THE COLLAPSE OF THE

SOVIET UNION
JENNA GALLAGHER

RUSSIAN CIVIL WAR

1917-1920
THE RUSSIAN CIVIL WAR WAS A CONFLICT BETWEEN THE RED AND WHITE
ARMY IN WHICH THE RED ARMY SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDED THE NEWLY
FORMED BOLSHEVIK ARMY AGAINST VARIOUS RUSSIAN AND
INTERVENTIONIST ANTI- BOLSHEVIK ARMIES.
IT HELPED BECAUSE IT HELPED GET RID OF THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT
AND START THE USSR.

CREATION OF THE POLITBURO

1917
THE POLITBURO IN RUSSIA AND SOVIET HISTORY, THE SUPREME POLICYMAKING BODY OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF THE SOVIET UNION. THE
POLITBURO WAS CREATED BY THE BOLSHEVIK PARTY CENTRAL COMMITTEE
IN LATE OCTOBER 1917 TO PROVIDE CONTINUES FLEXIBLE LEADERSHIP IN
THAT YEARS UPRISING.
THE POLITBURO HELPED THE SOVIET UNION BECAUSE IT KEPT ORGANIZATION
TO MAKE SURE THINGS RUN SMOOTHLY.

STALINS FIVE YEAR PLANS

1928
STALINS AIM WAS TO EXPAND INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION. FOR THIS HE
DEVELOPED THREE 5 YEAR PLANS BETWEEN 1928 AND 1938. THE
GOVERNMENT CONTROLLED AGRICULTURAL POLICES, ART & RELIGION , AND
EDUCATION. STALIN USED CONTROL METHODS AND PROPAGANDA METHODS
TO FORCE SOCIETY TO LISTEN AND OBEY HIM.
STALINS 5 YEAR PLAN HELPED THE SOVIET UNION BECAUSE IT CAUSED RAPID
INDUSTRIALIZATION ON THE SOVIET UNION AND PLACED A MAJOR FOCUS ON
HEAVY INDUSTRY.

WWII
1939
WORLD WAR 2 WAS THE MOST WIDE SPREAD AND DEADLIEST WARS IN
HISTORY, INVOLVING MORE THAN 30 COUNTRIES AND RESULTING IN MORE
THEN 50 MILLION MILITARY AND CIVIL DEATHS.

WWII DID HURT THE SOVIET UNION BECAUSE THE GERMANS ATTACKED THE
SOVIET UNION. HOWEVER, THE SOVIET UNION WAS PREPARED AND DID
ATTACK BACK, SO THEY WERE NOT COMPLETELY DESTROYED.

JOE 1
1943
THE SOVIET UNIONS NUCLEAR TEST, CODE NAMED FIRST LIGHTNING
DETONATED A PLUTONIUM BOMB. THE WHOLE FOCUS OF THE SOVIET
PROGRAM WAS TO SET OFF A SOVIET ATOMIC BLAST AT THE EARLIEST
POSSIBLE TIME, WHAT EVER THE COAST.
THIS HELPED THE SOVIET UNION BECAUSE IT WAS A VERY IMPORTANT
NUCLEAR TEST AND HELPED THE NATIONS BOMBING PROGRESSION.

HYDROGEN BOMB
1953
AFTER THE COLD WAR SHIFTED OVER INTO OVER DRIVE WITH ITS
ACKNOWLEDGMENT BY THE SOVIET UNION OF SUCCESSFULLY SETTING OFF
THEIR FIRST HYDROGEN BOMB.

THIS HELPED THE SOVIET UNION BECAUSE IT WAS A ACCOMPLISHMENT TO BE

ABLE TO SET OFF THEIR FIRST HYDROGEN BOMB SUCCESSFULLY.

WARSAW PACT
1955
THE WARSAW PACT IS A DEFENSE ORGANIZATION THAT PUT THE SOVIETS IN
COMMAND OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE MEMBER STATES. THE TREATY
WAS NAMED IN WARSAW AND INCLUDED THE SOVIET UNION, ALBANIA,
POLAND, ROMANIA, HUNGARY, EAST GERMANY, ECT.
THE SOVIET UNION AND SEVEN OF ITS EUROPEAN SATELLITES SIGN A TREATY
ESTABLISHING THE WARSAW PACT WHICH HELPED THE SOVIET UNION.

