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Perestroika
Gorbachev policy of economic reform 'restructuring' including; ending state priced control, allowing some self-regulation in businesses, opening up to foreign investment - law on joint ventures. -
Andrei Sakhrov released from prison
Political activist who travelled around the USSR and Europe detailing the suppression of Soviets and bad standard of living. -
Chernobyl disaster
Explosion of nuclear reactor - at first Soviets tried to suppress it but the scale of the disaster forced public announcement. Radiation effects could be felt in Sweden. PASS news agency reported it. 335k people uprooted from homes. Led to Glasnost. -
Poland - political amnesty
Political exiles released from prison and Jaruzelski removed martial law because he didn't think Solidarity had much support. -
Glasnost
Policy of Openness- more freedom for political discourse.
Agreeing to discuss previous soviet behaviour - all of Stalin's supporters were dead by now so this wasn't a problem. -
Economic - foreign investment
European commission begins trading with individual satellite states.
Soviets made 61 joint ventures. -
Hungary - Janos Kadar resigns
He suppressed the 1956 uprising. -
Poland - strikes
Still economic discontent. Mass protests demanding reform. Dissent was justified because of Glasnost -
Hungary - Miklos Nemeth prime minsister
Miklos negotiated a 1 bil deutschmark deal with west germany because wanted more economic prosperity - this led him to becoming prime minister.
Implemented reforms - civil rights, political freedoms, multi-party state -
Czechoslovakia - protests in Wencesclas sq
Not as much social unrest because economy is thriving, compared to Eastern bloc, but intellectuals want to be on level of the West. Vaclav Havel organises protest – Havel and 13 others arrested
-> protests about political as well as environmental policies -
Poland - Reforms
Legislation of non-governmental trade unions
Creation of position of President
Creation of senate - 35% elected -
Hungary - Soviet withdrawal
Soviet promise to remove troops and free elections by 1990 -
Hungary informal open borders
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Period: to
East Germans travel West
As a result of Hungary opening its borders, 60,000 East Germans left to go West. -
Poland - Solidarity in gov
Solidarity win landslide (in 35%) but Lech Walesa demands that gov led by solidarity. Key positions remain to communists to maintain stability. -
Czechoslovakia - mass protest 2
Following some reforms in July, more protests in Augusts demanding more. 'Long live Dubcek.' -
Hungary - opens borders!!
Although this happened informally in may, Hungary officially opens border with Austria (neutral state) so that East Germans can travel to the West. -
East Germany - Politburo force Honecker to resign
Unpopular - did not want to deliver reforms -
East Germany - Egon Krenz - delivers reforms
New leader in Politburo immediately delivers Gorbachev's reforms. -
East Germany - lose control
Politburo loses control and they all resign -
BERLIN WALL FALLS
No politburo to supress anymore, east/west germany can no longer be separated, negotiations for reunfication start straight away. -
Czechoslovakia - Civic Forum
Political group founded by Havel wanted social justice, clean environment, education etc. Joins the cabinet -
East Germany - constitution change
Comm party is no longer dominant party, multi-party politics, Krenz resigns -
Czechoslovakia - Havel President
Democracy -
GERMANY REUNITES