4.4 End of the Cold War

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4.4 The end of the Cold War

The arms race between the USA and the SU put an enormous strain on both counties' budgets and economies. In short: it was very expensive.

The SU's plan economy had difficulties keeping up with the west.

For the SU, the arms race became too expensive...

In 1985 the SU got a new leader: Michael Gorbachev.

He realised that the SU could not survive without radical reforms.

he came with 2 new policies:

1. perestroika: (=rebuilding), turn the plan economy into a free market economy

2. glasnost: (= openness), more freedom of speech

Two other important changes Gorbachev introduced:

- better relationship with the USA

- no more Red Army interference in Eastern Bloc countries

results of Gorby's policies:

More freedom of speech: massive demonstrations in Eastern Bloc countries against communism

No Red Army interference: revolutions in Eastern Bloc countries were 

not crushed by Soviet tanks

result: 1989: 

1989:

Demonstrations in Poland and Hungary for more freedom.

Several Eastern Bloc countries abolish their communist governments and install democratic governments.

The Red Army does NOT interfere.

1989:

Hungary opens the Iron Curtain (border with Austria). 

Thousands (also East Germans) use this route to flee 

to the West.

Nov 9th: the Berlin wall checkpoints are opened. This is the Fall of the Berlin Wall.

1990: October 3rd: Germany is reunited.

1991: The end of the Soviet Union

The Soviet economy is in crisis. Perestroika has not (yet) delivered a better economy.

Several Soviet Republics secede (= separate) from the Soviet Union.

Dec 25th: Gorbachev resigns.

Dec 26th: former Soviet Republics gain their independence.

The Soviet Union gets its old name back: Russia

The Cold War is over