v The Soviet Union to 1989

Ø Four Major Themes of Soviet History:

§ 1. Rivalry w/US for global leadership

§ 2. Rivalry w/China for Communists global leadership

§ 3. Sustain Soviet domination over Eastern Europe

§ Stalin maintained full control until his death in 1953

Ø The Khrushchev (K) Years

§ 1956: Khrushchev emerged as Soviet Premier (till 1964)

· Gives speech decrying Stalin’s excesses & purges

· Impact: shock & consternation=>

¨ Opened up debate & limited criticism of party

¨ By ’58 Stalin’s old supporters gone but not killed

§ A brief “thaw” in cultural life emerged under Khrushchev

· Allowed limited flexibility & freedom of expression

· In reality=> improvement only relative to past & future

§ Economic Policy: limited decentralized $$ permitted

· Marginal improvement in consumer goods noted

· Major focus of economy remained heavy industry

¨ Steel, oil, & electric power continued to grow

· Defense budget & space program took biggest share

¨ Sputnik (1957)=> major achievement – why?

§ What major changes in agricultural policy did K make?

§ Major agricultural changes under Khrushchev:

· Realization that USSR could not feed its own people!

· Removed more restrictive regs on private cultivation

· Abandoned machine-tractor stations (inefficient)

· Government undertook “virgin lands” program

¨ New lands cultivated to grow more wheat

¨ Result: mixed=> initial success then erosion sets in

· Agricultural problems continued to grow

¨ By 1970=> Soviets had to import grain from US

Ø Major aspect of Détente

§ By 1964: Soviet party leadership concluded K had to go

· Reason: tried to do too much, too soon, too poorly

¨ Forced to back down by US during what ’62 crisis?

· Oct 1964: K defeated in Central Committee=> resigns

· Eventually succeeded by whom?

Ø Brezhnev

§ After’64=> Soviet regime became more repressive

· Intellectual had less freedom & little access to Gov.

· Jewish citizens harassed & impeded from immigration

§ Internal repression creates budding dissident movement

· Criticizes Gov. on human rights record (Helsinki ’75)

· KGB spies on/harasses Sakharov (Nobel prize winner)

§ FP attempted brief accommodation w/US (Nixon & Salt I)

· Also attempted to keep leadership of communist move.

· USSR defense spending continued to rise (esp. Navy’s)

· Impact: less $$ available for consumer goods product.

§ Dec 1979: Soviet invade Afghanistan

· Impact on US-Soviet relations?

· Soviet’s Vietnam=> harshly criticized by world

· Also regime loss internal support: cost in blood/$

Ø Communism & Solidarity in Poland

§ Poles strike over government price hike for meat

· Aug 1990: Gdansk shipyard became center of strikes

· Soon strikes spread throughout Poland

· Union’s (Solidarity) leader emerges- who?

· Workers refuse to negotiate w/Gov. approved unions

¨ Gov. approved workers right to independent union

§ Soon Polish government leader summarily replaced

· Courts recognize Solidarity as independent union

§ 1981: secret ballot elections w/real choices permitted

· (a first in communist East Europe)

· Short lived as Army under Jaruzelski takes over party

· Gen Jaruzelski declare martial law (effective till 1988)

Ø Old Guard Dies Off- Gorbachev Attempted Reforms

§ By Brezhnev’s death (1982) Soviet system too brittle

· Hardly capable of successful foreign policy

· Economy totally inefficient and in steady decline

· NTL=> no one suspected system on verge of collapse

§ Brezhnev is briefly succeeded by Andropov & Chernenko

· Each die in office after brief period (Reagan’s quip)

· Indicative of USSR’s not too distant future itself

§ 1985: Mikhail Gorbachev comes to power

· Realized major reforms urgently needed

· Attempted last great reform of rigid, dying system

¨ Also attempted to eliminate its Stalinist heritage

· Set about making major political & economic reforms

¨ Soon reform movement would take on life of its own

§ Perestroika & Glasnost- (definitions?)

· Gorbachev directly challenged the old Soviet ways:

¨ Bureaucracy & Party management of Gov. & $$

¨ Cut size of centralized economic ministries

¨ Allowed local level private enterprise

Ø 1990: advocated private property ownership

Ø liberalization of economy & move to free market $

· What were the results of Gorbachev’s Perestroika?

§ Despite Gorbachev’s reforms:

· USSR suffered economic stagnation then decline

¨ Food shortages, consumer goods, housing, long lines

· Communists blamed abandonment of central $ planning

· Democrats argued reforms too slow with half measures

¨ Urged more rapid move to free market economy

§ Concurrently=> citizens allowed glasnost

· Even encouraged to criticize Gov & party history

¨ Complain about inefficiencies & no consumer goods

· Gorbachev encouraged open debate in party congress

· Censorship relaxed & free expression encouraged

· Stalin’s excesses & Party criticized

· Political dissidents released from prison

· New Constitution allowed open contested elections

¨ 1989: genuine election held=> Gorbi elected pres.

§ Soviet Union comprised of vast & diverse ethnic peoples

· Some conquered during Russian conquest under Tsars

· Others (the Baltic states) during Stalin’s reign

· What did glasnost allow to surface for these peoples?

