In 1988, Gorbachev declared that the Soviet army would no longer be used to keep communist governments in power in Eastern Europe. The following year, protests broke out in all the countries under communist rule. Without the Soviet army to back them up, each of the communist governments fell. In November 1989, the Berlin Wall – the symbol of the Cold War – was opened and communist rule came to an end in Europe.
The fall of the Berlin Wall, 9 November 1989
Gorbachev’s reforms made the problems of the Soviet Union worse. The economy continued to decline, debt soared and people began to openly demand the end of communist rule. By the end of 1991, Gorbachev had lost control of the situation as states (such as Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) began to break away from the Soviet Union, and he resigned as Soviet leader. The Soviet Union ceased to exist and the Cold War came to an end.
CHECKPOINT!
1. When did Gorbachev become leader of the Soviet Union? 2. Why did he believe radical reforms were necessary? 3. Explain the terms glasnost and perestroika. 4. How did Gorbachev improve relations with the US? 5. Why did communism collapse in Eastern Europe?
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6. Gorbachev has been described as the most important world leader since World War II. Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer. I understand how the Cold War came to an end.