SPUTNIK
1957
THE SOVIET UNION LAUNCHED THEIR FIRST EARTH ORBITING SATELLITE TO
SUPPORT THE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH UNDERTAKEN BY SEVERAL NATIONS
DURING THE 1957-1958 INTERNATIONAL GEOPHYSICAL FIELD.

THIS WAS A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR THE SOVIET UNION BECAUSE THEY
WERE IN CONTROL OF THE LAUNCHING OF SPUTNIK.

LAIKA AND SPUTNIK 3

1957
ON NOVEMBER 3RD 1957 LAIKA, A DOG BECAME THE FIRST LIVING ORGANISM
TO ENTER ORBIT. HOWEVER, SINCE THE SOVIETS DID NOT CREATE A REENTRY PLAN, LAIKA DIED IN SPACE.

THIS WAS BAD FOR THE SOVIET UNION BECAUSE SINCE LAIKA DIED IN SPACE
IT STIRRED UP A LOT OF DEBATES ABOUT ANIMAL RIGHTS.

CREATION OF THE BERLIN WALL

1961
ON AUGUST 13TH, 1961 THE COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT OF THE GERMAN
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC BEGAN TO BUILD A BARBERED WIRE AND CONCRETE
WALL. THE PURPOSE OF THE WALL WAS TO KEEP WESTERN FASCIST FROM
ENTERING EAST GERMANY.
THE SOVIET UNION PUT THE BERLIN WALL UP TO KEEP THEIR PEOPLE FROM
BEING ABLE TO LEAVE, THIS WAS GOOD FOR THEM BECAUSE THE SOVIETS
HAD POWER OVER THEIR PEOPLE.

INVASION OF THE CZECHOSLOVAKIA

1968
ON AUGUST 20TH 1968 THE SOVIET UNION LEAD WARSAW PACT TROOPS IN AN
INVASION OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA TO CRACK DOWN ON THE REFORMIST
TRENDS IN PRAGUE. THIS CAUSES CONSEQUENCES FOR THE UNITY OF
COMMUNIST BLOC.
THE SOVIET UNION SUCCESSFULLY HALTED THE PACE OF REFORM IN
CZECHOSLOVAKIA, AND OBTAINED THEIR GOAL. WHICH HELPED THEM,
HOWEVER THEIR WERE CONSEQUENCES. AFTER MUCH ACTION AND DEBATE
THE COMMUNIST PARTY LEADERSHIP IN MOSCOW DECIDED TO INTERVENE
AND ESTABLISH A MORE CONSERVATIVE AND PRO-SOVIET GOVERNMENT IN
PARAGUE.

SALT I
1969
SALT 1 WAS THE FIRST SERIES OF TRAGIC ARMS LIMITATION TALKS FROM
NOVEMBER OF 1969 UNTIL MAY OF 1972. DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME THE
US AND SOVIET UNION ESTABLISHED THE FIRST AGREEMENTS TO PLACE
LIMITS ON SOME OF THEIR MOST IMPORTANT ARRANGEMENTS.
THIS HELPED THE SOVIET UNION BECAUSE THEY WERE ABLE TO COME TO
AGREEMENTS WITH THE US AND MADE THINGS BETWEEN THE TWO RUN
MORE SMOOTHLY, SO THAT LESS CONFLICT ARISES.

SALT II
1972
SALT II WAS THE PRIMARY GOAL TO REPLACE THE INTERIM AGREEMENT WITH
A LONG TERM COMPREHENSIVE TREATY PROVIDING BROAD LIMITS ON
TRAGIC OFFENSIVE WEAPON SYSTEMS.

THE SOVIET PROPOSAL TO INCLUDE THE UNITED STATES FORWARD BASED

SYSTEMS ON THE AGREEMENT AND DISAGREEMENTS ON SPECIFIC WEAPONS.
THIS HELPED THE SOVIET UNION BECAUSE THEY CAME TO SOME NEUTRAL
GROUNDS WITH THE US.

SOVIET AFGAN WAR

1979
AT THE END OF DECMBER IN 1969 THE SOVIET UNION SENT THOUSANDS OF
TROOPS INTO AFGANISTAN AND ASSUMED COMPLETE MILITARY AND
POLITICAL CONTROL ON LARGE PARTS OF THE COUNTY.

