COLLAPSE OF SOVIET UNION

• How was the Soviet empire different from other European empires?

  The Soviet empire differed from other European empires in that it directly incorporated neighboring territories into the USSR, forming republics within the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), rather than establishing separate colonies
• How did the Soviet model of empire led to its collapse?

  The Soviet model of empire led to its collapse as it suppressed dissent and enforced ideological conformity, leading to internal tensions and resistance within the Soviet Union. Additionally, reforms implemented by leaders like Mikhail Gorbachev, such as glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring), inadvertently led to the unraveling of the Soviet system as people demanded greater rights and independence
• What was Soviet control like in Eastern Europe?

  Soviet control in Eastern Europe was maintained through military force and political repression. Eastern European nations not absorbed into the USSR became known as Soviet "satellites" and served as buffers between the USSR and Western Europe. The USSR exerted control over satellite states through interventions, such as in Hungary in 1956 and Czechoslovakia in 1968
• Who opened up Soviet society? How did they do this?

  Soviet society was opened up by leaders like Mikhail Gorbachev through reforms such as glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring). These reforms allowed for greater political freedoms, economic restructuring, and transparency in government, ultimately leading to the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991
• Using evidence from the collapse of the Soviet Union, explain the causes of the end of the Cold War.

  • Economic Strain
  • Political Reforms
  • Nationalist Movements
  • Collapse of Communism
  • End of the Arms Race
• Economic Strain


  The Soviet economy was struggling under the weight of military expenditures and inefficiencies, leading to economic stagnation and shortages of consumer goods
• Political Reforms


  Mikhail Gorbachev's policies of glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) loosened restrictions on political expression and allowed for greater transparency in government, leading to demands for democracy and independence within the Soviet bloc
• Nationalist Movements


  Nationalist movements within Soviet republics and Eastern European satellite states sought greater autonomy and independence from Soviet control, leading to mass protests and demonstrations
• Collapse of Communism


  The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 symbolized the end of communist rule in Eastern Europe, as countries such as Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and East Germany transitioned to democratic governments
• End of the Arms Race

  The escalating arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union strained both economies and heightened tensions, but the collapse of the Soviet Union led to a reduction in military spending and eased nuclear tensions
• How was Soviet control of Eastern Europe different from the informal colonialism of the United States in the Caribbean? How was it similar?

  • Formal vs. Informal Control
  • Ideological Differences
  • Methods of Control
• Formal vs. Informal Control


  Soviet control of Eastern Europe was formalized through military alliances, political domination, and direct interventions, while the United States exerted influence in the Caribbean through economic imperialism, political manipulation, and covert interventions.
• Ideological Differences


  The Soviet Union imposed communist ideology and socialist economic systems on Eastern European satellite states, while the United States promoted capitalist ideology and supported authoritarian regimes in the Caribbean that served its economic interests
• Methods of Control


  Soviet control in Eastern Europe relied on military force, political repression, and ideological indoctrination, whereas U.S. control in the Caribbean relied on economic dominance, political interference, and support for compliant dictators.

  • Despite these differences, both the Soviet Union and the United States sought to expand their spheres of influence and maintain geopolitical dominance, leading to similar outcomes of political instability, social unrest, and economic exploitation in the regions under their control
• • The Soviet Union expanded its territories through conquests and incorporated neighboring territories into the USSR after the Bolshevik revolution in 1922
• • Unlike traditional European empires, where colonies were separate entities, the Soviet Union directly incorporated its territories into the country, forming republics within the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)
• • The USSR maintained control over its empire by allowing a degree of autonomy to its republics but also suppressing dissent and enforcing ideological conformity
• • Eastern European nations not absorbed into the USSR became known as Soviet "satellites" and served as buffers between the USSR and Western Europe
• • The Soviet Union exerted control over satellite states through military force, as seen in interventions in Hungary in 1956 and Czechoslovakia in 1968
• • The USSR supported socialist and communist movements globally, but whether it sought to control these nations or simply support them is debated
• • Under leaders like Mikhail Gorbachev, the USSR implemented reforms such as glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring), which led to greater political freedoms and economic restructuring
• • Gorbachev's reforms inadvertently led to the unraveling of the Soviet system as people demanded greater rights and independence, ultimately contributing to the dissolution of the USSR in 1991