candidates win most seats in new Parliament • Affiliated with party of West German chancellor Helmut Kohl • Work begins to unify Germany • “Four plus Two” conference • U.S., France, Great Britain, and Soviet Union work with West and East Germany to create unification • West and East Germany officially reunified on October 3, 1991

  10. STIRRINGS OF DISCONTENT • CP votes to permit non-communist parties in USSR • March 1990 • State restrictions against religious practice abolished • Russian Republic declares that laws passed by its legislature could over-ride laws of the Soviet Union • June 1990 • Other republics followed suit • Lithuania unilaterally declares it independence • Gorbachev responds with economic embargo of this Baltic state

  11. GROWING ISOLATION • Gorbachev increasingly isolated from what was going on • Still skeptical of democracy, he wanted to maintain a role for the CP in the new era that was being born • Committed to preventing the break up of the USSR • Orders crackdown on nationalist movements in the Baltic states • Only result was the erosion of his popular support and increased foreign criticism

  12. BORIS YELTSIN • Charismatic and Hard-drinking • Rose to prominence as liberal reformer • Challenged Gorbachev’s authority and the very legitimacy of the Soviet state • Former high-ranking member of CP • Repudiated this affiliation and became spokesman for those who wanted to create true democracy and pure free market capitalism in USSR • Did not think communism could survive and had grave doubts about whether the Soviet Union could hold together

  13. GORBY SHIFTS TO THE RIGHT • Gorbachev gradually shifts away from reform • Encouraged by right-wing elements in CP, army, and KGB • Approves attempt to overthrow democratically-elected government of Lithuania • January 1991 • Begins with clumsy attack on television station in Vilnius • Fails • Lithuania holds referendum on independence a month later • 90% support independence Boris Pugo

  14. BACK AND FORTH • Yeltsin publicly calls for Gorbachev’s resignation • Because of his actions towards Lithuania • February 1991 • Gorbachev responds by ordering Russian troops to surround the Kremlin • Gorbachev then suddenly abandons hard-line approach • April 1991 • Accepts the idea of autonomy for the various republics • Yeltsin elected president of Russian Republic • June 1991 • Clear sign that CP no longer enjoyed much public support

  15. Gorbachev returned from trip to London and announced that the CP would eliminate Marxism/Leninism from its platform Then he left for vacation in the Crimea Hard-line communists within the CP, army, KGB, and even his own cabinet were now convinced that his policies threatened the existence of communism and the Soviet Union Placed under house arrest in the Crimea Hoped to convince or force him to throw his prestige against reform and declare a state of emergency He agreed to do so, but only if such a move was approved by Soviet parliament Conspirators then declared he was “incapacitated” and announced that his vice-president would take over THE COUP BEGINS

  16. YELTSIN THE HERO • Yeltsin courageously resisted coup in Moscow • Stood on tank outside Russian parliament and encouraged resistance • Tens of thousands responded • As a result, troops who had been ordered to seize building refused to do so

  17. END OF THE COUP • Coup rapidly fell apart • Leaders underestimated strength of Yeltsin’s and Gorbachev’s popular support • Army remained loyal to Gorbachev • Yeltsin mobilized Moscow by calling for resistance and the restoration of Gorbachev as legitimate Soviet leader

  18. BEGINNING OF THE END • Gorbachev released • Adopted a more reformist stance • Yeltsin uses Russian parliament to suspend the CP and its newspaper, Pravda, in Russia • Dismantlement of communism

  19. ACCELERATION • Gorbachev appoints new people to key ministries • KGB officials pensioned off • All vestiges of censorship removed from radio and television • Soviet government finally officially recognizes independence of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia • Gorbachev accepts decrees that Yeltsin implemented in Russia • Soviet parliament suspends CP throughout entire Soviet Union

  20. THE END Yeltsin and new presidents of Belarus and Ukraine announce creation of Commonwealth of Independent States in December 1991 Loose confederation of newly independent states Moldavia, Ubekistan, and Azerbaijan declare their independence shortly after August coupM Other republics hold referendums on independence and all succeed by large majorities By end of 1991, 13 of 15 Soviet republics had declared independence Gorbachev resigns as president of Soviet Union on December 25, 1991

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