The Fall of the Eastern Bloc & The Impacts in South Africa
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Course
History
Institution
12
IEB History.
Covers the resistance against USSR control within the Eastern Bloc with particular reference to Poland and Germany amidst the USSR's own impending collapse. Also details the impacts felt in South Africa, especially by the National Party government and the African National Congress.
• Gorbachev indicated that there would be no a3empt to use military force to crush uprisings in satellite
states
• Soviet troops would not be used to defend the exis<ng regimes in Eastern Europe or to crush reform
and mass protests
• December 1988: Gorbachev’s UN Speech
- Announced the withdrawal of 500 000 troops
- Announced the revoca<on of the Brezhnev Doctrine
• Gorbachev encouraged Perestroika, Glasnot and Demokra<zatsiya
• People in satellite states began demanding capitalism and full democracy
• Soviet-dominated dictatorships in Eastern Europe were replaced by democra<cally-elected
governments i.e Soviet control came to an end
• The Iron Curtain disintegrated
The Influence of the Pope
• Roman Catholic Church had great influence in Poland with the Pope holding enormous moral authority
• 1978: The Polish Pope, John Paul II, was elected
• 1979: The Pope inspired Polish people to make demands for greater freedom and human rights - his
stature as a symbol of resistance strengthened patrio<sm in Eastern European countries
• The Pope’s prayer in which he claimed that God’s spirit would “renew the face of the land” was believed
to be his call for an end to communist rule
• Debate arose regarding no<ons of freedom in worship and subsequently spread to no<ons of
democracy
• People used their religious symbols to their advantage and as a result, the Pope’s image became a
symbol for the resistance
• 1980: The Pope’s portrait was plastered to the gates of a shipyard in Gdansk following strikes
• 1981: The Pope invited Lech Walesa (the leader of Solidarity) to the Va<can as a show of support for the
trade union
• It was evident that the Pope was far more popular than other poli<cal leaders in Poland and so, had far
greater influence
• Some historians view John Paul II as playing a crucial role in inspiring change within Poland and
therefore, as playing a crucial role in defea<ng Soviet control
The Rise of Solidarity
Uprisings
• 1979: A number of strikes in Gdansk and Silesia occurred wherein people demanded trade union rights
and safety for workers
, • May 1980: Large-scale protests were conducted against the ongoing price increases
• August 1980: Another strike Gdansk led by Lech Walesa resulted in the establishment of Solidarity
• Solidarity was the first free trade union in the Eastern Bloc
• 1981: Had 10 million members
Lack of ac<on by USSR
• The USSR were engaged in the Afghan War which served to drain the USSR’s economy of its remaining
capital and resources
• The lack of ac<on is a3ributed to the fact that all Soviet troops and funds were going to the Afghan War
• They could not sustain Soviet interven<on elsewhere
• As well as this, trade with Poland was needed to boost the USSR economy thus, they didn’t take ac<on
against Polish uprisings to maintain trade connec<ons
• The events in Poland were significant as they indicated the weakening of Soviet control over Eastern
Europe
• The power of Solidarity seemed to indicate that the communist hold over the Polish poli<cal system was
deteriora<ng, even though they s<ll formed part of the USSR’s sphere of influence
Solidarity Demands
• The right to form free trade unions
• The right to strike
• An end to censorship
• The right to broadcast Catholic church services
• Ini<ally, the Polish government acceded to some reforms
• They allowed wage increases, recognised Solidarity as a trade union, released some dissidents and
provided media access to the Catholic church (as the media was s<ll state-controlled)
• However, Solidarity was s<ll pressured to recognise and accept the authority of the Communist Party
and Poland’s ongoing alliance with the USSR
• Solidarity was not permi3ed to form a poli<cal party
• The Red Army began gathering at Poland’s borders to conduct ‘exercises’ i.e implying that the USSR was
threatened by Solidarity
• The Polish were fearful that the Warsaw Pact na<ons would invade as they had in Hungary (1956) and in
Czechoslovakia (1986) following certain reforms
State Changes
• General Jaruzelski became Prime Minister
• Jaruzelski did not want to introduce new reforms
• December 1981: Mar<al law (military government) was declared under a state of emergency
• Jaruzelski aimed to prevent Soviet-led invasion while also controlling the Polish people, who clearly
desired significant poli<cal changes
• Jaruzelski suppressed opposi<on
• 10 000 were arrested, including Lech Walesa
• Solidarity was banned
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