St.

Mary’s High School: Social Studies 30-2

Issue 3: Are the values of Liberalism viable?

Mussolini’s
March on Hitler’s Great Depression begins Atomic bombs
Rome Mein Kampf (Dirty Thirties – p. 59, dropped on Hiroshima
Weimar (Fascism – (p. 176) 151-153, 176, 325-326, and Nagasaki
republic takes p.173) 447)
Pearl Harbour
power in Vladimir
Attacked
Germany (p. Lenin dies Spanish Civil War
175-176)

1918 1919 1922 1924 1925 1930 1933 1936 1939 1941 1945

Treaty of
WWI Versailles End of
(p. 174- Munich Beer WWII
Locarno Era Hitler becomes WWII Begins
175) Hall Putsch Chancellor (p. 177) Poland Invaded
(p. 176)
Stock market crashes
Recall that as situations become dire, people
often turn to more extreme ideological
perspectives, in an attempt to find a simple
Roaring Twenties (USA) solution to a complex problem

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 St. Mary’s High School: Social Studies 30-2
Issue 3: Are the values of Liberalism viable?
The Cold War: Allies to Enemies
The Cold War differed from other wars. It was “cold” because
the United States and the Soviet Union never engaged in direct
combat with one another.
Instead the war consisted of nuclear build-up and repeated
threats from either side. In fact, the possibility of an all-out war
only occurred once between these two superpowers.
There are several factors to keep in mind when looking at the
events of the Cold War.
The United States and the Soviet Union were the only
superpowers in the world at the end of the Second World War.
They competed with one another for global influence and
domination.
Both powers had spheres of influence that spanned
CNN’s “Cold War” series cover.
every continent in the world. All countries were generally
aligned with one of the two superpowers, but this was more
than a war between two adversaries; it was an ideological war between “good” (democracy)
and “evil” (communism). See Textbook: 169, 189, 198-203, 212-214, 445, & 451

- “Spheres of Influence” in 1980, as visualized by Aivazovsky on Wikimedia

Commons

In 1949, the Soviet Union successfully tested its own atomic bomb, thus becoming a nuclear
power to rival the United States. Any conflict between the two superpowers could potential
lead to devastating consequences for everyone, including Canadians. This led to an arms race
between the US and USSR, where both sides built up their nuclear capabilities.
Before the threat of nuclear attacks, tensions escalated with a war of words. Stalin started it
with a speech in which he stated the world would be split into “two hostile camps” referring to
a conflict between the capitalists and the communists.
Churchill continued to increase tensions by calling on all “English-speaking peoples” to oppose
the spread of communism in Europe, and what he called the “iron curtain”
See Textbook: 169, 196,
Page 2 of 18 199-201, & 211
 St. Mary’s High School: Social Studies 30-2
Issue 3: Are the values of Liberalism viable?

Soviet Sphere of Influence in

Eastern Europe
Stalin believed that the countries that the Soviet
Union liberated from Nazi occupation should be
under the influence and control of Moscow. In
short, Stalin freed them, therefore they should
be his.

Military Alliances and Collective

Security
- “Iron Curtain” as visualized Sémhur on
Wikipedia.org

In order to deal with the tense situation in

Europe, military alliances were formed between the democratic nations of the west and the
communist nations of the east. These alliances created collective security (p. 193-194 &
445) since nations in each alliance could rely on it allies to ensure their security. Recall that the
end of WWII led to a nuclear arms between the USA and USSR.

NATO flag as visualized by Warsaw Pact logo as CSTO Flag (on Wikipedia.org)
Mysid (on Wikipedia.org) visualized by Fenn-O-maniC
(on Wikipedia.org)

Twelve western nations (including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and others)
initially formed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949. The goal of NATO was
to build an alliance against the communist bloc. West Germany was invited to join
NATO; giving the nation the opportunity to rebuild its military. There was an
uneasyness about a West German rearmament. But a militarily strong West
Germany was beneficial in preventing any further Soviet expansion into Europe.
The acceptance of West Germany into NATO forced the Soviet Union to form the
Warsaw Pact: an alliance between the USSR and seven of its European satellites,
including East Germany. In 1992 (after the fall of the USSR), this orangization has
been reconstituted as the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) with the
remaining nations that were interested.

