Fall+of+Communism

Vivek Jani

Prompt: Analyze the long term and short term factors respoinsible for the disintegration of Communism in two of the following states: Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Poland, of Hungary

Thesis: Due to revolutions in Hungary and Czechoslovakia, leaders like Imry Nagy and Alexander Ducek, social discontent with communistic principles as well as a relaxation on the Brezhnev doctrine by the election of Mikhail Gorbachev, Hungary and Czechoslovakia were able to gain their independence resulting, eventually, in the fall of Communism.

I. Problems with the USSR -Brezhnev Doctrine stated intervention if socialsim was threatened -the invasions of Hungary in 1956 and Czechoslovakia in 1968 resulted in Soviet intervention and social discontent in these states -Gorbachev's election: less Soviet Intervention in the revolutions among Soviet sattelites -policies of glasnost (openness) and perestroika (resturcturing) resulted in more revolutionaries speaking their voice -Gorbachev released tensions and his power of conrol resulting in no intervention in the revolutions

II. Revolutions in Hungary A. First Attempt -beginning with Imry Nagy in 1965 -resulted from social discontent and dissatisfaction -Nagy declared Hungary a free nation -established free elections -within three days the red army invaded Hungary in 1956, crushing the rebellion and arresting Nagy -resulted in even more social discontent B. Fall of Communism in Hungary -under Kadar: communism with capatalistic face lift -legalized small enterprises, retail stores and restaurants -then, Hungary completely loss ties with the USSR and communism -the Democratic Forum was established -resulted in a democratic government and the institution of a free market economy

III. Revolutions in Czechoslovakia A. Prague Spring and Dubcek- failure -Czechoslovakia orginally under Novotny, or little Stalin -was overthrown and replaced with Dubcek -reforms included freedom of speech and the press, relaxation of the secret police -goal was to create a more humane communism -initiated a Prague Spring due to reforms -arrested by Red Army and Prague Spring abolished with the new leader being Husak, who stuck to the old orders B. Disintegration of Communism in Czechoslovakia -Husak and hard-line communists instituted a policy of mass repression to keep power -mass demonstrations against Husak led to the fall of communism -the new government body = Civic Forum, failed -eventually replaced by the new president Havel -institued a Czech democracy, resulting in the fall of communism and Czechoslovakia becoming active with and supportive of Western Europe -marked the beginning of a new European world order