Collapse Of Communism In Eastern Europe Essay
The Collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe
The collapse of communism in eastern europe can be based on three disticnct factors.
Factor 1: People Power
May: Hungary opens its borders with non communist Austria. Hungarians had already been granted the rights to free travel. However many east germans started using this route to get to west germany.
June-August: protests against communist rule In poland continue throughout the summer. In august, communist party leaders agree truly free elsections. Solidarity wins 99 out of 100 seats in polands senate. Lech Walesa becomes Eastern Europe’s first non-Communistm leader since Second World War.
September: Thousands more East Germans flee to West Germany through Hungary and Czechoslovakia. East german leader Erich Honecker asks Hungary and …show more content…
Czechoslovakia to close their borders. They refused.
October: Soviet leader Mikahil Gorbachev visits East Germany and makes a key speech. He urges all Eastern Europen leaders to reform their countries. He makes it clear that the USSR will not use force to keep them in power. Hungary declares itself to be a democratic republic rather then a communist republic.
November: Thousands of East Germans march on the Berlin Wall.
Honecker orders troops to shoot at the demonstartors, but they refuse. Border guards join the crowds. Giant demonstartions ( over 350,000 people) in Czechoslovakia force the Communist leaders to resign. Czechoslovakia opens its borders with the West. It also holds free elections.
December: Massive demonstrations lead to the downfall of the Communist regimes in Bulgaria and Romania.
Factor 2: Problems in the USSR
During the 1980’s, big changes were taking place in the USSR.
. Economic Disaster: Its economy was in a mess. The USSR could not afford to keep huge numbers of troops in Eastern Europe.
. Social Problems: its people faced huge social problems, especially in housing and in health. The USSR needed to spend money on these problems rather than on controlling Eastern Europe.
. Political Problems: Its leaders were mostly old men who were ill. The USSR needed new leaders and new ideas. The USSR no longer wanted to hold on to Eastern Europe.
Factor 3: Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikahil Gorbachev became the Soviet leader in 1985. He was totally different from previous Soviet leaders. He set out two main
ideas:
Perestroika (restructuring or reorganising the USSR)
. He brought reforms into the Soviet economy
. He increased spending on health and housing programmes.
. He made huge cuts in the USSR’s military spending.
Glastnost( Freedom or opennenes)
. He did not try to hide his countries problems.
. He made it clear to the USA that the USSR would no longer compete with the USA. He now felt that that the USSR’s security depended on good relations with the USA.
. He encouraged people in the USSR to speak out and to suggest new ways of running the economy and the country.
What did Gorbachevs reforms mean?
The USSR had always controlled Eastern Europe to provide a security zone. Gorbachev turned this idea on its head.
. He said that the USSR could not afford to have millions of troops in Eastern Europe to keep it Communist.
. He believed that the Communist leaders in Eastern Europe should bring in reforms similar to those he had introduced in the USSR.
. He made it clear in 1989 that Soviet troops would not put down demonstrations in Eastern European countries.
Today, Gorbachev is still regarded as a hero in the USA and Western Europe and Eastern Europe. However, he is less well regarded in Russia. Many Russians see Gorbachev as the man who lost them their empire. It is easy to see why. Gorbachev started a process of change that could not be stopped. In October 1990, East and West Germany became one coun try again after the falling of the Berlin Wall in november 1989. Within months other parts of the USSR declared themselves to be independent countries. It started with the Baltic states, but the process soon spread to the Ukraine and other muslim republics in the south of the USSR. On 25 December 1991, Gorbachev announced the break up of the USSR and he stepped down from being leader.
Factor 4: President Ronald Regan and other Western Leaders
Ronlad Regan became US president in January 1981. He was president until 1988. He had only one policy about the USSR-get tough. He criticized its control over Eastern Europe. He also increased the USA’S military spending by $32 billion.He then challenged the USSR to keep up with American arms spending. Reagan was generally very popular with the American people. He also had the support of other Western Leaders such as Britians Prime Minister , Margaret Thatcher,and France’s President Mitterand.Reagan was extremely anti-Communist. Reagan’s tough tactics increased the USSR’s problems. But,in a way, Reagan helped Gorbachev
. It was clear by the late 1980’s that the USSR could not compete with American military spending. This helped Gorbachev to push through his military spending cuts.
. Reagan got on quite well with Gorbachev himself. They met at summit conferences and discussed many issues. As superpower relations improved, the USSR felt less threatened by the USA. This meant there was less need for the USSR to control Eastern Europe.