Josip Broz Tito

See Textbook: 193-194 in 1961

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 St. Mary’s High School: Social Studies 30-2
Issue 3: Are the values of Liberalism viable?
While most nations were forced to pick a side, some nations effectively
played both sides off each other, effectively choosing non-alignment (and
the non-aligned movement) as their foreign policy. Under Josip Broz Tito,
Yugoslavia was largely able to liberate itself from Nazi rule (although the
USSR’s Red Army did provide assistance). This achievement led Tito to
become Prime Minister, and late President for life, allowing him near-total
control of the county (dictatorship). With his power, Tito introduced
communism alongside nationalism. Despite being a communist state, Tito
did not always agree with Stalin’s ideals and, by 1948, Yugoslavia was
expelled from the Cominform (essentially the USSR and its satellite states)
and any communist economic aid, due to Tito’s refusal to run Yugoslavia as
Stalin wanted. An opportunist, Tito played both the Capitalist and
Communist blocs against each other, receiving aid from both the Marshall
Plan and the COMECON, at different times. A Marshall Plan poster,
1950

See Textbook: 190-191, 194, 208, & 449

“European Blocs between 1949-1989” as visualized by Goldsztajn, and taken from

Wikipedia.org

Back in North America, the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD)
was formed with the aim of preventing Soviet nuclear missiles from hitting
targets in Canada and the US. NATO vs. the Warsaw pact created a balance of
power in Europe since NATO and the Warsaw
Pact were of comparable size and strength. Still,
there was fear and paranoia throughout the Cold
NORAD logo War and was exemplified by McCarthyism in the
United States and Stalin’s purges in the USSR.

NORAD base, Cheyenne Mountain

Complex, Colorado Springs,
NORAD’s Cheyenne Mountain Complex is also the
fictional home of MGM’s series, Stargate SG-1 Page 4 of 18 Colorado
 St. Mary’s High School: Social Studies 30-2
Issue 3: Are the values of Liberalism viable?
How do nuclear weapons create world peace?
Despite the fact that the Cold War had the potential to be the end of
humanity, it ironically created a sense of peace and security in the
world. See Textbook: 199-200 & 446
Deterrence works because if one nation is attacked in an alliance, all
nations are considered to be attacked and this will lead to a larger
conflict: it would no longer be a war between two nations and would
immediately involve all allied members. These alliance systems
discourage war (hence a deterrent). Nuclear deterence is also known
as MAD, or “mutually assurred destruction”.
- USA’s LGM-118A
Peacekeeper (MX If either superpower was to launch an initial nuclear attack, the other
Missile – ICBM) side would automatly have a nuclear response. A nuclear exchange
1986-2005 would continue until both sides had launched all of their nuclear
arsenal at each other, thus destroying the entire planet.
MAD is the theory that if there is a threat of nuclear weapons, Recall: Hawks vs. Doves
nobody will provoke an attack because it
would trigger an all-out nuclear war which
would destroy both the attacker and the
defender and the rest of the world.

Nuclear capabilities were spread around the

entire world, on every continent, under the
sea in submarines, so it would be impossible
for either side to entirely eliminate the other’s
capabilities on a “first strike”.
This led to peaceful coexistance between the
US and the USSR for close to half a century. - A. Cummings’ political cartoon from the Daily
Express (British), August 24th, 1953
Mutually Assured Destruction has a basis in

- Dilbert (1996). United Feature Syndicate, Inc.

games. The same underlying mathematical principles that dictate maneuvers in games like
Scrabble and Monopoly were used to examine nuclear strategy during the Cold War in a
discipline called game theory. The doctrine of MAD, specifically, shares its basis with a game
theory experiment called the prisoner’s dilemma.
Page 5 of 18
 St. Mary’s High School: Social Studies 30-2
Issue 3: Are the values of Liberalism viable?
In this scenario, two criminals are apprehended by police
and questioned separately. The dilemma comes from each
criminal's uncertainty as to what his opposite will do. If one
confesses (rats on), the other is released but the confessor
is punished. If one criminal implicates the other, the rat will
be freed but the other person punished.
The best course of action in this scenario (or in nuclear war)
is inaction. By remaining mute (or unwilling to launch a first
strike), neither party can be implicated (or destroyed).

