Topic 5: The Cold War

Title and Author of Packet: ______Crozier 42, 43, 44______

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 : Internal Problems and External Nationality split Pressures USSR was made of tons of different ethnic groups, even in Russia itself. Power was held by communist parties, but reforms made nationalist desires flare up at the chance for local ethnic control of politics.

Kazakhstan- Replaced the old Brezhnev era guy () with one of his buddies (Gennady Kolbin) one issue- Kilbin wasn’t Kazakh, he was Georgian. That led to riots and Gorby took him out and he was replaced by , a Kazakh leader.

Armenian Azeri Conflict- In Nagorno- Karabakh the pop. Was mostly Armenian and protested to be under Armenian government control. Large demonstrations in Armenian capital (Yerevan) and ethnic clashes all over Azerbaijan and Armenia followed. Niether Politburo was getting anything done to Gorby sent Arkady Volsky who reformed but not enough. He allowed Armenian language and cultural freedom but not annexation to Armenia. After a year of not quelling nationalist desires control went back to Azerbaijan. Led to more riots and massacres of Armenians and Azeris.

Georgia Abkhaz wanted to secede. Georgians didn’t want them to and both staged large demonstrations. Demonstrators in Tbilisi were gassed by police, apprantly without Gorby’s knowledge

Lithuania – Deleted article 6 guarenteeing Party power from it’s constitution. Then the Communist Party delcareed itself independent from the government. Gorby tried to stop them but failed

Gorby said Perestroika would only work if the USSR was united.

Medvedev took over from Ligachev (the main anti reform dude)

The Llithuanian Commie Party was split Original CPL- secessionist vs “Lithuanian Communist Party on the CPSU platform”- aligned

There was a huge rally for Lithuanian independence, and Gorby responded with a speech to the LIthuanian Academy of Sciences d=sayng he supported self determination but not seccession. Constitution was declared void on Lithuanian territory and Gorby had failed. Lithuanian elections went to the CPL

Latvia- abolished article 6 225 to 4 vote in the Supreme Soviet.

Estonia- Declared the vote to join the USSR was null since it had been coerced by Soviet military pressure. Led to a huge rally in Feb 1990, then got rid of article 6.

Poland- Solidarity wins landslide in June 4 1989 elections. BY September, a coalition partnered with Solidarity took over. New PM: Tadeusz mazowiecki.

Hungary-Janos Kadar died in the hospital after being ejected from office, and the Hungarian Commie Party voted itself out of existence.

Czechoslovakia- Only 10 days. Dubcek returned and Vaclav Havel became Pres.

Bulgaria- party boos promised open election dn less party power

Romania- Ceauscecu was super oppressive. He beat a popular pastor and all hell broke loose. The demonstratiosn were repressed with tanks and helicopters. Proclaimed state of emergency. The army ended support for him and didn’t help him as he fled, eventually catching and executing him. Ended with the dictator and his wide getting executed. Didn’t end communist rule- renamed themselves the National Salvation Front and kept some power.

Berlin Wall Collapse Hungary let ppl leave thorugh open borders. Gorby arrived and called fro change in East Germany. He said he wanted a more reformist government and Honecker resigned. Replaced by EGon Kenz, a young a unimaginative and incompetent administrator Gorby liked for some reason.

Krenz refused to talk reunification, then reneged and went with unification anyways.

Inner CPSU tension All that stuff made things tense up at the top. The proposal by Yakovlev (Gorby ally) to renounce constitutionally guaranteed power for the aprty had been defeated, but conservatives and reformers were still at it.

Faced a dual problem: The bids for national independence and the end of Party monopoly on power. One meant the end of the empire, the other the end of .

Glasnost accelerated- huge demonstration with everyone from monarchists to anarchists in attendance on Feb 4 1990. All attacked the CP monopoly on power.

Gorby called for the party to restructure itself, revising democratic centralism (Big Leninist doctrine) Called for the abolition of the gen. sec., replaced by a Party Chairman, the Politburo being replaced by a new thing, and the CC made permament and reduced in size.

Conservatives fought back, but failed. The only person who voted against Gorby’s platform was Yeltsin.

Nicaragua Sandinistas lost power in the 1990 elections to the opposition.

