The Collapse of Communism and the post-Cold War world

The collapse of Communism

Solidarity - 1980

USSR withdrawal from Afghanistan - 1989

Policies of Mikhail Gorbachev - 1985

The collapse of the USSR - 1990

Invasion of Kuwait by Saddam Hussein

Operation Desert Storm

UN action in Kosovo

Aims of the UN in the 1990s

Glasnost

Military reduction

Perestroika

Changing economic policies to all more competition between businesses,big shift away from communism

Involved restoring faith in the government and ending corruption, encourage a greater level of open political debate

Cut spending in military, was not in a position to go against America in outspending them so gave up

Outcome

the policies brought a new attitude to the USSR's relations with the outside world

Outcome

Considered a disaster for the Country

A communist government set up by the Soviets was not trusted by the people of Afghanistan. It became clear that victory was hopeless.Soviet army suffering due to disease and tactics of the Mujahidin

Gov announced 100% price rises in food and a shipyard went on strike, led by Lech Walesa. Made a list of demands and eventually they accepted them. The workers created the Solidarity Trade Union which became a mass movement. The Gov then imposed martial law but again gave up and solidarity ran the country

Represented the first major challenge to the communist rule

Countries

East Germany - Sept 1989

Poland - June 1989

Czechoslovakia - Nov 1989

Hungary - Dec 1989

Romania - Dec 1989

Outcome

Demonstrated the weakness of the communist alliance in Europe

lots of riots throughout the USSR but Gorbachev couldn't crack down to much because of his new policies. He knew if the riots continued then the USSR would fall

May 1990 Boris Yeltsin became president and called for the USSR to be split up into seperate countries

To uphold international laws

To maintain peace and secutriy

To uphold and rpotect human rights around the world

To promote social progress and better standards of living around the world

2nd August 1990

50,000 troops invaded Kuwait and within 2 days Kuwait had been defeated

Invasion ordered by Saddam Hussein and had a reputation for being a brutal and arrogant leader

US-led coalition of over 30 countries which involved massivew air strikes and naval action against Iraqi troops and the government

By the 20th Feb all Iraqi forces had been defeated or left

Yugoslavia split into 6 countries which were very culturally and ethnically divided

Kosovo wanted to be a separate country and not be a part of Serbia but Serbia was against it. This led to ethnic cleansing and a series of massacres