The Nuclear Arms Race

The Red Army, 1945
During WW2, the Red Army occupied Eastern
Europe. In 1945, it was on the verge of taking Berlin.
The U.S. Response Yalta, 1945 (p. 187)
Germany would be occupied, but not dismembered.
Sealing the Borders, 1946 Free elections would be held in Eastern Europe.
Stalin sealed the borders of Eastern Europe.
He cut off all transportation and communication. The “Iron Curtain” Speech, 1946 (p. 196)
Churchill warns the U.S. of the new danger
Greece, 1947 that the Soviet Union poses to Western Europe.
Stalin tried to make Greece go communist.
The U.S. sent food and arms to prevent this. The Truman Doctrine, 1947 (p. 190, 452)
The U.S. will help any country fight communism.
Czechoslovakia, 1947 Containment: Stop the spread of an ideology.
Stalin sent the Red Army to occupy
Czechoslovakia. The Marshall Plan, 1947 (p. 190-191)
The Red Army was 12 million troops. The U.S. sends massive economic aid to W Europe
The Berlin Blockade, 1948 to prevent Western Europe from going communist.
Stalin cut off all transportation to Berlin.
He wanted to evict the U.S. from Berlin.
The Berlin Airlift, 1948 (see notes)
The U.S. refused to be evicted from Berlin.
Russia gets “The Bomb,” 1949 The U.S. sent food and fuel by air to Berlin.
Russian scientists developed their own atomic
bomb.The Rosenbergs were executed for selling
secrets. NATO, 1949 (p. 193-194)
The U.S. pledged to defend Western Europe!
China, 1949 An attack against one is an attack against all
Stalin gave economic & military assistance to Mao.
China went communist. It was called “Red China.” The Korean War, 1950 (p. 204-205)
Soviet Union and China help North Korea make war.
The U.S. pledged to defend South Korea.

Page 6 of 18
 St. Mary’s High School: Social Studies 30-2
Issue 3: Are the values of Liberalism viable?
The Cold War: The Berlin Blockade
Between 1948 and 1949, Stalin ordered the blockade of all rail,
canal, and road links in and out of West Berlin. Stalin feared that
West Germany was growing too powerful so he ordered the
blockade in an attempt to slow down their development. Stalin
believed that the Americans would not respond and he would be
able to absorb West Germany into East Germany.
- Berliners watching a C-
54 land at Berlin’s Since the city of Berlin was
Tempelhof Airport, 1948 entirely within the Soviet
(as photographed by the
USAF). zone of Germany, the
blockade cut off 2.1 million
people from access to
basic goods.

Germany in 1947, as visualized by

“52 Pickup” on Wikipedia.org

Truman’s response to the blockade was to airlift

supplies into West Berlin. The airlifts continued day
Berlin in 1947, as visualized by and night for 11 months until Stalin lifted the
“historicair” on Wikipedia.org blockade. This effort was demeaned as necessary to
“win the hearts” of West Berliners in the war against
communist expansion. The fall of West Germany would
have been a huge set-back for their policy of
containment.
These actions further increased tensions, since Germany
was officially split into a democratic West Germany and
communist East Germany. Berlin was also split into two
sectors with each superpower controlling a side. Berlin
become the symbol of the Cold War. The 30-mile long
Berlin Wall was constructed in 1961 to physically divide
West and East Berlin.
See Textbook: 169 & 210

Berlin Airlift in 1948, as

visualized by “Leerlaufprozess” on
Wikipedia.org

- The Berlin Wall Page 7 of 18

 St. Mary’s High School: Social Studies 30-2
Issue 3: Are the values of Liberalism viable?
Nations not provided assistance
While Berlin (and Western-Germany) were assisted by America and its sphere of influence
extensively during the Cold War, other nation-states were left to fend for themselves.

Hungary: With Joseph Stalin’s death in 1953, there was a

brief window in which satellite-states were able to attempt
economic and social reforms. In Hungary, these reforms were
desperately needed, due to an economic stagnation and
decline. By 1955, the Warsaw pact had been implemented,
but students increased their demands after seeing a
somewhat successful revolt in Poland occur. In 1956, there
was a full revolution (or revolt) that occurred against the
government and Soviet policies. This revolt was largely
Time Magazine’s Man
student/youth led, and while it initially saw some success, of the Year (1956)
Flag with hole cut
in it, during the ultimately Soviet military personnel crushed the
1956 revolution, as revolution with several thousand killed.
displayed by The
American Hungarian
Federation Despite the “Free World’s” desire to see
communism fail, there was no aid sent to them in
their time of need. Many escaped communist controlled Hungary and
came to North America, but the event demonstrated capitalist country’s
unwillingness to engage communism openly in armed conflict. Hungarian refugees landing
in Canada, after the 1956
Czechoslovakia (Prague Spring): In 1968, similar events to what revolution, as displayed by
The American Hungarian
happened in Hungary occurred in Czechoslovakia, when a reformist Federation
(Alexander Dubček – “Socialism with a human face”) was elected as
First Secretary. He ushered in reforms allowing for freedom of speech and
travel. Once again, the USSR sent in troops to crush this resistance, expel Mr.
Dubček and enforce tighter restrictions on Czechoslovakia. As with the Vietnam
War, there was a protestor (Jan Palach) who used self-immolation to draw
attention to their cause. The American Congress would later recognize Dubček
as ahead of his time, and the roots of Mikhail Gorbachev’s reforms that would
come 20 years later: Perestroika and Glasnost.

