RUSSIA- Fall of the USSR 1985-91- GORBACHEV AND YELTSIN Flashcards

1
Q

Which type of historians approach the concept of causation in history through the actions of individuals?

A

Intentionalist historians

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2
Q

When did Gorbachev receive the Nobel Peace Prize?

A

1990

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3
Q

What were Gorbachev’s failings?

A

Lack of vision; naivety; powerbase; expectations; foreign policy; insensitive handling of national minorities; inconsistency; indecision

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4
Q

Why were Gorbachev’s measures to reduce the power and role of the Communist Party problematic?

A

Attacking the base of his own power without ensuring an adequate replacement

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5
Q

How did Gorbachev make the ethnic clashes in Nagorno-Karabakh worse?

A

Declared a state of emergency and imposed direct control from Moscow in November 1988

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6
Q

What is an example of Gorbachev’s inconsistency?

A

His speech in November 1987- praised Stalin’s leadership while condemning his ‘real crime’

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7
Q

What is an example of Gorbachev’s indecision?

A

Hesitated for several days before releasing information about Chernobyl

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8
Q

When was the Chernobyl nuclear accident?

A

1986

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9
Q

Which historian believes that Gorbachev’s fault was attempting economic reform, democratisation and decolonisation simultaneously?

A

Ronald Suny

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10
Q

Which considerable challenge did Gorbachev succeed in for most of his time as General Secretary?

A

Dealing with divisions between reformers and conservatives

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11
Q

What sort of image did Yeltsin present?

A

A politician in touch with the wishes of the people

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12
Q

Why was Yeltsin in a strong position to undermine Gorbachev’s leadership?

A

Reputation as a reformer; base of popular support

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13
Q

When was Yeltsin removed from the Politburo?

A

February 1988

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14
Q

How did Yeltsin use his time after being removed from the Politburo?

A

Established firmer links with other reformers and critics of Gorbachev

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15
Q

How many people gathered in Moscow to support Yeltsin in March 1991?

A

200,000

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16
Q

When did Yeltsin attack Gorbachev publicly?

A

Central Committee Plenum of October 1987

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17
Q

How did Yeltsin take advantage of Gorbachev’s decision to hold elections for the Congress of People’s Deputies in 1989?

A

Used his position as mayor of Moscow to organise demonstrations in his support; secured 89% of the city’s vote

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18
Q

What did Yeltsin’s election to the People’s Congress give him?

A

Platform to attack Gorbachev and the Soviet government

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19
Q

What did Yeltsin use to specifically attack the central Soviet government?

A

His election to the Congress of People’s Deputies for the RSFSR in 1990

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20
Q

When was Yeltsin elected as chairman of the Congress of People’s Deputies?

A

May 1990

21
Q

When did Yeltsin resign from the Communist Party?

A

July 1990

22
Q

What did the Congress of People’s Deputies consider itself to be above?

A

Authority of the Soviet government

23
Q

What calculated move did Yeltsin take to reduce the power of the central Soviet government even further?

A

Encouraged the nationalist movements of non-Russian republics

24
Q

When did Yeltsin and Gorbachev decide to work together to pursue reform?

A

Spring of 1991

25
Q

What did Yeltsin and Gorbachev join forces to support?

A

Novo-Ogarevo Agreement, which formed the basis of Gorbachev’s Union Treaty of 1991

26
Q

Which historian views Yeltsin’s decision to work with Gorbachev as a cynical move to bide his time?

A

Robert Service

27
Q

What was the August Coup of 1991 a last-ditch attempt to do?

A

Preserve territorial integrity of the Soviet Union and rule of Communist Party

28
Q

Where was Gorbachev on holiday in when the August Coup took place?

A

Crimea

29
Q

What was formed to take over the running of the country while Gorbachev was away?

A

State Emergency Committee

30
Q

Who were the leaders of the August Coup?

A

Gennady Yanaev; Vladimir Kryuchkov; Dmitri Yazov

31
Q

Who was Gennady Yanaev?

A

Gorbachev’s vice-president

32
Q

Who was Vladimir Kryuchkov?

A

Head of KGB

33
Q

Who was Dmitri Yazov?

A

Defence Minister

34
Q

Who were the leaders of the August Coup supported by?

A

Some of the leading army officers

35
Q

Who announced during the Coup that Gorbachev was ill and a state of emergency would rule in his absence?

A

Gennady Yanaev

36
Q

How long did the August coup last?

A

4 days

37
Q

What happened during the August Coup?

A

Series of repressive measures hastily announced, including a ban on strikes/demonstrations

38
Q

How did the leaders of the August Coup attempt to maintain law and order?

A

Tanks were ordered onto the streets of Moscow

39
Q

Why was the August Coup unsuccessful?

A

Poorly planned; implemented without wholehearted backing of the armed forces

40
Q

How did Yeltsin benefit from the August Coup?

A

His stand against the plotters greatly enhanced his reputation as a defender of freedom and reform

41
Q

When had the monopoly of the Communist Party been legally ended?

A

By the summer of 1991

42
Q

After the Communist Party had been destroyed, what did Yeltsin and other reformers establish as a political party?

A

Democratic Reform Movement

43
Q

When did Yeltsin ban the Communist Party of the Soviet Union within Russia?

A

November 1991

44
Q

What did Yeltsin launch after he had been emboldened by his enhanced position post-August Coup?

A

Programme of market reform in economy

45
Q

When was Yeltsin provided with an opportunity to finally kill Gorbachev’s Union Treaty of 1991?

A

Ukrainian President, Leonid Kravchuk, refused to sign it; asked for further negotiations

46
Q

When was Yeltsin’s Commonwealth of Independent States implemented?

A

December 1991

47
Q

What did the Commonwealth of Independent States not require?

A

Central Soviet government

48
Q

When did Yeltsin take a stand against Gorbachev’s Union Treaty of 1991?

A

November 1991