THE FALL OF THE USSR

RONALD REAGAN

• Called USSR "evil empire".
• Created a military buildup.
• Began new arms race.
• Sent military aid to Afghan rebels.
• Insisted Gorbachev tear the wall down.

LEONID BREZHNEV: POLICIES

• Aimed to keep East Europe in communist hands.
• USSR to intervene if communism was threatened.
• Uninterested in reform.
• Regime allowed more access to Western styles.
• Emphasized heavy industry.

LEONID BREZHNEV: PROBLEMS

• Collective farmers had no incentive to work hard.
• Government's central planning.
• Declining economy.
• Ruling class corrupt.
• A lot of alcoholism.

MIKHAIL GORBACHEV: COLD WAR

• Encouraged "glasnost".
• Agreed to eliminate intermediate-range nuclear weapons.
• Stopped giving soviet military support.
• "New thinking".
• Reunification of Germany.

MIKHAIL GORBACHEV: PERESTOIKA

• Preached the need for radical reforms.
• Wanted to start a market economy.
• Realized reforming the economy would fail.
• Did away with constitutional provision.
• Strengthened the power.

MIKHAIL GORBACHEV: THE END

• Most serious problem was the multiethnic nature of USSR.

BORIS YELTSIN

• President of the Russian Republic.
• Resisted rebel forces.
• Introduced a free market economy.
• Used brutal force to keep the province of Chechnya in Russia.
• Opposed NATO's proposed expansion.