Alexander Dubček in
Radio Free Europe (RFE): Started in 1949, 1989, as uploaded by
and funded by the American Congress, RFE Dr. Meierhofer on
Wikipedia.org
began broadcasting into the Soviet Union in an
attempt to provide information regarding anti-Soviet
demonstrations, as well as alternate ideological perspectives
(some have argued false hope) to those in Soviet-controlled states, potentially hoping to
encourage the citizens to rise up against their governments. The broadcasts were so reliable,
that the Soviet governments – initially trying to compete with the western reporting – quickly
tried to block its citizens from buying radios able to receive short wave signals or jam the signals
completely. Citizens that wanted to continue hearing the broadcasts could easily find someone,
or the parts, necessary to retrofit their radio.
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 St. Mary’s High School: Social Studies 30-2
Issue 3: Are the values of Liberalism viable?
Brinkmanship: The Cuban Missile Crisis and beyond
The Cold War reached a high-point in 1962 when the possible exchange of nuclear weapons
was a very real possibility in the Caribbean. This event is known as the Cuban Missile Crisis (p.
200-203).

The Cuban Revolution

Fidel Castro, a communist revolutionary, overthrew the US-backed
Batista regime and established a communist government in Cuba.
Castro immediately “liberated” Cuba of American influence by
nationalizing foreign-owned businesses and confiscating all American
property. Over $1 billion in US property was taken over by the Cuban
government after the revolution. Recall: Liberation movements
The Cuban Trade Embargo (p. 209-211 & 448)
The nationalization of American businesses clearly upset the American
government; the reaction was to impose a trade embargo on Cuba,
preventing any trade between Cuba and the United States. For Cuba,
Che Guevara and Fidel this embargo was a problem since its economy relied heavily on trade
Castro in 1961
with the United States.
The Cuban government was in trouble and decided to establish increased economic trade with
the USSR: a communist ally. The Soviets bought most of the Cuban sugar exports and provided
Cuba, now a satellite of the USSR, with military
equipment and expertise.
The Bay of Pigs Invasion (p. 202)
The closer ties between the Cuban government and
the USSR was a real threat for the United States
since Cuba is in close proximity to Florida. In January
1961, Americans (predominatly former-Cuban
citizens) under advise/support from the Central
Intelligence Agency (CIA), attempted to invade Cuba
and overthrow Castro. This mission failed miserably Artillery shells scattered on the
and further increased tensions between the two beach at Playa de Giron, Cuba.
Photograph from Graf/Three
countries, leading Cuba into a partnership with the Lions/Getty Images, as taken from
USSR. The USSR increased its shipment of weapons CBC.ca
to Cuba to prevent any further aggressive actions
from the US.
The Cuban Missile Crisis
The tension between the United States and the
Soviet Union escalated significantly when American
U-2 spy planes photographed Soviet missile sites
being built in Cuba. The evidence indicated that the
sites could be used to launch nuclear attacks on
America soil.
A photograph of a ballistic missile base in
President John F. Kennedy responded by ordering a
Cuba is used as evidence with which the U.S. naval blockade of Cuba (calling it a “quarantine”).
orders a naval blockade of Cuba during the
crisis. Photograph from Getty Images, as
taken from CBC.ca Page 9 of 18
 St. Mary’s High School: Social Studies 30-2
Issue 3: Are the values of Liberalism viable?
No ship would have access to Cuban ports. Essentially, the American navy surrounded the
Cuban island to prevent any shipments of military supplies.
Soviet leader Nikita Krushchev threatened to retaliate with military strikes against the United
States. The exchange of threats took place over 13 days and led the world to the highest level
of brinkmanship. The United States gave the Soviet
Union an ultimatum - remove the missiles or they
will be removed by force.
Solving the Crisis
The Soviet Union was at a disadvantage - the missile
sites were not complete and posed no real threat;
they were not prepared for a all-out war with the
United States from Cuba.
Both sides were trying to “save face”, meaning they
were trying to defuse the conflict without losing The naval quarantine as visualized in
the film “Thirteen Days”
their honour.
An agreement was reached between the two sides: the Americans promised not to invade
Cuba and guaranteed to remove its nuclear missiles from Turkey which were
pointed towards Moscow. The Soviets agreed to withdraw its missiles from
Cuba.
Effects on the Cold War
The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 made everyone realize the ease in which the
world could be brought into a nuclear war, and a
nuclear war would most likely result in the “end of
the world”. The crisis was the result of a lack of
communications between the superpowers.
Following the crisis, a hotline was set up between Batman (Television
series – 1966-1968)
the two leaders to ensure that any future crisis starring Adam West
could be handled immediately to ensure it did not and Burt Ward (seen
here using the
escalate. Batphone – a direct
line to Commissioner
The Vietnam War and Guerrilla Gordon’s office)

