Exam Notes

Chernobyl Disaster

• Occurred on 04/26/1986.
• A power surge at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant caused an explosion in reactor number four.

Fall of the Berlin Wall

• The Berlin Wall was not to keep East Berliners from going to West Berlin.
• It was erected to protect the "good socialist homeland" from being infiltrated with capitalist atmosphere.
• Citizens and souvenir hunters chipped away at the wall with whatever tools they had (e.g., sledgehammers).

Role of Media in Revolutions

• Media facilitates real-time participation in demonstrations, reducing reliance on word-of-mouth.
• Important for the spread and lack of suppression of movements.
• News access ensures events are more peaceful and allowed to happen.
• Foreign press correspondents stationed in countries transmit information.

Gorbachev and the August Coup

• During the failed August coup, Gorbachev was under house arrest in Crimea.
• The Soviets cut off his access to Soviet news and media to isolate him.
• Gorbachev learned about the coup from BBC and other Western radio broadcasts using a battery-powered radio.

Pacifist Revolutions

• The revolutions were largely pacifist.
• The scale of bloodshed was far less than anticipated.

Essay Instructions

• Choose one question from three options.
• It is acceptable to reuse words from the question in the answer.
• Provide a discernible answer and write at least three substantial paragraphs supporting the main line of argument, with specific evidence/arguments.