Role of Yeltsin

How did Yeltsin use his position?

To criticise Gorbachev and the communist party

Yeltsin organised demonstrations to show support for his actions as Chairman of the Russian Congress. Give an example

In March 1991, 200,000 people gathered in Moscow to support Yeltsin

What radical pro reform faction did Yeltsin help form in 1989?

IRDG (Inter-Regional Group of Deputies)

When did Yeltsin resign from the CPSU?

At the 28th Congress of the Communist Party in July 1990

The Congress declared that its sovereignty took precedence over that of the Soviet Union.

What was the result of Yeltsin leaving the Communist Party?

When he left the Party’s popularity declined and his resignation caused party membership to drop in 1990 from 19.2 million members to 16.5 million

What did opinion polls show in June 1990?

Yeltsin was more popular than Gorbachev among Russian voters. Yeltsin presented himself as Gorbachev’s rival.

How did Yeltsin support nationalism?

He visited Soviet Republics and advised their leaders ‘take as much sovereignty as you can stomach’.

He also supported the Baltic state’s declarations of independence in 1991.

How did Yeltsin use the Congress of People’s deputies to help himself?

In 1989 he used his position as mayor of Moscow to organise demonstrations in his support and secured 89% of the vote in the city.

How did Yeltsin gain democratic legitimacy?

He had won elections to the Russian Parliament and for Russian Presidency unlike Gorbachev who had never stood for election making him illegitimate.

When was Yeltsin elected Chairman of the Congress? How did this challenge Gorbachev?

May 1990

Gorbachev now faced a direct challenge to his authority from the leader of the Soviet Union’s key republic: Russia

What was the August Coup of 1991?

Led by conservatives within the Communist Party, while Gorbachev was on holiday in Crimea, a State Emergency Committee was formed to take over the running of the country.

Gorbachev was held under house arrest and a series of repressive measures was announced including a ban on strikes and demonstrations. Tanks were ordered onto the streets of Moscow.

How did Yeltsin use the August 1991 coup against Gorbachev to his advantage?

Yeltsin defied the coup and demanded that Gorbachev be released from house arrest which greatly enhanced his reputation as a hero

What did Yeltsin organise after the coup?

He organised a secret meeting with the leaders of Ukraine and Belarus. The three leaders agreed to destroy Gorbachev’s new Union Treaty by forming the Common Wealth of Independent States (CIS) in what was known as the Belavezha accords.

What did Yeltsin do following the meeting?

He persuaded the leaders of the Soviet Military to abandon the USSR and from the new Russian Army. Without an army Gorbachev had no way of holding the Union together.