Topic 5: The Cold War
Title and Author of Packet: Crozier 42 and 44
Major Theme: Origins of the Cold War
Ideological Differences Mutual Suspicion and Fear From War me Allies to Post-War Enemies Historiography
Major Theme: Nature of the Cold War
Ideological Opposi on 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 Na ons and the Non-Aligned Movement Role and Significance of Leaders Arms Race, Prolifera on and Limita on Social, Cultural, and Economic Impact Historiography
Major Theme: End of the Cold War
Break-Up of Soviet Union: Internal Problems and External Gorbachev’s reforms of perestroika and glasnost only served to accentuate the Pressures problems concerning the over 100 na onali es living in the USSR. Gorbachev forced the resigna on of a Kazakhstan leader and appointed a Russian instead, Gennady Kolbin, sparking riots in Alma-Ata, which were put down by the use of force, resul ng in many deaths. In Nagorno-Karabakh, and enclave of Azerbaijan inhabited by Armenians and Azeris, tensions broke out when the Armenians pushed to become part of the Armenian Republic. Many massacres and tensions arose all over Azerbaijan. Arkady Volsky was put in charge of Nagorno-Karabakh for a me, but his reforms were not enough to cool down tensions. Leaders of the Abkhaz Anonymous group in the Georgian Republic demonstrated in favor of secession in 1990. A counterrevolu on was led in Tbilisi, the Georgian capital, with hunger strikes and more. Non-Georgian forces intervened and used lethal gas, killing and injuring nearly 700 people. A demonstra on was broken up by tanks in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in 1990, as well as ethnic riots occurring in Yaku a (home of a Turkic-speaking people in Siberia), Tajikistan, Kazakstan, and Moldavia. Breakdown of Soviet Control Over Central and Eastern Europe Lithuania removed Ar cle 6 from their cons tu on, guaranteeing the USSR’s leading role, and then declared themselves independent. The Solidarity movement in Poland gained new momentum in 1989, under Lech Walesa, and the first free elec ons since Stalin were held, giving Solidarity a landslide victory. IN Hungary, Imre Nagy and others from the 1956 uprising had their graves rehabilitated. Janos Kadar died, and the communist party of Hungary was abolished. The na ons of the Warsaw pact, on October 27, 1989, decided that all na ons had the right to freely choose their poli cal, social, and economic paths, signaling the end of the Brezhnev Doctrine. In East Germany, amidst mass resigna ons, Egon Krenz was appointed as the new chairman. Hungary opened its border with Austria for East German “visitors,” and later Hans Morrow took power. Kohl, the West German leader, called for reunifica on. The wall was breached, and millions crossed over. Reunifica on 3 stages - crea ng of a monetary, economic and social union on May 18, 1990; the signing of a reunifica on treaty on August 31; and the signing of an agreement effec vely ending the cold war by all 6 powers (US, USSR, France, England, and the two Germanies), with the removal of Soviet troops by 1994 from East Germany and the banning of all nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons in Germany. In Hungary, on December 10, 1989, President Gustav Husk stepped down and a non- communist majority was sworn in. Alexander Dubcek, the party boss who had been exiled in 1968 for standing up to the Soviets, returned to Prague, and Vaclav Havel, a dissident playwright and na onalist, was made president. In Bulgaria, the party boss was ousted on November 10, and his successor Petar Mladenov allowed free elec ons and abandoned the communist party. In Romania, a er a Protestant Pastor was beefed and deported for speaking out (Father Laszlo Tokes), violent protests broke out. The “Securitate,” Bulgaria’s police force, massacred many, but the protests carried on. Ceausescu and his wife Elena, the hated leaders of Romania, were arrested and executed, which was broadcast in the West on TV. The “Na onal Salva on Front,” s ll a communist regime, took over. Albania would also remain communist for many years. Na onalists in Lithuania, led by President Vytautas Landsbergis, had declared independence in March 1990. The Soviet Union stalled nego a ons for 6 months a er Landsbergis called for talks in October. A police force known as the OMON (or the “Black Berets”) seized press and government buildings. Infla on increased in the Bal c Republics, which pro-Soviet protestors used as ground to a ack buildings and break windows. Gorbachev called the Lithuanian ac ons a flagrant viola on of the Soviet cons tu on. Soviet paratroopers then took back many buildings violently, killing and injuring hundreds.
Bloody clashes followed in Latvia’s capital, Riga. The Central Commi ee had decided to step down and hold new elec ons, disbanding all soviets. OMON launched and assault on the Latvian Interior Ministry, killing 3 people. The next day, on January 21, 1990, 100,000 demonstrators marched in Moscow in protest, calling for the resigna on of Gorbachev, Yakov, and Pugo, who all denied prior knowledge of the incident. Estonia escaped most violence, but s ll had some. Yeltsin flew to the Bal c Republics and declared their independence. Defense Minister Yazov and Interior Minister Pugo called for police and military patrols on the street of major ci es in 1990. Yeltsin denounced this and Gorbachev’s rule as uncons tu onal. He was blasted by Pravda for this, and received an icy recep on in his talks with the European Parliament, as well as a acks from foreign newspapers s ll under “Gorbymania.” Gorbachev held a referendum asking if the people wanted the satellites to gain independence, receiving rela vely high votes for yes. Yeltsin thought they should have independence first and then vote on whether they wanted to stay. Yeltsin and Gorbachev had a council with the leaders of these countries,deciding on a Union Treaty. Being in a state of economic crisis, Yeltsin did gain some victory in cri cizing Perestroika. In the August Coup, members of the government sent tanks into the city while Gorbachev was on vaca on (some of these were Yanayev, the VP, Prime Minister Pavlov, and KGB chief Kryuchkov). Gorbachev refused to sign power over in the “state of emergency,” and eventually won. Historiography The na onali es issue was the most difficult for Gorbachev to deal with among all issues in the Soviet Union. Archie Brown (Oxford University specialist on Soviet affairs) - The massacre in Georgia, in 1990, was not the fault of Gorbachev or Shevardnadze, but rather of Chebrikov, the KGB chief, Pa ashvili, the Georgian Party boss, and General Igor Rodionov, who were all later sacked or demoted. Under the oppressive nature of the “Securitate,” Romania’s secret security force, an uprising had been wai ng to happen for years, it simply needed a trigger. Michel Castex - The KGB may have carefully planned the Romanian uprising, seeing the speed in which the Romanian Communist party and the Securitate took over a er the leaders’ execu on. Evidence does point to the conclusion that Gorbachev had no prior knowledge of the KGB and army’s plan to use violent force to se le to situa on in Lithuania, but in the interna onal outcry many believed him to be guilty.