 starter activity

1. starter activity What has this got to do with Cold War? Why would the Soviet’s feel especially threatened? Read Sources F-H on p.162 to support your views.

2. Threat posed by Star Wars • Violated previous agreements – Limited Test Ban Treaty (1963), Outer Space Treaty (1967), ABM Treaty (1972) • Destabilised mutual deterrence – undermined MAD • Placed strain on Soviet economy – restarting and expensive arms race • Placed strains on Soviet negotiators – didn’t understand the new technology

3. Why did the USSR lose its grip over Eastern Europe?  Aims To identify reasons why Soviet control over Eastern bloc countries weakened in the 1980s

4. How strong were relations between USSR and E Europe by the early 1980s?

5. Cracks emerging • Romania developing own foreign policy • Marshal Tito pursued independent brand of Communism in Yugoslavia • Hungarian Uprising (1956), Czechoslovakian Crisis (1968) aka ‘Prague Spring’ • Strikes in Gdansk, Poland • Ostpolitik

6.  Your task • Read p.163-5 and list the factors that were weakening Soviet control over Europe. You may wish to group them under ‘political’ & ‘economic’ •  Which factor in your opinion was the most important? Write a brief judgement paragraph Janos Kadar, Hungary Nicolai Ceausescu, Communist Leader of Romania until 1989 Honecker, East Germany (GDR)

7. Economic factors • State-run industries ineffective – shrotages of food & consumer goods • Environmental problems • Poor management • Lack of credit & capital investment • Slow to develop new technologies • Differences in living standards

8. Political factors • Conflict between reformers and hard-line Communists • Repression & surveillance soiety –Stasi, Securitate • Lack of national unity • Growth of opposition, e.g. Solidarity in Poland • International criticism – John Paul II

9.  Your task • You will be given a series of cards explaining reasons why their was growing resistance to the USSR in many Eastern Bloc countries at this time. Sort them into a ‘Diamond 9’ formation.

10.  Your task • Complete the skills builder task on p.166. George Bush regales the Pope with a witty speech during high level Vatican talks

11.  Your task • Read p.167 and list the reasons why the Soviet leadership was so weak in the early 80s Name the Soviet leaders

12. Weakening Soviet leadership • Gerontocracy – rule by the elderly, in particular Brezhnev • Conservatism within Politburo • Poor communication & inflexibility – demonstrated by Korean airliner incident (1983)

13.  Extension task • Read p.404-411 on conditions in the USSR and the impact of the arrival of Gorbachev on the conduct of domestic and foreign politics.

14.  Plenary • List 3 political & 3 economic factors which were weakening Soviet control over Eastern Europe • Why is Poland so significant? • What impact did changes in leadership have on Soviet foreign policy (positive & negative)

15.  Homework • Read about Gorbachev’s new approach to foreign and domestic policy on p.167-8. • Make a chart in your notes. On one side note down the characteristics of Gorbachev’s New Political Thinking and on the other the impact of his ideas. Draw lines between the 2 columns to show any links.