Warfare
The Vietnam War was a significant development in the Cold War. It marked the first time that
the United States directly waged war with communist forces without the authority of the
United Nations. This event also marked the first defeat of the
American military in the 20th century.
Vietnamese Independence
Ho Chi Minh, a communist revolutionary, used guerilla warfare to
defeat the French and push them out of Vietnam. Following peace
negotiations, Vietnam was split into communist North Vietnam and an
American-backed South Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh wanted to reunite
A guerilla soldier for the
PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ North and South Vietnam under a communist regime. Instead of
Party patrols a smuggler’s
path, charging all those
invading South Vietnam, Ho Chi Ming supported Viet Cong forces who
to pass (as photographed were already operating in the South; these forces used surprise
by James Gordon, on
Wikipedia.org)
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 St. Mary’s High School: Social Studies 30-2
Issue 3: Are the values of Liberalism viable?
attacks to secure large areas of South Vietnam. The Viet Cong started to launch major attacks
against targets in South Vietnam, including major cities. Recall: Proxy Wars
(p. 203-206 & 450)
The United States Gets Involved
The initial reaction of the United States was to stay out of the conflict. But the expansion of
Communism into China, North Korea and possibly South Vietnam raised concerns for the
American government. President Eisenhower feared a Domino Effect was taking place. If the
effect were to happen, much of the world’s population would be under direct communist rule.
In 1960, the US sent 800 military advisors to South
Vietnam to help out with defensive strategies. Under
the Kennedy administration, the number increased to
The Domino Theory, as visualized by Beao, on
16,000. After the assassination of President Kennedy,
Wikipedia.org President Johnson took a hardline approach to the
escalation in Vietnam. He vowed to increase support to help train and arm
the Southern Vietnamese forces. At this point, the United States’ position
was one of support, not intervention.
In 1964, American naval forces were allegedly attacked by the North
Vietnamese in the Tonkin Gulf. The United States uses this as justification
to use all “necessary measures” to prevent future aggression by the North
Vietnamese. By 1965, 500,000 troops were engaged in war in Vietnam. The
United States believed this would be a limited war and would not require
the entire might of the United States military.
The North Vietnamese Army (NVA), trained and equipped by the USSR and US Operation Rolling
Thunder (1966)
China, got increasingly involved in the war. In the end, the United States
loses the war and Vietnam is united under a Communist regime which exists to this day.
Why the Vietnamese Prevailed Against the United States
At the time, and to this day, the Unites States possessed the most powerful military in the
world. The Vietnamese military, by all accounts, was relatively small and lacked significant
equipment and supplies.
There are several factors that contributed to defeat for the
United States in Vietnam:
1) The United States underestimated the tactics of the Viet
Cong and Northern Vietnamese armies (NVA). These
armies had been engaged in previous wars and were
experienced in fighting foreign armies.
2) They used guerilla warfare tactics which included:
a) low-scale fighting that included controlling the countryside
b) employed quick hit-and-run tactics against the enemy Good Morning Vietnam (film – 1987)
c) using sabotage and surprise attacks against the enemy stars Robin Williams as an US Airman
d) winning the support of locals who becomes a DJ for the Armed Forces
Radio Service in Saigon during the war.
Guerilla warfare was suited to Vietnamese geography. The
Vietnamese jungle was not suited to conventional warfare, such as air strikes and tank assaults
that were common in World War II.