THIS HELPED THE SOVIET UNION BECAUSE IT CAUSED THEM TO HAVE MORE
POWER AND CONTROL LIKE THEY HAVE ALWAYS STRIVED FOR.

GORBACHEV BECOMES LEADER

1985
MIKHAIL GORBACHEV WAS THE LAST GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE SOVIET
UNION. HE BROUGHT MASSIVE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, AND POLITICAL CHANGES.
GORBACHEV ALSO HELPED BRING AN END TO THE SOVIET UNION AND COLD
WAR.
GORBACHEV BEING IN POWER DID A LOT OF GREAT THINGS LIKE IMPROVE
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL POWER, WITH ALSO BRINGING AN END TO MAJOR
WARS. HOWEVER, WHEN HE RESIGNED FROM POWER HE WAS THE LAST
LEADER OF THE SOVIET UNION WHICH CAUSED THINGS TO FALL IN THE
SOVIET UNION.

PERESTROIKA
1986
GORBACHEV INTRODUCED THE IDEA OF PERESTROIKA, OR ECONOMIC
RECONSTRUCTION. IN 1986 HE MADE CHANGES TO REVIVE THE SOVIET
ECONOMY. HIS GOAL OF THIS WAS NOT TO THROW OUT COMMUNISM BUT TO
MAKE THE ECONOMIC SYSTEM MORE PRODUCTIVE.
THIS HELPED THE SOVIET UNION BECAUSE IT CAUSES MANY CHANGES FOR
THE BETTER. FOR EXAMPLE, THIS CAUSED LOCAL MANAGERS TO GAIN
GREATER AUTHORITY OVER THEIR FARMS AND FACTORIES, PEOPLE WERE
ALSO ALLOWED TO OPEN THEIR OWN PRIVATE BUSINESSES.

GLASNOST
1986
GORBACHEV REALIZED THAT ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL REFORMS COULD NOT
OCCUR WITH OUT A FREE FLOW OF IDEAS AND INFORMATION. THIS CAUSED
HIM TO ANNOUNCE THE GLASNOST POLICY. THIS BROUGHT INCREDIBLE
CHANGES IN GOVERNMENT, WHICH ALLOWED CHURCHES TO OPEN AND MANY
OTHER THINGS!
THIS HELPED THE SOVIET UNION BECAUSE IT CAUSED A NEW WAY OF DOING
THINGS IN THE SOVIET ECONOMY AND EVEN THE SOVIET SOCIETY ALL
TOGETHER.

VOTING REFORMS BY GORBACHEV

1989
GORBACHEV KNEW THAT FOR THE ECONOMY TO IMPROVE, THE COMMUNIST
PARTY WOULD HAVE TO BE MORE LENIENT WITH THE SOVIET SOCIETY AND
POLITICS. IN 1987 HE REVEALED HIS NEW POLICY CALLED DEMOCRATIZATION.
THIS PLAN CALLED FOR THE ELECTION OF THE NEW LEGISLATIVE BODY.
THE SOVIET UNION WAS NOT HAPPY ABOUT THIS BECAUSE IN THE PAST
VOTERS HAD MERELY APPROVED CANDIDATES WHO WERE HANDPICKED BY
THE COMMUNIST PARTY, BECAUSE THEY WERE IN CONTROL. NOW VOTERS
WOULD CHOOSE FROM A LIST OF CANDIDATES FOR EACH OFFICE AND THEY
WERE NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT.

CHERNOBLY DISASTER
1986
The April 1986 disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine was the power plant of a
flawed soviet reactor design coupled with serious mistakes.
This hurt the Soviet Union because it was a bad reputation for them since so much went seriously
went wrong with this event. The disaster was put in the hands of the Soviet Union because they
were the creators of this event.

LITHUANIA AND LATVIA PROTESTS

1989
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF LITHUANIA'S AND LATVIA'S FORMED HUMAN CHAINS
ALONG THE BALTIC SEACOAST SATURDAY IN ANTI-POLLUTION PROTESTS
DEMONSTRATING ENVIRONMENT AWARENESS IN THE SOVIET UNION.

THE SOVIET ATTACKED UNARMED CIVILIANS IN LITHUANIAS CAPITAL, THE

ARMY KILLED 14 AND WOUNDED 100. ALTHOUGH GORBACHEV WAS
RELUCTANT TO USE STRONGER MEASURES HE FEARED THAT LITHUANIAS
EXAMPLE MIGHT ENCOURAGE OTHER REPUBLICS TO SECEDE.

FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL

1989
THE FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL TOOK UP TO THREE CENTURIES TO BE
COMPLETELY TOWARD DOWN. THIS TOOK SO LONG BECAUSE SEVERAL TIMES
PEOPLE TRIED TO RISE ABOVE THE COMMUNIST PARTY AND FAILED. ON
NOVEMBER 1989 THE SPOKESMAN FOR EAST BERLINS COMMUNIST PARTY
ANNOUNCED THAT A CHANGE IN HIS CITY'S RELATIONS WITH THE WEST, AND
PEOPLE WERE ALLOWED TO CROSS THE COUNTRIES BOARDERS.
THE SOVIET UNION WAS VERY ANGRY BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE
CONTROL OVER THEIR PEOPLES LOCATION ANYMORE, HOWEVER THE
RELATIONSHIP DID CHANGE. THE PEOPLE WERE SO OVERJOYED THAT THEY
WERE ABLE TO CROSS THE BORDER.

FREE ELECTIONS IN POLAND,

CZECHOSLOVAKIA, & HUNGARY
1989

IN DECEMBER 1989 GORBACHEV ANNOUNCED IN A SPEECH TO THE UNITED

NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT HIS INTENTIONS WERE TO PULL SOVIET
TANKS AND TROOPS OUT OF EAST GERMANY, HUNGARY, AND
CZECHOSLOVAKIA BY 1991.
THE SOVIET UNION WAS EFFECTED BY THIS BECAUSE IT WAS A GREAT
ACCOMPLISHMENT OF GORBACHEV, FOR HUNGARIANS THIS WAS
ENCOURAGING NEWS. DUE TO THIS THE HUNGARIANS DEMONSTRATED FOR
THE FREEDOM TO CREATE POLITICAL PARTIES, INDEPENDENT OF
HUNGARYS COMMUNIST PARTY.

GORBACHEV STEPS DOWN

1991

GORBACHEV, THE SOVIET LEADER FOR ALMOST SEVEN YEARS RESIGNED

FROM POWER. HE ANNOUNCED HIS RESIGNATION ON T.V BY A TEN MINUTE
SPEECH. HE RESIGNED ON A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE.
THIS HURT THE SOVIET UNION BECAUSE IT CAUSED THE ECONOMY TO GO
DOWN BY A A LOT AND CAUSED A LOT OF PROBLEMS AND DIFFICULTIES, HIS
RESIGNATION WAS A BIG PART OF THE COLLAPSE OF THE SOVIET UNION.

BORIS YELTSIN BECOMES PRESIDENT

1991

ON JUNE 13TH, 1991 MILLIONS OF RUSSIANS WENT TO POLLS FOR THE FIRST
TIME IN AN OPEN ELECTION TO CHOOSE A PRESIDENT. THE WINNER WAS 60
YEAR OLD BORIS YELTSIN.
BORIS YELTSIN BECOMING PRESIDENT HELPED THE SOVIET UNION AFTER
GORBACHEV LET THE SOVIET UNION DOWN. HE WAS SO GREAT IN CERTAIN
WAYS, THAT HE WAS REELECTED IN THE YEAR OF 1991.

THE COLLAPSE OF THE SOVIET UNION

1991

THE SOVIET UNION HAD FALLEN, LARGELY DUE TO A GREAT NUMBER OF

RADICAL REFORMS THAT THE SOVIET PRESIDENT MIKHAIL GORBACHEV HAD
IMPLEMENTED DURING HIS SIX YEARS AS THE LEADER IN THE U.S.S.R.
HOWEVER, GORBACHEV WAS DISAPPOINTED WITH THE DISSOLUTION OF HIS
JOB AND RESIGNED DUE TO THAT. GORBACHEV RESIGNED IN A PEACEFUL
WELL MANNERED WAY, AND HE SHOULD BE PROUD OF THE WORK THAT HE
DID ACCOMPLISH. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE SOVIET UNION COULD HAVE
SURVIVED I THINK THIS BECAUSE THERE WAS TOO MUCH TRAGEDY AND
TOO MANY CONSTANT ARISING CONFLICTS. ALSO, NO MATTER WHAT WAS
DONE, NO MATTER WHAT WAR WAS FOUGHT AND WHO WON NOTHING
SEEMED TO BE COMING TO AN END.