Russia After Stalin

1
Russia After Stalin
2
The Cold War begins

• End of World War II marks the beginning of the
  Cold War.
• Cold War- military rivalry and political tension
  between the East (communist) and West
  (capitalist).
• Stalin had turned Russia into a totalitarian
  state- a state in which the govt controls every
  aspect of citizens lives.

3
Russia after Stalin

• Stalin died in 1953.
• His successor Nikita Khruschev
• Denounced Stalins abuse of power.
• Started détente- an easing of Cold War tensions
  between the USSR and the west.

4
Leonid Breshnev

• In power 1964-1982.
• Suppressed dissidents (People who speak out
  against the government).
• The constant arms race between the U.S. and
  USSR led to the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.

5
Breshnev

• 1979 The USSR invades Afghanistan.
• The U.S. responded by arming and empowering a
  group of holy warriors the Mujahideen.
• Later known as the Taliban.

6
Mikhail Gorbachev

• Came to power in 1985.
• New 2-part plan
• Glasnost- openness let people speak openly about
  government problems.
• Perestroika- restructuring of govt and economy
  allow capitalism in while keeping a communist
  structure.

7
The fall of the Soviet Union

• 1991
• All soviet republics declare independence,
  forming 15 new nations.
• Still face many problems today unemployment,
  inflation, poverty, civil wars, and dictatorships.

8
New nations

• Armenia
• Azerbaijan
• Belarus
• Estonia
• Georgia
• Kazakhstan
• Kyrgyzstan
• Latvia

• Lithuania
• Moldova
• Russia
• Tajikistan
• Turkemenistan
• Ukraine
• Uzbekistan