HIS344Y1 Chapter 19: The Post-Cold War World
Document Summary
Everyone thought he was going to loosen grip on satellite states. Satellites asking for reform in their own states. Solidarity: first free trade union in the communist world. Fear of soviet intervention --> polish army leader declares martial law. Solidarity finally released in 1982, act as anti-communist political opposition. John paul ii, first polish roman catholic pope. Free elections held --> solidarity candidates won almost all the contested seats. First non-communist government in eastern europe since the beginning of the cold war. Opened barbed-wire border with austria to permit free circulation of people. Communist boss (who had ruled since 1954) ousted by coalition of reformists. Nicolae ceausescu ordered his troops to fire on demonstrators --> was overthrown and executed. Also warned old-line communist officials that they should adapt or lose their positions. Total military withdrawal from czechoslovakia and hungary in 1991. Removal of soviet troops in poland in 1993.