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 St. Mary’s High School: Social Studies 30-2
Issue 3: Are the values of Liberalism viable?
The Vietnamese had a “home field” advantage - they knew the geography of the region and
could adapt well to different environments. Furthermore, they had a clear and distinct goal: to
rid Vietnam of American forces. By contrast, the United States had a vague and undefined goal:
stop “communist aggression”. In short, the Vietnamese were more focused and motivated to
achieve their goal.
Growing opposition at home and the length of the war (from 1960 to 1973) contributed to
eroding support back home. American citizens were
strengthening their opposition to the war. Citizen
advocacy led to protests and demonstrations (Antiwar
movement in the USA) against the war wore down their
morale for winning. These factors put pressure on the
American government to adjust its Vietnam policy. There
were a number of draftees who refused to go fight in a
war they did not believe in (draft dodgers). Estimates of
20,000 to 90,000 fled to Canada. Others chose to go to jail
instead of go to war.
See Textbook: p. 406-408 & 444

Vietnam War protestors and US military

police clash in front of the Pentagon
(1967).
In 1973, the United
States signed the Paris Peace Accords with North
Vietnam. This led to the withdrawal of American troops
in Vietnam. By 1975, NVA forces had conquered Saigon
and the South Vietnamese had surrended to the
Communist forces. In the aftermath of this war, and the
surrounding conflicts (Cambodia), estimates place the The last official American Operation,
Frequent Wind, evacuated Americans from
death toll in the millions.th and reunited Vietnam under Saigon until April 30th, 1975. Many South
communist rule. Vietnamese were left to their fate as the
NVA rolled into Saigon. Photograph by Hubert
van Es

The End of the Cold War - 1989

The election of Ronald Reagan as USA’s president in the 1980s and the
appointment of Mikhail Gorbachev as leader of the Soviet Union moved both
countries towards ending the Cold War. Reagan believed in taking a strong
stance against the USSR and forcing them to surrender in the arms race. He
increased military spending by 40% when he took office in an attempt to pull
ahead. The US attempted to develop the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) which
was designed as a way of preventing Soviet missiles from reaching American
territory. Eventually, it even conceptualized a laser shield that would be put in
Mikhail Gorbachev
space to prevent Soviet missiles from entering North American air space. speaking at the UN
General Assembly (1987) .
The USSR was struggling to keep up with the United States in the Cold War. The Photograph by Jbarta, as seen
Soviet economy was suffering under a centrally planned system and Gorbachev on Wikipedia.org

took measures to end the arms race.

Page 12 of 18
Below are some of successors to SDI. Current
effective range is ~1.5km and not yet militarily St. Mary’s High School: Social Studies 30-2
functional in practical application. Issue 3: Are the values of Liberalism viable?

- Lockheed Martin’s Area Defense - Lockheed Martin’s ADAM - Boeing’s High Energy Laser
Anti-Munitions (ADAM) System (2012) demonstration (2013) (HEL) for the US Army’s Space and
Missile Defense Command (SMDC)

In 1988, The USSR unilaterally reduced

its armed forces and pulled out of Afghanistan.
This peace initiative came as a surprise to the
United States and marked a drastic shift in
American-Soviet relations. Arms talks between
the United States and the Soviet Union quickly
led to further arms reductions on both sides.
To remedy a struggling economy, and in recognizing
that Communism ideology was not working
(pragmatism), Gorbachev also began to restructure
the Soviet economy under the policy of perestroika,
President Bush (Sr.) and Chairman Gorbachev
which led to more of a free-market economy in the signing the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty
USSR. This did not pull the Soviet Union out of (START I) in 1991

economic instability and the USSR pleaded for help See Textbook: p. 169 & 212
from other nations.
Along with economic instability came political instability. To ease growing tensions within the
USSR, Gorbachev introduced the policy of glasnost, which allowed for greater freedoms and
liberties for Soviet citizens.
In the end, the Soviet Union dismantled the government and the country underwent a period of
great change and great uncertainty. Out of the ashes of the Cold War emerged many newly
independent nations and the birth of the new Russia.

