nationalism in the USSR and the eastern Bloc

nationalism in the eastern bloc

Gs change in policy towards the satellite states of the eastern bloc led to a growth in nationalism in the USSR under S K and B countries in the eastern bloc were effectively controlled by the USSR G changed this with the Sinatra doctrine

Sinatra doctrine

in august 1989 G renounced the USSRs right to intervene in the affairs of other socialist countries rather he argued that different countries should find there own way to socialism nicknamed the Sinatra doctrine this allowed greater freedom in the eastern European countries

Gs change of policy quickly led to revolutions against communist rule all across eastern europe the destruction of the berlin wall which began on 9 November 1989 symbolised the end of soviet control in eastern Europe

impact on nationalism

the revolutions in eastern Europe clearly had implications for the soviet republics across eastern Europe countries had regained their independence from the USSR Nationalists in the non Russian republics hoped they could do the same

democratisation

democratisation allowed nationalist groups to organise win elections and assert their desire for independence nationalists gained majorities in several of the republics parliaments in the elections of the 90s these elections led to the first major nationalist challenge to the USSR

• in march 1990 the newly elected parliament of Lithuania declared Lithuanian indeoendance from the USSR G claimed that the declaration was illegal and imposed economic sanctions although the sanctions were lifted in the summer there was not resolution to the issue

• in may 1990 Yeltsin took this process further by insisting that laws made by the russian parliament were legally superior to soviet laws in effect yeltsins statement gave russia independence from the USSR

Estonian nationalism

Estonia declared itself sovereign and therefore effectively independent of the USSR in November 1988 Estonia did not leave the union but the government claimed the right to revive the old flag and begin education for citizen’s in the Estonian language

Lithuanian nationalism

Lithuania’s declaration of independence in march 1990 came after nationalist victory’s in the election of a new Lithuanian supreme soviet G refused to accept the declaration however criticism of the Tbilisi massacre meant that gorbachev was only prepared to use force against nationalists in the Baltics under extreme circumstances therefore G imposed economic sanctions rather than the use of force

the sanctions failed to force Lithuania to accept soviet rule therefore in January 1991 the soviet government sent in troops. soviet forces occupied the press and television headquarters killing 14 people

response to the killings

there was outrage at the use of force across the USSR

• Ukrainian miners in Donetsk organised protests at the government action

• Yeltsin also asked Russian soldiers to refuse to obey any orders from the soviet government that would supress political protest Yeltsin also started creating a Russian army to defend the Russian republic from soviet attack