“If you (the USA) start throwing hedgehogs under me, I shall throw a couple of porcupines under you.”
Nikita Khrushchev, November 7, 1963.
Nikita Khrushchev, November 7, 1963.
Gorbachev’s Mistakes to Reform
•Anti-alcohol campaign - cost state in revenue
•Investment in machinery and tool industry with little return
•Glasnost backfired in that people began hoarding common goods
•Deficit grew annually
•He continued the war in Afghanistan too long
•His high ranking officials were based on loyalty rather than reform mindedness
•Investment in machinery and tool industry with little return
•Glasnost backfired in that people began hoarding common goods
•Deficit grew annually
•He continued the war in Afghanistan too long
•His high ranking officials were based on loyalty rather than reform mindedness
The Fall of the Berlin Wall, 1989
•Erich Honecker, East German leader ran one of the most repressive Soviet Satellite gov’t
•In fall of 1989 thousands of demonstrators demanded greater freedoms
•Honecker wanted to shoot them, was overruled and replaced by Eron Krenz
•On Nov. 9, 1989 the Berlin Wall was opened and free elections were held
•In fall of 1989 thousands of demonstrators demanded greater freedoms
•Honecker wanted to shoot them, was overruled and replaced by Eron Krenz
•On Nov. 9, 1989 the Berlin Wall was opened and free elections were held
German Reunification, 1990
•The West German Christian Democratic Party, led by Helmut Kohl won on a reunification platform
•30 October, 1990 the two Germany’s became one with Kohl as the Chancellor
•30 October, 1990 the two Germany’s became one with Kohl as the Chancellor
Summary
The East German Leader, Erich Honecker, opposed all protests that were happening at the Berlin Wall. He wanted to take force action and shoot all the protestors but this was overruled. He was then replaced by Eron Krenz. The people wanted the Berlin Wall to come down so they took action themselves by tearing chunks out of it before the government could. A celebration took place on November 9th when the fall came down (1989), and free elections were held. On October 30th Germany was reunified and satellite states followed them by ridding of puppet leaders and communism.