The Rise and Fall of the Eastern Bloc

Flashcards covering the key concepts, events, and figures related to the rise and fall of the Eastern Bloc and the Soviet Union.

What was the economic system used by the Eastern Bloc under the U.S.S.R. during the Stalin era?

Central planning, where the government determined production, distribution, wages, and benefits.

What major reform did Nikita Khrushchev initiate to distance the U.S.S.R. from Stalin's policies?

De-Stalinization, which involved shutting down gulags, reforming prisons, and making public Stalin's crimes.

What was the significant outcome of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956?

The U.S.S.R. sent in military forces to crush the revolt and restore a pro-Soviet government.

What doctrine enforced the Soviet Union's intervention in Eastern Europe to suppress anti-Communist movements?

The Brezhnev Doctrine.

What were the key reforms initiated by Mikhail Gorbachev in the 1980s?

Perestroika (economic and political reform) and Glasnost (political openness).

What political party in Poland gained significant power in 1989, leading to the end of communist rule there?

Solidarity.

What event marked the symbolic end of the Cold War in 1989?

The tearing down of the Berlin Wall.

What significant political change occurred in the Soviet Union in February 1990 regarding its political power?

The Soviet Central Committee agreed to give up its monopoly on political power and allowed competitive elections.

What event officially signaled the dissolution of the Soviet Union in December 1991?

Mikhail Gorbachev officially dissolved his office and government.

What was the outcome of Gorbachev’s reforms in Eastern Europe during the 1980s?

A wave of revolutions leading to the end of communist governments in Eastern Europe.