The collapse of communism in eastern europe can be based on three disticnct factors.
Factor 1: People Power
May: Hungary opens its borders with non communist Austria. Hungarians had already been granted the rights to free travel. However many east germans started using this route to get to west germany.
June-August: protests against communist rule In poland continue throughout the summer. In august, communist party leaders agree truly free elsections. Solidarity wins 99 out of 100 seats in polands senate. Lech Walesa becomes Eastern Europe’s first non-Communistm leader since Second World War.
September: Thousands more East Germans flee to West Germany through Hungary and Czechoslovakia. East german leader Erich Honecker asks Hungary and …show more content…
Czechoslovakia to close their borders. They refused.
October: Soviet leader Mikahil Gorbachev visits East Germany and makes a key speech. He urges all Eastern Europen leaders to reform their countries. He makes it clear that the USSR will not use force to keep them in power. Hungary declares itself to be a democratic republic rather then a communist republic.
November: Thousands of East Germans march on the Berlin Wall.
Honecker orders troops to shoot at the demonstartors, but they refuse. Border guards join the crowds. Giant demonstartions ( over 350,000 people) in Czechoslovakia force the Communist leaders to resign. Czechoslovakia opens its borders with the West. It also holds free elections.
December: Massive demonstrations lead to the downfall of the Communist regimes in Bulgaria and Romania.
Factor 2: Problems in the USSR
During the 1980’s, big changes were taking place in the USSR.
. Economic Disaster: Its economy was in a mess. The USSR could not afford to keep huge numbers of troops in Eastern Europe.
. Social Problems: its people faced huge social problems, especially in housing and in health. The USSR needed to spend money on these problems rather than on controlling Eastern Europe.
. Political Problems: Its leaders were mostly old men who were ill. The USSR needed new leaders and new ideas. The USSR no longer wanted to hold on to Eastern Europe.
Factor 3: Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikahil Gorbachev became the Soviet leader in 1985. He was totally different from previous Soviet leaders. He set out two main
ideas:
Perestroika (restructuring or reorganising the USSR)
. He brought reforms into the Soviet economy
. He increased spending on health and housing programmes.
. He made huge cuts in the USSR’s military spending.
Glastnost( Freedom or opennenes)
. He did not try to hide his countries problems.
. He made it clear to the USA that the USSR would no longer compete with the USA. He now felt that that the USSR’s security depended on good relations with the USA.
. He encouraged people in the USSR to speak out and to suggest new ways of running the economy and the country.
What did Gorbachevs reforms mean?
The USSR had always controlled Eastern Europe to provide a security zone. Gorbachev turned this idea on its head.
. He said that the USSR could not afford to have millions of troops in Eastern Europe to keep it Communist.
. He believed that the Communist leaders in Eastern Europe should bring in reforms similar to those he had introduced in the USSR.
. He made it clear in 1989 that Soviet troops would not put down demonstrations in Eastern European countries.
Today, Gorbachev is still regarded as a hero in the USA and Western Europe and Eastern Europe. However, he is less well regarded in Russia. Many Russians see Gorbachev as the man who lost them their empire. It is easy to see why. Gorbachev started a process of change that could not be stopped. In October 1990, East and West Germany became one coun try again after the falling of the Berlin Wall in november 1989. Within months other parts of the USSR declared themselves to be independent countries. It started with the Baltic states, but the process soon spread to the Ukraine and other muslim republics in the south of the USSR. On 25 December 1991, Gorbachev announced the break up of the USSR and he stepped down from being leader.
Factor 4: President Ronald Regan and other Western Leaders
Ronlad Regan became US president in January 1981. He was president until 1988. He had only one policy about the USSR-get tough. He criticized its control over Eastern Europe. He also increased the USA’S military spending by $32 billion.He then challenged the USSR to keep up with American arms spending. Reagan was generally very popular with the American people. He also had the support of other Western Leaders such as Britians Prime Minister , Margaret Thatcher,and France’s President Mitterand.Reagan was extremely anti-Communist. Reagan’s tough tactics increased the USSR’s problems. But,in a way, Reagan helped Gorbachev
. It was clear by the late 1980’s that the USSR could not compete with American military spending. This helped Gorbachev to push through his military spending cuts.
. Reagan got on quite well with Gorbachev himself. They met at summit conferences and discussed many issues. As superpower relations improved, the USSR felt less threatened by the USA. This meant there was less need for the USSR to control Eastern Europe.