The End of the Cold War.

 

1989.

 

Bush President in January. Slow down Reagan enthusiasm.

 

Gorbachev.

 

March Communist Party lost the election, even if there was no competition – cross out candidates.

 

Economic Problems. Communist Party had to postpone land ownership and central price regulation kept.

 

Nationalism the biggest problem and eventually what would cause the end of USSR. Aug 23 human chain across Baltic States. Gorby said at the 70th anniversary of the Revolution that the issue was solved, boy was he wrong!

 

East Europe:

 

At Chernenko’s funeral April 85: In the future you take care of your own internal problem, to leaders of WP(Zhikov, Kádár, Ceausescu, Husák, Honecker and Jaruzelski). Nobody believed him.

 

In 1988 Poland and Hungary had made “huge” changes:

Poland hostile vote against the government in the Parliament. Government resigned.

                      In Hungary two non-communist political organizations made legal.

In 1988 Hungary and Czechoslovakia lessen the restrictions on traveling to Austria, it was still not open, but some 9000 East Germans left.

In early 1989:

                      Poland:

February “round table talks” w non communist (Solidarity).

                      March Katyn massacre was Soviet responsibility.

April Lifted ban on Solidarity, Catholic Church full legal recognition. Cancelled May day parade.

June elections held – ˝ of the seats given to commies. Solidarity won the rest. Total defeat of Commies.

 

Hungary:

In August some 6000 East Germans had their holidays in Hungary (Balaton?) and left for the west.

On September 10 the Europa Picnic was organized at the border between Hungary and Austria – I was there this Christmas – and opened the fence.

On September 11th 125 000 East Germans left in their Trabants to Austria via Hungary.

Oct 7 Renounced the doctrine of  dictatorship of the proletariat, open for free elections.

 

 

East Germany:

 

In sept the Monday Forum started it’s meetings. Leipzig ca 150 000 people.

Honecker wanted to use violence, but was voted down by the politburo.

Gorby saw him on the 40th anniversary of DDR oct 6-7. talked about Perestroika. Honecker thought he was an idiot.

Oct 18 Honecker resigned and was replaced with Egon Krenz.

The 375 000 USSR troops in East Germany stayed in their barracks.

The Monday protests continued and the DDR Communists had none to turn to.

On Nov 8 the Politburo resigned.

On Nov 9, in the evening, Egon Krenz announced that people wanting to leave DDR could do so, without being stopped. The Wall was opened that very night. Truly one of the strongest movements in my life…

In the next few days 7 million Visas were issued permitting people to go over to the west. Half of the population was on the move.

 

Rest of Eastern Europe:

 

Nov 10 Zhikov was deposed in Bulgaria.

Nov 17 large-scale demonstrations in Prague.

Dec  Husák resigned in Czechoslovakia.

Dec Ceausescu shot in Romania.

 

Causes to the events in 1989:

 

  1. Helsinki Accords of 1975.
  2. Economic hardship.
  3. Western radio.
  4. Change of generations.
  5. Soviet Policy.
    1. Relations w US forced Gorby to move on.
    2. No possible way for USSR to respond a la 68.
    3. Sinatra Doctrine.

 

Malta 2 – 3 December 1989. Bury the Cold war at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea.

 

1990:

 

Gorby “I am doomed to go forward”.

 

Changes in the USSR constitution:

                      Feb “Towards a humane democratic socialism”

                      March. The Communist Party no longer the directing role in USSR.

The President of the USSR should be the top man. Gorby was made President.

This meant that the General Secretary of the Communist Party no longer runned the USSR.

Huge change – USSR had been built around the party, the raison d’etre for USSR had been building Communism, now that was gone and nothing to replace it.

Economy USSR decline – GDP down 3 – 5 %

But Nationalities would eventually lead to the fall of USSR:

                      March Lithuania and Estonia declared independence.

                      Latvia declared intention to become indep.

 

USSR responded by cutting of oil supply to Lithuania that had to back down – 100 days postponement of indep.

 

June the Supreme Soviet of the Russian Republic declared it’s “sovereignty” (not independence) followed by Uzbekistan, Moldova, Ukraine, Belorussia etc.

 

US – USSR

Meeting in Washington 31 May – 3 June, reduction in chemical weapons, long range missiles, US export grains to USSR.

 

Big issue, should Germany be allowed to unite and join NATO.

 

Gorbachev speech at Stanford June 4 “The Cold war is now behind us”.

 

Iraq and Kuwait.

 

                      On 2 Aug 1990 Iraq invaded Kuwait.

                      On 3 Aug joint statement condemning the invasion.

                      Iraq close ally to USSR, Kuwait close to USA.

 

                      Sept met in Helsinki Gorby thought he could persuade Saddam to leave Kuwait.

                      February 1991 Gorby reported that negotiations had failed.

                      23 Feb Operation Dessert Storm.

 

German Unification 1990:

 

March  Free election in East. Western politicians campaigning. Christian Democrats won.

Unification was now certain.

French and British not very happy (French loved Germany so much they wanted two of it.

Kohl bought Gory approval of Germany joining NATO for 5 billion mark.

Oct 3 1990 Germany United.

USSR would redraw by 1994.

 

London Declaration July 1990

                      New strategy of NATO

                      WP and NATO use of nuclear arms only as the very last resort.

 

CESC

                      Conference on European Security and Co-operation

                      Gorby wanted to strengthen it’s role.

Paris Nov 1990 meeting every two years – Symbolic Peace conference of the Cold War.

 

 

1991

 

Gulf War had shown the new world of cooperation.

 

Moscow July: START I Treaty signed by Bush and Gorby.

                      Long range nuclear arms to 1982 level.

                      Joint peace conference on the Middle east.

                      Last USSR – US summit ever.

 

COMECON and Warsaw pact buried that summer.

July 1 WP dissolved

 

NATO – lived on, Partnership for Peace, inviting non members to join on this.

This set up in Brussels in December.

 

The end of USSR:

 

Jan 1991

                      Soviet troops occupied the center of Vilnius and Riga.

 

Feb and March

Baltic states referendums on independence, huge majority for, Gorby didn’t recognize these elections.

17 March USSR to vote on maintaining the Union (USSR) or not, some 76 % said yes.

But Baltic states refused to participate in the March election so did Moldavia, Georgia and Armenia.

Ukraine voted in favor of sovereignty.

 

June

Yeltsin is elected President of the Russian Republic. He has the electoral mandate that Gorbachev lacks.

 

Coup d’etat   

18 – 21 August Gorbachev was put in house arrest at his summer place in Crimea.

Troops moved towards the seat of the Duma in Moscow, Yeltsin on Tanks.

 

On Aug 20-21 Lativa and Estonia declared independence, followed by big bunch of over “countries”

 

Yeltsin manage to stop this and declares Communist Party activities illegal in Russia on aug 23.

 

Aug 24 Gorbachev resigned as Secretary-General of the Communist Party, now only have the office of President over the USSR.

 

A fight for power between Yeltsin and Gorbachev sails up. Gorbachev will loose.

 

The last days of USSR, December 1991:

 

8 Dec Presidents of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia met and announced that the Soviet Union had ceased to exist, instead a Commonwealth of Independent States would be formed.

 

21 Dec the Treaty of Alma-Alta a majority of Soviet republics joined the commonwealth. (Baltic States + Georgia refused to join)

 

25 Dec Gorbachev resigned from the post as President of the USSR. He moved out of the Kremlin and Yeltsin moved in as President of Russia. The Soviet flag was taken down and the new/old Russian was raised.

 

At midnight 31 Dec USSR formally seized to exist.