Northern Eurasia 1989: Glasnost

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Political map of Russia & the former Soviet Union on 23 Dec 1989 (Soviet Superpower: Glasnost), showing the following events: Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan; Soviet legislative election; Tadeusz Mazowiecki of Solidarity appointed Prime Minister of Poland; Removal of Hungary’s border fence; Fall of the Berlin Wall; Velvet Revolution; Romanian Revolution.

Leningrad

Moscow

May 1988–Feb 1989Soviets withdraw
from Afghanistan

Mar–May 1989Elections across Soviet Union for
Congress of People’s Deputies

Aug 1989Communists defeated in elections in Poland

Sep 1989Hungary opens borders with Austria

9–10 Nov 1989Berlin Wall torn down

24 Nov 1989Communist leaders
resign in
Czechoslovakia

22 Dec 1989Communist dictator of
Romania overthrown

Glasnost

16 May 1946 Iran Crisis 24 Jun 1948 Berlin Blockade 8 Oct 1949 NATO and the Two Germanys 25 Jan 1951 Korean War 21 Sep 1955 Warsaw Pact 26 Jun 1963 Height of the Cold War 17 Nov 1969 Sino-Soviet Border Conflict 24 May 1985 Soviet War in Afghanistan 23 Dec 1989 Glasnost 25 Feb 1991 End of the Warsaw Pact 19 Aug 1991 Soviet Coup Attempt

By the late 1980s, the Soviet Union was surrounded by hostile states, while having to cope with economic woes, discontent in Poland, and a high tech arms race with the United States. Mikhail Gorbachev, the new Soviet leader, responded with huge political and economic reforms. In 1989, he allowed elections and revolutions to overthrow the communist regimes in eastern Europe.

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Main Events

15 May 1988–15 Feb 1989 Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan ▲

Soon after Gorbachev became General Secretary of the Soviet Union, he gained the support of the Politburo in seeking a withdrawal from the war in Afghanistan. In the 1988 Geneva Accords, the Soviets agreed to withdraw immediately, removing their last troops out in February 1989, but continuing political support of the moribund People’s Republic of Afghanistan. in wikipedia

26 Mar–25 May 1989 Soviet legislative election ▲

First democratic elections held in the Soviet Union to elect the Congress of People’s Deputies in wikipedia

24 Aug 1989 Tadeusz Mazowiecki of Solidarity appointed Prime Minister of Poland ▲

Tadeusz Mazowiecki of Solidarity appointed Prime Minister of Poland in wikipedia

10 Sep 1989 Removal of Hungary’s border fence ▲

Hungarian government opens borders with Austria, permitting East Germans to travel to the West in wikipedia

9–10 Nov 1989 Fall of the Berlin Wall ▲

After Hungary and Czechoslovakia opened their borders to Austria, allowing tens of thousands of East Germans to escape to the West, the government of East Germany partially opened its border with West Germany. In the confusion over the new regulations, masses of East Germans gathered at the Berlin Wall, overwhelming the guards and demanding to cross to the West. At 10:45 pm on 9 November, the guards relented. The Wall was swamped by celebrating East and West Germans, then torn down over the ensuing days. in wikipedia

24 Nov 1989 Velvet Revolution ▲

On 17 November 1989, a violent state crackdown on student protests sparked mass demonstrations in Prague. After seven days, the entire top leadership of the Czechoslovak Communist Party resigned. By December 29, single-party rule was abolished, with Prague Spring leader Alexander Dubček appointed Prime Minister and playwright/dissident Václav Havel appointed President. in wikipedia

22 Dec 1989 Romanian Revolution ▲

On 16 December 1989, demonstrations by ethnic Hungarians erupted in the city of Timișoara, followed by a violent crackdown by the Romanian military. On 21 December, President Nicolae Ceaușescu attempted to address the public in Bucharest, only for the crowd to erupt in protest. The following day, the Armed Forces defected to the side of the protesters, arrested Ceaușescu, and proclaimed dissident Ion Iliescu President. Ceaușescu and his wife Elena were tried and convicted on 24 December and executed on December 25. in wikipedia