1. The END of the Cold War
Standards and 7-6.1

2. 1. Resistance Movements
In the 1980s and 1990s, resistance movements weakened Communist governments.
People in Eastern Europe wanted a better lifestyle
Poland- Lech Walesa led the Solidarity movement
Hungary- Cut a hole in a fence and fled to Western Europe & overthrew the communist govt. in 1989
Berlin Wall- November 1989 the wall was torn down and East and West Germany were reunited

6. 2. Problems for the Soviet Union
The Soviet Union could not afford to pay to end resistance movements, spread communism, or continue the arms and space races with the United States- it NEEDED to change!
In 1982, the new Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev announced 2 new policies:
Perestroika: economic restructuring
Glasnost: openness
Gorbachev worked with President Reagan who called the Soviet Union “the Evil Empire” and began the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI).

7. 3. Things Start to Change
A. Gorbachev and Reagan signed a treaty to decrease the amount of nuclear weapons that each side had.
B. Gorbachev began democratization which would allow freely elected government.
C. Nationalist groups within
Soviet Union began to demand
more independence.
D. Lithuania declared its
independence
Gorbachev was not able to
stop it

8. 4. The End of the Soviet Union
The Soviet Union officially collapsed in 1991.
Gorbachev’s communist government was overthrown and all 15 Russian republics declared independence. (They remained loosely united in the CIS)
Gorbachev was replaced by Boris Yeltsin.

10. 5. Growing Pains
Yeltsin introduced a policy of “shock therapy” which was an abrupt shift to free market capitalism.
This led to hyperinflation and a lot of hardship.
Chechnya fought for its independence from Russia. (This went on for 10 years.)
Vladimir Putin became President in 1999.

11. 6. Meanwhile in Czechoslovakia…
A. The Czechs and Slovaks had never cooperated well but the issue was repressed under the communist government.
B. Nationalism increased tension between the 2 group after the fall of the Soviet Union.
B. In 1993, Czechoslovakia peacefully split into 2 nations: the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

13. 7. Meanwhile in Yugoslavia…
A. Yugoslavia had economic, political, and nationalism problems too!
B. Under Communist Rule, President Tito repressed all reforms.
C. In 1990, the Yugoslav Communist Party split along ethnic lines and a variety of wars followed.
D. One by one, the individual republics began seceding from Yugoslavia. THIS WAS NOT PEACEFUL!
E. Ethnic Cleansing happened under Serbian leader Slobadon Milosevic.
F. Serbs and Albanians went to war in the republic of Kosovo.
G. Today, Yugoslavia has become Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzogovina, Montenegro, and Macedonia.

20. 8. The European Union (EU)
The European Union is an alliance of democratic countries that focuses on uniting the economies of European countries and creating free trade.
A single monetary unit (the Euro) was created so that all member nations would have the same currency.
The EU also focuses on political unity and has allowed former Communist countries to join.
A similar organization was formed to unite the United States, Canada, and Mexico: NAFTA (North American Free Trade Association).