The End of the Soviet Union and the Cold War

End of the Soviet Union and the Cold War

Dissolution of the Soviet Sphere

• Czechoslovakia and Hungary declared independence.
• East and West Germany reunited with agreement from the Soviet Union.
• East German soldiers initially attempted to disrupt the dismantling of the Berlin Wall using fire hoses.
• By November 11, the East German government capitulated, allowing East and West Germany to reunify.
• This reunification marked the end of the Cold War.
• The end was peaceful, without nuclear war, ending with "a whimper and a celebration."

Prague and the Velvet Revolution

• Following Berlin's reunification, similar events occurred in Prague.
• Tens of thousands gathered in Wenceslas Square, rattling keys to demand the Soviet-favored government leave.
• The Soviet Union did not intervene.

Collapse of the Eastern Bloc

• The Eastern Bloc countries collapsed one after another.
• Following Berlin and Prague, Poland and Romania also became independent by December.
• These former Soviet holdings gained independence marking the end of the Cold War.

Interpretation of the Cold War's End

• The United States' perspective: The U.S. won the Cold War by being tough on communism and through military spending, particularly on nuclear weapons, which the Soviet Union couldn't match.
• Alternative perspective: A change in Soviet leadership recognized the inability to maintain satellite states, leading to a decision to allow them to be free for political and economic reasons.
• Regardless of the reason, the Soviet Union ceased to be a superpower, leaving the United States as the dominant world power.

US as the Sole Superpower

• The United States saw its ideology and economic system as triumphant.
• With the Soviet Union gone, the U.S. aimed to reshape the world in its image.

Historical Context: Division of Poland

• In the 1770s-1790s, Poland was divided among Prussia, Austria, and Russia.
• Poland was not re-established until the end of World War I.
• After WWI, a small part of Poland remained part of Russia.

Modern Geopolitical Concerns

• Occupation of Ukraine by the Soviet Union raises concerns, particularly regarding Belarus's close ties with Putin.
• There is a concern that if Ukraine is occupied by Russia, Belarus might be next.
• The situation is complicated because some of these countries belong to NATO.

The Fall of the Soviet Union

• The end of freedom of speech: Once the door was open to criticize the government in the Soviet Union, it was hard to close, leading to its downfall.
• Cold War Joke: A joke involving Reagan and Gorbachev illustrates the freedom of speech in the U.S. versus the Soviet Union.
• The inability to stifle dissent led to the collapse of the Soviet system.
• People in the Soviet Union were dissatisfied with the command economy.

Russia's Current Status

• Russia is no longer considered a superpower because the three things considered when being a superpower are the following:
• Nuclear weapons.
• Resources.
• Natural resources.
• While Russia still has nukes, its military isn't as strong as it once was.
• It is now more of a regional power, despite its continental size.
• The U.S. emerged as the unrivaled power and aimed to reshape the world after its image.