The Collapse of Communist Soviet Union

Russia emerged as a non-communist state following the collapse of the Soviet Empire in 1991
under the leadership of Mikhail Gorbachev, who was the General Secretary of the Communist
Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991. He instituted two major reforms that led to the
collapse of the Soviet Union.
Perestroika (Restructuring): Gorbachev introduced this policy in 1986 to revitalize a
stagnant Soviet economy by promoting better planning, the use of new technologies and the
production of more and better consumer goods. The use of “free-market” principles to meet
the goals of Perestroika, included:
1) a law permitting the operation of a variety of small businesses
2) allowing state enterprises and farms greater freedom to manage their costs, salaries,
and sales. Profits from new products could be shared by workers and managers
3) allowing cooperatives to hire as many workers as needed, own private property and
See Textbook: p. 55-56, 320-322,
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 St. Mary’s High School: Social Studies 30-2
Issue 3: Are the values of Liberalism viable?
contract out work to private business
Glasnost (Openness): Gorbachev introduced this policy in early 1987 with the intention of
improving communication between the state and society so that the Soviet people would
support Perestroika. Furthermore, he hoped for an increase in public participation that would
lead to a more responsive party. Ironically, glasnost made the Soviet people aware of the
inefficiencies and corruption of the communist system, encouraging them to demand even
more reforms and electing officials that werethat
Those critical of thechange
wanted party. didn’t
get enough. Those that didn’t
Collapse of the Soviet Union want change saw too much.
The Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, due to a variety of problems
that had grown over a number of decades, including:
• Economic decline: As the Soviet economy grew it became
more difficult to manage. A group of bureaucrats and
planners became known as the “nomenklatura” (a powerful
In August 1991, some of the interest group that resisted economic changes that would
USSR’s government officials benefit others). Communist Party leaders were unable to
attempted to take control from
Gorbachev. Ultimately, these influence the nomenklatura.
actions would lead to the formal
break-up of the Soviet Union (as • Political Inertia: The Communist Party was corrupt, due
photographed by Time magazine) to a lack of accountability. Glasnost
had been unable to meet popular
demands.
• Ideological Stagnation: The Communist Party’s ideas failed to
adapt to the needs of a modern society.
• Social Inequality: As Glasnost proceeded, the people of the
Soviet Union became aware of the corruption of the
“nomenklatura” and other Communist Party officials. This
corruption undermined the authority of the Communist Party.
• Ethnic Nationalism: The Soviet Union was a multicultural
entity. The Russians were the majority for decades
but by 1989 almost half (49%) of the population was
non-Russian. In the 1970s ethnic nationalism grew in
some areas. During Glasnost, the ill treatment of
some of these republics became known and led to Time Magazine’s cover for
December 23rd, 1991.
some republics exercising their constitutional right to
become independent in 1990-1991. This led to the break-up of the Soviet
Union.
Boris Yeltsin in By the end of August 1991, Mikhail Gorbachev would resign as general
1989, as photographed
by the Kremlin secretary. On December 25th, 1991, he would resign as the Soviet president,
and the Soviet Union ceased to exist by December 26th. Boris Yeltsin, one of
Gorbachev’s main rivals, then became the President of the Russian Federation.

December 25th, 1991 December 26th, 1991

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 St. Mary’s High School: Social Studies 30-2
Issue 3: Are the values of Liberalism viable?
The Birth of the New Russia
Gorbachev and Yeltsin:
Gorbachev’s main political opponent was Boris Yeltsin. Yeltsin was president of Russia: the
USSR’s largest republic and was very critical of Gorbachev’s policies.
Yeltsin wanted the Soviet Union to move to a democratic system that followed a market
economy. He proposed to achieve both of these aims essentially overnight. When Gorbachev
wanted less change and at a slower rate, a power struggle took place between the two. Yeltsin
passed legislation in Russia to transform the economy into a free market immediately.
Gorbachev countered with his own legislation to block Yeltsin’s legislation. Yeltsin countered
this action with legislation that placed Russian law above Soviet
law. This created a political stand-off.
The Coup and Yeltsin
Russia held elections in 1991 and Yeltsin’s party won a strong
majority over the communist party. This electoral support from
the Russian people legitimized Yeltsin’s leadership and gave him
the momentum to take further action. Since Gorbachev was
A Kremlin photograph shows Yeltsin
never elected to office, he lacked legitimacy in the eyes of the
on top of a tank outside the White people. In August 1991, fearing the end of the Soviet Union,
House, during the 1991 coup.
communist hard-liners attempted a coup against Yeltsin by
rolling tanks into the capital city of Moscow:
including the White House (think Parliament
building) where Yeltsin was at the time. The military
also placed Gorbachev under house arrest.
Yeltsin was defiant and walked out of the parliament,
jumped up on top of a tank, and announced to the
army that they could not attack the “defenders of
democracy”. This tactic worked, as the tank
operators broke rank and joined Yeltsin’s side.
Over the next two days, thousands of unarmed
Russian citizens took to protesting in front of the
armed forces surrounding the parliament building.
The coup ended and Yeltsin emerged as the de-facto
leader of the people.
The end of Gorbachev’s reign also marked the end of
The CIS, as visualized by Dag13 on
the Soviet Union. Unlike the reunification of Wikipedia.org. Note the light green
Germany, the Soviet Union was dismantled and a colour of Ukraine, denoting its
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was potential change in status.
formed as a loose confederation of 15 independent
countries.
From this dismantling arose serious problems for all the members of the CIS, including Russia.
Recently, with Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea region (February 2014) has led the
Ukraine to propose legislation to withdraw from the CIS.Co Recall the CSTO Alliance, economic
corruption, government imposed
reduction of civil liberties, etc.
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Issue 3: Are the values of Liberalism viable?
Post-Communist Russia: With the end of a command economy, Russia quickly adopted free
market principles. Changes to the economy included:
• ↑Prices on goods and services, as government subsidies were lifted and Russians now had to
pay market value for everything.
• ↑ Prices, but wages remained the same. Inflation meant that many Russians could not afford
even basic neccessities.
• Between 1991 and 1999, industrial production ↓ ~50%.
• Privitization of state-owned companies. No one knew the value of these companies so they
were sold well below market prices. The government privitized over 100,000 state-owned
companies, creating hundreds of thousands of new businesses (Ex: the national airline, Aeroflot,
was broken into 400 separate companies).
• Business laws were created to ensure fair practices and help protect consumers. Producers
began targeting consumer demands rather than state demands.
• ↓ government spending on the military, social programs, and subsidies. A tax system also
introduced to generate revenue.
• Reforms helped create a number of multi-millionaires in Russia. This created a wealthy and
powerful elite class.
Recall: Ideology shapes people’s worldview
A New World Order
The collapse of the Soviet Union effectively ended the balance of power that was established
between the Soviet Union and the United States. A “new world order” immediately took shape,
and it adapted to the reality of a single superpower in command of much of the international
community.
See Textbook: p. 189, 192-
Some important developments: 193, 219, & 447

