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The End of the Cold War & Fall of the USSR (1985-1991) The Collapse…

- - - - Perestroika (Restructuring)
        
        "New Thinking" in Foreign Policy
        
        Eastern Europe - The Domino Effect of Opposition (1980s-1989)
        
        Poland - Solidarity Movement (1980s & 1989)
        
        Growing Opposition Across Eastern Europe (1989)
        
        Germany - The Fall of the Berlin Wall (1989)
        
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        Context: Inspired by Poland and Gorbachev's non-intervention, and suffering from economic hardship and lack of freedoms.
        
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        Detail: Independent trade union led by Lech Wałęsa. Initially suppressed under martial law (1981).
        
        Late 1980s: Re-emerges stronger amidst economic crisis.
        
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        Detail: Shift from ideological confrontation to cooperation, reduced military spending, withdrawal from Afghanistan, seeking arms control agreements with the West.
        
        Crucial Change: Rejection of the Brezhnev Doctrine (which allowed Soviet intervention to prop up communist regimes in Eastern Europe). Replaced with the Sinatra Doctrine (allowing Eastern Bloc nations to "do it their way").
        
        Impact: Crucial for events in Eastern Europe; signaled Moscow would not use force to maintain its empire.
        
        Detail: Economic reforms aimed at decentralizing economic decision-making, introducing market-like elements (e.g., private enterprise, foreign investment), and improving productivity.
        
        Aims: Modernize the Soviet economy, improve living standards, and make it more competitive.
        
        Impact: Largely failed to deliver rapid improvements, created more economic dislocation, shortages worsened, leading to public frustration.
      - Detail: Policy allowing greater freedom of speech, information, and political debate. Reduced censorship.
        
        Aims: Encourage public criticism to identify problems, increase government transparency, and gain popular support for reforms.
        
        Impact: Unintended consequences – revealed deep-seated problems, fueled public discontent, led to calls for greater autonomy in republics, and undermined Party authority.
    - - Aim: Revitalize the Soviet system, not dismantle it.