Eliza Samore

Topic 5: The Cold War

Title and Author of Packet: Chapter 43: More Cracks in the Empire by Brian Crozier

Major Theme: Origins of the Cold War

Ideological Differences Mutual Suspicion and Fear From Wartime Allies to Post-War Enemies Historiography

Major Theme: Nature of the Cold War

Ideological Opposition Superpowers and Spheres of Influence Alliances and Diplomacy in the Cold War Historiography

Major Theme: Development and Impact of the Cold War

Global Spread of the Cold War from its European Origins Cold War Policies of Containment, Brinkmanship, Peaceful Coexistence, Détente Role of the United Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement Role and Significance of Leaders Arms Race, Proliferation and Limitation Social, Cultural, and Economic Impact Historiography

Major Theme: End of the Cold War

Break-Up of Soviet Union: Internal Problems and External 1989 December Plenum over Lithuania: Pressures  CPL (Lithuanian communist party) deleted Article 6 from constitution which made communist Party leading force of country Eliza Samore

 Gorbachev is NOT happy Gorby’s visit to Vilnius:  Two rival communist parties had formed: secessionist original CPL party and communist party that supported Moscow  Gorby met w/ Lithuanian restructuring movement formed “Sajudis” – led by piano teacher Vytautas Landsbergis  Mass rally w/ 300,000 people including CPL leaders and Sajudis separatists  Gorby gave speech with Lithuanian intellectuals at Academy of Sciences o “in favor of the principle of self-determination, stopping short of secession.” o Proposed federation of sovereign states  Yuri Maslyukov (member of Gorby gang) proposed referendum for issue of sovereignty Post-Gorby visit:  Algirdas Brazauskas elected president by Lithuanian Supreme Soviet  Soviet Law on Supervision of the Constitution was voted invalid by Lithuanian Supreme Soviet Latvia:  Supreme Soviet votes to abolish Article 6 from constitution Estonia:  November 12, 1989 – Supreme Soviet declare the decision to join the Soviet Union in 1940 was illegal because it was secured by Soviet military coercion  February 2, 1990 mass rally in Tallinn + 3,000 Soviet party members joined – demanded independence  Abolished Article 6 on February 23rd Problems in Russia + USSR:  New draft program proposed by Aleksandr Yakovlev – included provision for Party to renounce monopoly of power o The conservatives were super opposed  January 20-21 conference – reformist communists argued for a multiparty democratic system – groups formed from conference o Democratic Platform of CPSU was most famous  February 4th – biggest unorganized demonstration ever in Moscow o 150,000 people from all diff. political affiliations o Moscow Radio made the march public Eliza Samore

 February 5th plenum of Party’s Central Committee o Discuss draft program o Gorby called to abolish post of general secretary and replace it with Party chairman and to replace the Politburo w/ something more federalist and central committee would be reduced in size o Anatoly Kornienko, Valentin Mesyats, Vladimir Brovikov, Boris Gidaspov all opposed Gorby o Everyone voted for the draft program except for 2 – only Boris Yeltsin voted against it  May day 1990 – 40,000 ppl parade of opposition groups in Moscow’s Red Square w/ anti-Gorby signs  Unpublicized Red Army division mobilization in Moscow – show politburo that they had role in disarmament negotiations w/ U.S.  June 12th – Congress of People’s deputies release 15-article declaration proclaiming the right of the Russian Federation and its sovereignty o Soon followed by Uzbekistan, Moldavia, Armenia, Turkmenia, Azerbajain, Georgia, and Tajikistan o Independence = contagious – everyone wanted independence so nationalist sentiment rose  Gorby gave awful speech on November 16th, 1990 – complains about separatists and urges to unite behind perestroika  BAD economic state – food is becoming scarce and foot rationing is introduced in Leningrad o Humiliating international airlift of food aid  Gorby sacks somewhat liberal interiror minister Vadim Bakatin for not being tough on crime and appoints hardliner Boris Pugo (later plays a role in attempted coup)  General Vladimir Kryuchkov (KGB chairman) makes unscheduled speech on TV criticizing the chaos and saying the KGB troops will do everything to save the Soviet Union  Gorby gives speech at Congress of People’s Deputies o Called out “destructive actions by separatist and nationalist forces” and called army role vital o Proposes referendum on proposed draft Union treaty o Attacked for this speech on both sides  Eduard Shevardnadze resigns from post as foreign minister!! Eliza Samore

o Seen as a genuine liberal reformer so west was very bummed out o He says he’s resigning because of the “onset of dictatorship” Problems in Lithuania again…  February 24th – elections put Party in hands of Sajudis (now “Popular Front for Perestroika”)  March 11th – Party declares Lithuania independent  More free multi-party elections w/ pro-CPSU Communist Party getting only 5 seats Nicaragua  The Sandinista National Liberation Front lost elections in February, 1990 and Violeta Barrios de Chamorro from UNO won so whooo communism collapsed Changes to Soviet Constitution  Amendment to articles 6 & 7 o 6: basically accepts multiparty system, trade unions, social organizations, and mass movements o 7: establishes that all those listed above still operate within Soviet law and the Constitution  Gorby created and won post of President of USSR – mix btwn French and American presidential models  Anatoly Lukyanov = chairman of Supreme Soviet  16 members of presidential council are voted in – included a lot of Gorby’s friends + advisers New Secession Law  Law on Secession (April 3, 1990) issued conditions for constituent republics wanting to become independent: a held referendum with positive vote by 2/3 of the electorate and a 5-year transition period  Gorby starts putting pressure on Lithuanian President Vytautas Landsbergis to conform to new restrictions o Lithuania defies Moscow and they get MAD – round up Lithuanian red army deserters, circle helicopters around city, and start economic blockade on oil and gas o June 29, 1990 – Lithuanian parliament suspends for 100 days  Estonia and Latvia assert independence by restoring their constitutions from 1938 and 1922 respectively o Chastised by Gorby for breaking Soviet law Eliza Samore

Yeltsin is coming!!  Yeltsin has a vendetta against Gorby because he politically ostracized him and made him come to the plenum of Moscow city committee when Yeltsin was sick in hospital o Possible attempt on his life by KGB?? o Defamed as a drunk in the Russian media  Elected as chairman of Russian Supreme Soviet (president of Russian federation) Breakdown of Soviet Control Over Central and Eastern Europe Historiography  Gorbachev links perestroika to working only if there’s a united Soviet Union  Gorbachev’s meetings w/ political parties and Sajudis in Lithuania wouldn’t have happened under any other former communist ruler  Problems w/ other republics in the Soviet Union caused internal party problems in CPSU  Unclear whether Gorby really supported Glasnost in it’s pure sense – maybe used more as device to convince West he believed in democracy  The communist party in Nicaragua might’ve won elections if not for external Western pressure and observers  New secession law was way to justify pressure on Lithuania to conform to Moscow’s decrees or face the consequences