LEARNING INTENTIONS

• Describe where revolutions took place in Europe, resulting in the end of the Soviet Union

The Cold War raged between the USA and Soviet Union for almost 50 years. Then suddenly in

1989 it came to an end with the collapse of the Soviet Union.

In 1985, the Soviet Union gained a new leader; Mikhail

Gorbachev.

Gorbachev introduced reforms which reduced Soviet

control of Eastern Europe, including

ending the Brezhnev Doctrine.

All across Europe, countries which had been members of the

Soviet Union underwent changes and revolution.

These reforms – sometimes peaceful, sometimes violent - caused the Communist

empire to disintegrate.

In Poland there had been campaigns

against Communism throughout the

1980s.

These were led partly by the

workers’ movement Solidarity and also the Catholic Church (led by Polish Pope,

John Paul II.

Changes which were happening elsewhere in

the Soviet Union allowed Solidarity to

stand in the 1989 elections.

Solidarity easily won, ending Communist rule. And the Soviet Union did nothing to stop

this.

Events in Poland showed other Eastern European countries

that they could make changes.

Hungary saw huge changes in 1988. First the Communist leader,

Janos Kadar was sacked. Then other

political parties were allowed.

From 1989, Hungary started allowing people to travel

freely to the West.

This allowed people from East Germany to go to Hungary then the West;

125,000 chose to do so in one day

alone.

East Germany was hugely weakened by

Gorbachev’s policies and also Hungary’s

actions.

East Germans started to openly protest

against the Communists, something

which had never happened before.

On November 9, 1989 ‘people power’ finally won as the Berlin Wall

was dismantled.

East and West Germans helped knock down

sections of the wall and were able to cross

the border without fear.

Czechoslovakia also saw major changes too

in November 1989.

There were huge demonstrations led by

Civic Forum. The peaceful nature of the changes meant this was

called the ‘Velvet Revolution’.

The most violent revolution took place in

Romania.

Leader Nicolae Ceausescu refused any changes, even as protests grew

larger.

There were riots and fights across the

country until Ceausescu was executed on

Christmas Day, 1989.

By the end of 1989, there were no pro-Soviet governments left in Eastern

Europe.

The map of Europe was redrawn; first in 1990

with German unification. Others

followed, such as the Czech Republic and

Slovakia.

Problems continued in what remained of the

Soviet Union.

Further demand for change – especially in Russia – led to the Soviet Union being

officially dissolved in December 1991. The Cold War was over.

Problems continued in what remained of the Soviet Union. People were very poor and demanded change – especially in Russia.

Eventually it became clear that the Soviet Union could no longer

continue.

In December 1991 the Soviet Union was officially dissolved. The

Cold War was over.