The End of the Cold War (WJEC Eduqas GCSE History): Revision Note

Summary

The end of the Cold War was shaped by dramatic political changes in Eastern Europe and the collapse of the Soviet Union. In 1988–89, Mikhail Gorbachev withdrew Soviet troops and ended interference in Satellite States through the Sinatra Doctrine. Instead of strengthening Communism, this encouraged rapid reform. Between 1989 and 1990, every Eastern European communist government collapsed, and in July 1991, the Warsaw Pact was formally dissolved. The fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 became the most powerful symbol of weakening Soviet control, leading to German reunification in 1990.

These events placed Gorbachev in a vulnerable position at home. Hardline communists blamed him for losing control of Eastern Europe, and nationalist movements grew inside the USSR. In August 1991, a group of communist leaders attempted a coup, but it failed due to a lack of support and public opposition led by Boris Yeltsin. The coup destroyed Gorbachev’s authority. By the end of 1991, most Soviet republics had broken away to form the Commonwealth of Independent States. On 25 December 1991, Gorbachev resigned as Soviet president, marking the official end of the USSR and the Cold War.

The Fall of Communism

The Independence of the Satellite States 

• In December 1988, Gorbachev removed Soviet troops from Eastern European bases to save money 

• In 1989, Gorbachev announced the Sinatra Doctrine 

  • This allowed members of the Warsaw Pact to make changes to their countries without any interference

    • Gorbachev hoped this would strengthen Communism in Eastern Europe 

  • However, from May 1989 to December 1990, Eastern Europe removed their communist governments

    • Popular pressure within the Satellite States forced reforms and elections

    • By December 1990, no Eastern Bloc countries were communist

• Reform in Eastern Europe affected the Warsaw Pact

  • The Soviet Union no longer influenced Eastern Europe. By early 1990, the Soviet Union had to stop its military cooperation with Eastern Europe

  • The Soviet Union ended the Warsaw Pact in July 1991

• The end of the Warsaw Pact meant that Eastern Europe no longer contained satellite states of the Soviet Union

  • Eastern Europe's countries could govern themselves

    • The leaders in Eastern Europe no longer had to follow Soviet policies

  • The people of Eastern Europe no longer provided for the Soviet Union's economy

• As a result, the power of the Soviet Union decreased

  • As the country no longer had the political, military and economic support of satellite states

The fall of the Berlin Wall

• On November 9, 1989, the East German government planned to open the border crossings into Western Germany in Berlin

  • To make emigration easier 

    • As citizens would be able to cross the borders between East and West Berlin 

• During the announcement of this plan, Günter Schabowski, the communist representative for East Germany, announced that the new travel policy would begin straight away 

  • However, this is not what the party had agreed to 

• East and West Berliners crowded the borders in an attempt to cross

  • Border guards could not control the crowds. The guards opened the borders 

  • Thousands of East Berliners crossed to West Berlin on 9th November

  • Both East and West Berliners began to pull parts of the Berlin Wall down

  • Within a few days, over 1 million people were reunited with friends and family 

• In October 1990, West and East Germany were officially reunited 

• Germany was officially invited into NATO in 1991

The Collapse of the Soviet Union

Gorbachev’s fall from power 

• The collapse of the Eastern Bloc placed Gorbachev in a dangerous position in the Soviet Union

  • Devout communists blamed Gorbachev for weakening the Soviet Union

  • The Soviet Union lost control of the Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania throughout 1990

• In August 1991, a group of Communist Party members called the 'Gang of Eight' attempted a coup against Gorbachev

  • The coup demanded complete control of the Soviet Union and the declaration of a state of emergency in the country

  • Gorbachev refused, and the 'Gang of Eight' kept him under house arrest

• The coup against Gorbachev failed because:

  • The coup lacked popular support

  • Prominent communists like Boris Yeltsin spoke out against the coup 

  • Gorbachev was able to continue to govern the Soviet Union

• The Communist Party no longer respected Gorbachev

  • The coup ruined Gorbachev's reputation across the Soviet Union

  • 12 states of the Soviet Union joined together to create the Commonwealth of Independent States

    • As a result, Gorbachev could no longer rule the Soviet Union

    • On 25th December 1991, Gorbachev resigned as General Secretary of the Soviet Union

Boris Yeltsin and the end of the Soviet Union

• Yeltsin was a prominent member of Gorbachev's government

  • Gorbachev chose Yeltsin as the Mayor of Moscow in 1986

  • Gorbachev forced Yeltsin to resign in 1987 after Yeltsin publicly criticised Gorbachev

• Yeltsin rose to power again in 1990

  • The first public elections in the Soviet Union elected Yeltsin as the President of the Soviet Republic of Russia in May 1990

• The coup against Gorbachev allowed Yeltsin to take ultimate power in Russia

  • Gorbachev's reputation was ruined in the Soviet Union

  • Yeltsin became the most influential political leader in Russia

• The resignation of Gorbachev also marked the end of the Soviet Union

  • In his televised resignation on 25th December 1991, Gorbachev announced: 

• With this statement, Gorbachev passed the leadership of Russia to Yeltsin

  • As president of the Soviet Republic of Russia, Yeltsin became the leader of Russia