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Superpower Relations and the Cold War, 1941–91

The collapse of Soviet control of Eastern Europe, 1985-91

  • 3 things to know
  • Paper 2 booklet P

Overview

New thinking, perestroika and glasnost, the end of the Brezhnev Doctrine, Solidarity in Poland, the opening of the Berlin crossings, German reunification, and the end of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

What were perestroika and glasnost?

Key term

Why did Gorbachev want to cut Soviet commitments abroad?

Key term

What happened in Poland during 1989?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What did Gorbachev mean by new thinking?

    Model answer

    That the two blocs should co-operate instead of arming against each other, and that the satellite states could no longer be held down by Soviet force.

  2. 2

    What were perestroika and glasnost?

    Model answer

    Perestroika was the restructuring of the Soviet economy to allow some private enterprise, and glasnost was openness, ending censorship and permitting criticism.

  3. 3

    Which promise did Gorbachev cancel, and what did he put in its place?

    Model answer

    He abandoned Brezhnev's claim of a right to intervene, telling the Eastern European states they were free to choose their own governments.

  4. 4

    Why did Gorbachev want to cut Soviet commitments abroad?

    Model answer

    Subsidising the satellites, matching American weapons and fighting in Afghanistan were draining an economy already failing to feed and house its people.

  5. 5

    What happened in Poland during 1989?

    Model answer

    The banned trade union Solidarity was made legal again, swept the partly free elections in June and formed a government without a communist prime minister.

  6. 6

    Why did the East German government open the crossings on 9 November 1989?

    Model answer

    Huge demonstrations and an exodus through Hungary's opened border had already forced Honecker out, and the new leadership gave way rather than shoot.

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