The Collapse of The Soviet Union

World Cultures 11
Name __ Anthony Tammaro ________
Unit II: Russia
Date _______
Block _1___
Read the article entitled The Collapse of the Soviet Union and answer the questions
below thoroughly and thoughtfully.
Indentify/define each of the following: [remember to answer fully]
a. Politburo The ruling committee of the Communist Party
b. Soviet hard-liners - The old conservatives who opposed reform
c. coup - Hardliners detained Gorbachev at his vacation home demanding him to
resign
d. CIS Commonwealth of Independent States
e. shock therapy - Was an abrupt shift to free market economies
1. Identify and define two early changes that Gorbachev made? How were these changes
different from previous Soviet leaders?
The policy of glasnost was introduced allowing more openness in the government. Also
Churches were opened which gave back freedoms previously taken away from the people.
They are different because they allow more freedoms and less restrictions on the people.
2. Why would it be ineffective for the central government to decide what should be
produced all over the country?
It would be ineffective because the people dont want a controlled society with those
strict rules. They wanted a more open government
3. Explain Gorbachevs third reform and how it would help to move the country toward
democracy.
Democratization would help to open up the government. It allowed voters to actually
participate in the elections.
4. What was the INF Treaty? Why did Gorbachev agree to sign it? What effect do you
think this Treaty had on the Cold War?
The INF Treaty was in response to the arms race Russia had with the United States. It
banned nuclear missiles with ranges of 300 to 3,400 miles. It made a huge impact on the
cold war because people could stop worrying about a nuclear war between the two
countries.
5. What effect did Gorbachevs reforms have on Russian ethnic minorities?
It helped them very much because now they had more freedoms to do as they wanted.
Instead of being restricted on everything they do on a daily basis.
6. Which satellite nation was first to defy Gorbachev? How did Gorbachev respond?
Lithuania was the first to defy Gorbachev in which he tried to force it back into the
Soviet Union by ordering an economic blockade of the republic.
7. What was Boris Yeltsins position in Soviet government? Why did he oppose
Gorbachev?
A member of parliament and former mayor of Moscow. He criticized the crackdown in
Lithuania.
8. What name was given to the older communist members in parliament? What opinion did
they have regarding both Gorbachev and Yeltsin? Explain your answer.
Hard-liners-conservatives. They opposed reform and the fact that Gorbachev gave up the
Soviet Unions role as a dominant force in Europe.
9. What was the August Coup? Who orchestrated it?
Hardliners detained Gorbachev at his vacation home. They demanded him to resign from
presidency.
10. What were the most important reasons for the failure of the Coup?
The people werent afraid of the party anymore and were willing to defend their freedoms.
11. How did the 15 soviet Republics respond to the failed Coup?
It sparked anger against the communist party. The Soviet Union started to collapse and
many of the soviet Republics declared their independence.
12. When Gorbachev stepped down as president, who became the next president?
Boris Yeltsin became president
13. What was the new name of the Soviet Union after this coup?
CIS(Commonwealth of Independent States)
14. What was Yeltsin attempting to do by forming the CIS? What effect would it have on
the traditional Soviet Union?
Yeltsin was attempting to form an alternative to the Soviet Union. It wont have as many
restrictions on the people.
15. After the breakup of the Soviet Union, Yeltsin was faced with economic issues. What
did he do to attempt to solve these issues? Did it work? Why or why not?
Shock therapy which was an abrupt shift to free market economies. He lowered trade
barriers, removed price controls, and ended subsidies to state-owned industries. At the
start the plan was a failure. Prices skyrocketed and thousands were forced out of work.
16. When Yeltsin stepped down, a new leader was elected. What are some of the
problems that faced this new leader, Vladimir Putin?
A rebellion in Chechnya, economic problems, and social problems.
17. What was the Chechnya issue? How did Putin deal with it? Was he able to end this
issue for the new Federation? Explain.
Fighting dragged on for years. Troops were being removed. Putin was able to end the issue.
Putin helped to improve Russia in his years of rule.
18. In what ways were the policies of Gorbachev, Yeltsin, and Putin similar?
All of these presidents were trying to increase the amount of freedom the regular people
of Russia can hold, including elections and the economy.

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World Cultures 11

Name Anthony Tammaro ______

Unit II: Russia

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