1) United Nations has become more involved in international disputes since the superpowers shifted
their foreign policies from ones of nuclear armament to disarmament (p. 190 & 445).
2) An end of expansionism for Communism and containment for America. Although, American foreign
policy continues to be focused on spreading democracy around the world.
3) The Warsaw Pact disbanded when communism collapsed in Eastern Europe (Recall CSTO is still
around).
4) NATO has shifted from a military alliance focused on
containing communism to a peacemaking force dealing with
international disputes that are of a concern to NATO
members.
5) NATO has began to expand its
membership by allowing former Soviet bloc
countries to join the military alliance. This
has created on-going tensions between NATO
and Russia.
A demonstration against nuclear
testing in Colmar, France (2009), as
taken from Sortirdunucleaire (on
Wikipedia.org)

800 women in New York

striking for peace in
1962, urging USA
President Kennedy to
use caution and stop
nuclear testing as
taken from the
Library of Congress Page 16 of 18
 St. Mary’s High School: Social Studies 30-2
Issue 3: Are the values of Liberalism viable?
6) Nuclear disarmament. Concerns were raised about what to do
with the Soviet Union’s arsenal of about 27,000 nuclear warheads.
Many nuclear weapons went to the governments of Ukraine,
Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia who all had control over warheads,
whereas before only the USSR had control over the warheads. This
change led to the temporary expansion of the “nuclear club” of
nations with active nuclear programs. There was the possibility that
some nuclear weapons would be sold, stolen or “disappear” since
there was little accountability of nuclear materials following the
end of the USSR. The cost of destroying the nuclear weapons was
much more than the former Soviet republics could afford. In order
to ensure its own security, the United States was forced to pay for
their destruction. START I (1991) and START II (1993) were treaties
signed by Russia and the United States to reduce the nuclear
arsenals of both countries by two-thirds, with the intent to further
reduce their nuclear arsenals.

While some people are concerned with the nuclear arsenals of

developing countries like North Korea, India, and Pakistan, it is
important to remember that the historical nuclear powers have far
more nuclear weapons than those nations (see right,mikefaillegraphics’
image of the world’s supply of nuclear warheads, visualized and seen
on the National Post, 2017).

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Issue 3: Are the values of Liberalism viable?

An Evolution From Russia to the Soviet Union to Russia

Tsarist Russia (pre 1917)
Political and economic power is
Lenin’s Soviet Union (1917-1924)
held in the hands of the Tsar
War Communism – full command economy
New Economic Policy – command economy
with some private ownership
Stalin’s Soviet Union (1929-1953) p. 181
Five Year Plans – full command economy
Gorbachev’s Soviet Union (1985-1990)
Glasnost – increasing political freedom, more
democratic
Yeltsin’s Russia (1990-2000) Perestroika – increasing economic freedom,
Full market economy more market economy

See Textbook: p. 6, 46-47, 68, 70, 445, & 448

Collectivism Individualism

Dogmatism Pragmatism

Jedi Master Yoda: Deng Xiaoping:

“Do or do not. There is "It doesn't matter
no try” whether a cat is white or
black, as long as it
catches mice."

Jedi Master Yoda, The Empire

Strikes Back, 1980 Deng Xiaoping,
(Lucasfilm) 1979
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