Fall of Communism

• Soviet economy pushed to the brink of collapse by the huge military spending.
The Soviets could not keep up with the US defense spending.
• Gorbachev introduced Perestroika – less government control of the economy,
steps toward establishing a democratic government.
• Satellite communist countries paid less and less attention to Soviet directives. In
1988 Gorbachev reduced the Soviet military presence in Eastern Europe and
allowed satellite nations to move toward democracy.
• Decentralization led to the rise of nationalism – Non-Russian republics declared
their separate identity. The Soviet Union evolved into a loose confederation of
independent states.

World examples of fall of communism

Fall of Communism in Europe:
• In October 1989 – East Germans repudiated their Communist government and
tore down the Berlin Wall
• Czekoslovakia, Latvia, Estonia and LItuania declared their independence from the
Soviet Union.
• Yugoslavia collapsed into enthnic wars between Muslims, Orthodox Serbs and
Catholic Croats.

Fall of Communism in Central America:

Nicaragua was a Soviet outpost and Reagan supported the Contras against the Sandanista
Government

Communism continued in China but with reforms. The government eliminated price
controls and loosed its grip on businesses. However the government ruthless put down a
student protest in the Tiananmen Square.
Fall of Communism

• Soviet economy pushed to the brink of collapse by the huge military spending.
The Soviets could not keep up with the US defense spending.
• Gorbachev introduced Perestroika – less government control of the economy,
steps toward establishing a democratic government.
• Satellite communist countries paid less and less attention to Soviet directives. In
1988 Gorbachev reduced the Soviet military presence in Eastern Europe and
allowed satellite nations to move toward democracy.
• Decentralization led to the rise of nationalism – Non-Russian republics declared
their separate identity. The Soviet Union evolved into a loose confederation of
independent states.

World examples of fall of communism

Fall of Communism in Europe:
• In October 1989 – East Germans repudiated their Communist government and
tore down the Berlin Wall
• Czekoslovakia, Latvia, Estonia and LItuania declared their independence from the
Soviet Union.
• Yugoslavia collapsed into enthnic wars between Muslims, Orthodox Serbs and
Catholic Croats.

Fall of Communism in Central America:

Nicaragua was a Soviet outpost and Reagan supported the Contras against the Sandanista
Government

Communism continued in China but with reforms. The government eliminated price
controls and loosed its grip on businesses. However the government ruthless put down a
student protest in the Tiananmen Square.