The Collapse Of The Soviet

Union
Brian Krepto

Russian Civil War

A conflict in which theRed Armysuccessfully defended
the newly formedBolshevikgovernment against Russian
Anti-Bolshivek armies.
The war destroyed Russia stopping almost everything.
Socialism and the Bolsheviks began to prevail.

Creation Of The Politburo

The very first politburo was created in Russia by the
Bolshevik Party in 1917 to provide strong and continuous
leadership during the Russian Revolution occurring
during the same year.
Stalin was a massive factor in the Creation of the
Politburo.

Stalins 5 Year Plans

A list of economic goals, created by General Secretary
Joseph Stalin and based on his policy of Socialism in One
Country.
His plan did not look good for the Soviet Union for his
plans reduced housing, food, and clothing from citizens.

WWII
A global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945, though
related conflicts began earlier.
Hitler was anti communist and Jewish which cause for lots
of problems in the Western World.

Joe 1
Used in the Soviet Union's first nuclear weapon test.
It was a very dangerous and lethal weapon that eventually
exploded in 1949.

Hydrogen Bomb
Weapon deriving a large portion of its energy from the
nuclear fusion of hydrogen isotopes.
A bomb like this in the hands of the Soviet Union could be
scary for other countries.

Warsaw Pact
A collective defense treaty among eight communist states
of Central and Eastern Europe in existence during the
Cold War.
This provided a defense mechanism for the soviets to have
what was thought to be guaranteed protection.

Sputnik
Sputnik 1 was the first artificial Earth satellite.
This impacted the Soviet union because it was them who
launched this device into space and changed the future of
space travel.

Laika And Sputnik 2

Laika monument unveiled on the eve of Cosmonauts' Day
2008 ... To adapt the dogs to the confines of the tiny cabin
of Sputnik 2.
Sputnik 2 was the second spacecraft launched into Earth
orbit.
They did not unfourtanetly have the technology to send
her back to earth and she only lasted 2 days.

Creation Of The Berlin Wall

Constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting
on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin
from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin
until it was opened in November 1989.
It caused traveling and communication issues all
throughout Berlin.

1968 Invasion Of Czechoslovakia

On August 20, 1968, the Soviet Union led Warsaw Pact
troops in an invasion of Czechoslovakia to crack down on
reformist trends in Prague.
The Result of the invasion resulted in future consequences
for the communists.

Salt I
Two rounds of bilateral talks and corresponding
international treaties involving the United States and the
Soviet Union.
This was the Soviets attempt to best control nuclear
weapons.

Salt II
A continuation of the SALT I talks and was led by
representatives from both countries. SALT II was the first
nuclear arms treaty which assumed real reductions in
strategic forces.
This was a clear up of problems not solved in SALT I.

Soviet Afghan War

It was fought between Soviet-led Afghan forces against
multi-national insurgent groups called the Mujahedeen.
This war resulted in many deaths and injuries to Soviets
and Afghans.

Glasnost
The policy or practice of more open consultative
government and wider dissemination of information,
initiated by leader Mikhail Gorbachev from 1985.
This showed force by the Soviet union and many were not
happy with the actions Gorbachev took.

Gorbachev Becomes Leader

After Chernenko's death the following year, it became
clear to the party hierarchy that younger leadership was
needed.
He came very close to brining Russia into a disaster.

Perestroika
A political movement for reformation within the
Communist Party of the Soviet Union.
Its purpose was to increase economic growth and capital
investment.

Voting Reforms By Gorbachev

He was the eighth and last leader of the Soviet Union,
having served as General Secretary of the Communist
Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991 when the
party was dissolved.
In 1980 he gained full membership.

Lithuania And Latvia Protests

Lithuanians and Latvians formed human chains along the
Baltic seacoast in anti-pollution protests demonstrating
newly awakened environmental awareness in the Soviet
Union.
It was aimed to make notice of illegal Soviet actions.

Free Elections In Poland

Free elections were held when communist rule was over.
This was an attempt at a new life.

Fall Of The Berlin Wall

Its demolition officially began on 13 June 1990 and was
completed in 1992.
The communist party eventually announced that people
were free to cross the western border.

Gorbachev Steps Down

There was not much of a Soviet Union from which to
resign because just four days earlier, 11 of the former
Soviet republics had established the Commonwealth of
Independent States, effectively shutting down the USSR.

Boris Yeltsin Becomes President

A Russian politician, who became president of Russia in
1990. In 1991 he became the first popularly elected leader
in the countrys history, guiding Russia through a stormy
decade of political and economic retrenching.

Why Did The Soviet Union

Collapse?
The main idea or reasoning as to why the Soviet Union Collapsed was that the
cost of the Cold War was too much for them to endure. Having Reagan in office
who was primarily concerned on restoring America's defenses proved to be too
much for them (Soviets). The economy was collapsing from within, as the
Soviets tried to keep up. The Soviets were built to compete in a much older
based economy (1950s) while the US economy was moving onto computers and
other big things. The Soviets simply could not keep pace. I do not think that the
Soviets could have Survived, especially after how advanced we have become
and are still becoming. The Soviet Union was a very poor Society disguising
themselves as wealthy and strong. It was only a matter of time before the rest of
the world went off on its own path and left them behind.

Sources
http://www.abc-clio.com/
http://
www.coldwar.org/articles/90s/fall_of_the_soviet_union.asp
http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/fall-of-soviet-union