· Gorbachev inept in handling their ethnic complaints.

v 1989: Year of Revolutions in Eastern Europe

Ø Soviet domination & communist rule ends in East Europe

§ Revolution was successful for one primary reason?

· (Gorbachev’s role?)

§ Once E. Europeans realized Soviets wouldn’t invade=>

· Took matters (and destiny) into their own hands

· Criticized & protested their brittle communist regime

¨ Asserted their desire for democratic rule

§ Soviets also influenced by Tienanmen Square fall-out

· Negative world reaction=> China severely criticized

· L/L & calculation of Soviet & E. German governments

¨ Conclude can not afford negative world opinion

Ø Need world’s economic aid & support

Ø Solidarity Reemerges in Poland

§ Communist government relaxed martial law in mid 1980s

· Solidarity leaders released from prison

¨ Work for free trade union & democratic government

¨ Active underground press & dissenting groups rise

· Meanwhile Poland’s economy deteriorates

¨ Conclusion: communist government can’t deliver

§ 1987: Gov. grants sweeping amnesty for all Solidarity ldrs

§ 1988: New strikes occur & take on life of their own

· Communist Gov. fail to repress & Solidarity legalized

· Jaruzelski (w/Gorbi’s approval) repealed martial law

¨ Promised free elections to parliament (w/more pwr)

§ 1989: elections held and communist candidates lose big

· Jaruzelski must turn to Solidarity to form coalition gov.

· Aug: after negotiation w/Walesa=>non-communist PM

¨ (appointed with Gorbachev’s approval)

Ø Hungary Moves Toward Independence

§ Already had national economic independence from USSR

· Government stressed food & consumer goods product.

· Also allowed establishment of small stock exchange

§ 1989: observe Poland’s events=>seek more independence

· Parliament allowed independent political parties

· Soon government permits unhindered travel to Austria

¨ Significance: major breach in iron curtain opened

¨ Result: East Germans vote with their feet – how?

§ May’89: Janos Kadar voted out of office (held since 1956)

· 1000s of Hungarians give honorable burial to who?

· Hungary’s communist party changes name to Socialist

§ 1990: free election=> true democratic coalition formed

Ø Breach of the Berlin War & German Reunification

§ Fall 1989: Leipzig demonstrations take hold

· 1000s protest: demand democracy & end comm. rule

§ Gorbachev makes clear Soviets will not to prop up govs.

· No longer intervene to support & protect comm.. ldrs

· Famous visit to East Berlin: “Gorbi, Gorbi, Gorbi…!”

¨ Eric Hoenecker embarrassed by crowd’s chants

§ Old guard soon resigns & younger communists replace

· Promise political & economic reform- too little too late

· Meanwhile Germans continue to vote with their feet

¨ Via Hungary=> Austria=> West Germany

§ Nov 1989: w/o fanfare=> Berlin Wall is opened to West

· Word spreads like wild fire=> East Germans crossover

¨ Greeted by West Germans w/Marks to shop with

¨ All captured on live TV broadcasted around world

§ 1990: Communists swept from office in free elections

· Soon German unification next logical step in process

Ø The Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia (Late 1989)

§ Street demonstrations & organized opposition press gov.

· Communist party retreats from office, and then…=>

¨ Well familiar pattern replays itself- what happens?

§ Familiar pattern unfolds again:

· Old guard resigns

· Younger communist replace them=> promise reforms

· People reject promises (too little too late)

§ Role & impact of Vaclav Havel

· Leader of opposition=> popular playwright &dissident

· Leads Civic Forum=> negotiates change to Gov.

¨ End of communist party dominance

¨ Inclusion of non-communists in government

¨ Elimination of traditional Marxist education

¨ Removal of travel restrictions

¨ Relaxation of censorship

§ Dec’89: Cz Gov, USSR, & other Warsaw Pact admit=>

· Invasion of Cz in 1968 was a “mistake”

§ Civic Forum then forces resignation of Pres. Husak (’68)

· Free elections held Dec.=> Havel elected president

Ø Violent Revolution in Romania

§ Role of Nicolae Ceaucescu (1918-1989)

· Presided for ½ century over 1 party rule

¨ Centralized command directed economy

· Maintained Stalinist regime in contrast to Gorbi reform

¨ Supported by army & security force loyal to him

¨ Put corrupt close relatives in positions of authority

Ø Personally profited & enriched themselves

· The Emperor has no clothes – 15 Dec 1989

¨ Security forces try to arrest priest in Timisora

Ø Fire on demonstrators (100s of casualties)

· When Ceaucescu attends public rally in Bucharest=>

¨ (supposed to be staged pro-gov demonstration)

¨ Instead protestors shout him down (unprecedented)

· 23 Dec: Bucharest now in full revolt

¨ Fighting erupts between Army vs. security forces

Ø (which sides supports whom?)

¨ Rebels gain control of TV station=>

Ø Broadcast reports revolution which then spreads

· Ceaucescu & wife attempts to flee via helo

¨ Dec 25: captured, tried, shot, & taped=> ends fight

· Provisional gov announced free elections for Spring’90