Constitutional Changes Amended article 6 to allow for other parties and groups to influence policy. An amendment to not mention the party at all almost passed. Created the Pres of the USSR and elected Gorby.

Had a Pres. And a Premier.

New cabinet (the Presidential Council) excluded Ligachevm showing his defeata.

Passed a law detailing the secession process Referendum w/ 66% Then a 5 year transition period, then approval by the soviet govt.

The law was a reason to crackdown on Lithuania, who refused to honor laws of foreign nations. Cut oof oil supplies and had troops on the ground.

USSR blockaded Lithuania- they had enough food but not enough oil (cut by 80%)

Latvia and Estonia followed, but didn’t get blockaded. Lithuania suspended independence for 100 days to negotiate and the USSR lifted the blockade.

Yeltsin Brash and uncalcualtive. Politically ostracized by Gorby in 87 Drugged up and forced to attend a meeting. \ Disinformation campaign made ppl think he was a drunk Almost killed by a mysterious car after a meeting

Elected President of Russia, which worried Gorbachev. ThoughmYeltsin said he wanted a partnership with Gorby.

Russia passed laws that allowed it to nullify USSR laws and control its resources. Other satellites/ SSR did the same and proclaimed sovereignty

Gorby and Yeltsin worked together to transition to a market economy. Gorby gave citizenship back to exiles like Solzhenitsyn and gave rights back to peasants. Lack of machinery and people let harvests rot in fields- caused shortages and an international airlift to some areas.

Gorby was getting stressed. He appointed more hardliners and stressed the importance of the army in sovereignty

Shevardnadze resigned and warned of totalitarianism.

The coup Soviets kept deferring Lithuanian independence talks Lithuania redeclared independence and cut off negotiations. Crackdown followed- OMON or Black Berets took over buildings in Vilnius and Riga (Latvia) There were riots as paratroopers descended on the Baltics. Gorby accused Lithuania of ttrying to recreate the Bourgeoisie.

Gorby denied knowledge of the violence as paratroopers used tanks to crush protestors and stormed buildings.

The violence increased global support for Baltic independence. And popular support in the rest of the USSR

In Moscow there were marches calling for Gorby to resign. HE denounced the violence but still blamed the crisis on the Lithuanians.

Yeltsin then went to the Baltics and agreed to recognize their independence as Pres. Of Russia. USSR had lost them.

Yeltsin denounced Gorby after Gorby passed a law allowing police and military patrols in Russia (Violating Russian sovereignty?)

There was a referendum on the USSR’s existence that Gorby won, especially in smaller SSR’s (Some didn’t participate bc they were independent, like Lithuania)

Gorby had SSR leaders and Yeltsin over for talks, where they argued over the USSR vs Russia - Gorby got what he wanted, a new Union Treaty with Yeltsin dealing with internal stuff (like the nationalities headache) while Gorby had Foreign policy and defense. However, Gorby was losing power. He still had official leadership but was losign actual control.

Georgia elected a popular dissident as Pres. Modovia dropped Soviet and Socialist from its name

Russian KGB was separated from USSR KGB.

The Coup shocked the outside world- though Gorby had seen it coming. Tanks in the streets and announcemetns that Gorby was too sick to continue his job were unexpected for the west.

New guys-State Committee for the State of Emergency- introduce a State of Emergency and said that presidential power had been transferred to VP Yanayev.

These guys (the SCSE) roll up to Gorby’s crib while hes on vacation and demand he ign on to the State fo Emergency or else… Gorby doesn’t sign State of Emergency decrees for plebs he promoted. Then he swore at them

This refusal made the leaders flip. Yanayev started drinking again and they all stressed really bad.

Gorby got communication back, then his allies showed to say that he had won. Breakdown of Soviet Control Over Central and Eastern Europe Historiography Gorby didn’t order the gassing of protestors in Tbilisi. BUT The troops from Moscow had brought the paralyzer gas with them and warned hospitals to expect casualties. It had been Dzhumber Patiashvili and a few others (all were fired or pensioned off, except LIgachev)

Gorby helped collapse the DDR (East Germany) by pushing for reforms.

Gorby actually didn’t know about the violence in Lithuania.