The fall of the Berlin Wall, which took place on November 9, 1989, was a domino for the revolutions that took place during 1989 in Eastern Europe. Moreover, this particular event was crucial to the sudden changes that unfolded in the Soviet Union, both in terms in domestic issues and international relations with the West. The fall of the Berlin Wall and its repercussions prompted three major changes for the Soviet Union: a separation in interests between the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation, institutional and political consequences resulting from these separate interests, and how the West handled these consequences.
Prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall, Mikhail Gorbachev appointed Boris Yeltsin to be part a governmental institution. …show more content…
These consequences in nature were both political and institutional, as both components had a role in changing the structure of the Soviet Union. One of the major events to occur from the fall of the Berlin Wall was the German reunification. Gorbachev was initially against this after the fall; however, by January of 1990, the majority of the people living in the German Democratic Republic no longer accepted any idea of having two separate German states. LOSE CONTROL OF EAST GER. On August 18, 1991, Yeltsin launched a coup against Gorbachev’s government. The coup itself was not very well organized and lasted only three days. However, by the end of the coup, Yeltsin had effectively replaced Gorbachev as the dominant leader in Moscow. He (Yeltsin) subsequently embarrassed Gorbachev several times on national television, causing the latter to lose his political authority. Another event that took place as a result of these divided views and from the events that occurred prior to it, was the breakup of the Soviet Union. COMMUNIST PARTY. UKRAINE. On December 25, 1991, Gorbachev signed the verdict that concluded the existence of the …show more content…
However, following the The West responded with caution. They did not want to push Gorbachev, but at the same time, they made their intentions clear. One example of this is the meeting that took place between Gorbachev and President George Bush, Sr. wherein Bush outlined that he would not undermine Gorbachev’s position and would support him in his endeavors. However, Bush also emphasized the fact that he and Kohl, the Prime Minister of West Germany, would push for German reunification. Bush and Kohl did this by convincing Gorbachev that it was vital for him to accept a reunified Germany into the NATO alliance. Moreover, in July 1990, Kohl and Gorbachev met and decided to take the road of co-operation. However, during the coup, the West remained passive. They did not bring armed forces into the coup, but instead recognized the coup as illegitimate. Yeltsin, a nationalist, did not work as well with the West as his former had; Gorbachev attempted to co-operate with the West, whereas Yelstin was focused on Russian nationalism and did not want to work with them (despite wanting to create a nation with similar values).
The Soviet Union and the Russian Federation effectively switched positions succeeding the fall of the Berlin Wall. There was a short power struggle between the two parties. The result of this was a shift in focus from maintaining a
Prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall, Mikhail Gorbachev appointed Boris Yeltsin to be part a governmental institution. …show more content…
These consequences in nature were both political and institutional, as both components had a role in changing the structure of the Soviet Union. One of the major events to occur from the fall of the Berlin Wall was the German reunification. Gorbachev was initially against this after the fall; however, by January of 1990, the majority of the people living in the German Democratic Republic no longer accepted any idea of having two separate German states. LOSE CONTROL OF EAST GER. On August 18, 1991, Yeltsin launched a coup against Gorbachev’s government. The coup itself was not very well organized and lasted only three days. However, by the end of the coup, Yeltsin had effectively replaced Gorbachev as the dominant leader in Moscow. He (Yeltsin) subsequently embarrassed Gorbachev several times on national television, causing the latter to lose his political authority. Another event that took place as a result of these divided views and from the events that occurred prior to it, was the breakup of the Soviet Union. COMMUNIST PARTY. UKRAINE. On December 25, 1991, Gorbachev signed the verdict that concluded the existence of the …show more content…
However, following the The West responded with caution. They did not want to push Gorbachev, but at the same time, they made their intentions clear. One example of this is the meeting that took place between Gorbachev and President George Bush, Sr. wherein Bush outlined that he would not undermine Gorbachev’s position and would support him in his endeavors. However, Bush also emphasized the fact that he and Kohl, the Prime Minister of West Germany, would push for German reunification. Bush and Kohl did this by convincing Gorbachev that it was vital for him to accept a reunified Germany into the NATO alliance. Moreover, in July 1990, Kohl and Gorbachev met and decided to take the road of co-operation. However, during the coup, the West remained passive. They did not bring armed forces into the coup, but instead recognized the coup as illegitimate. Yeltsin, a nationalist, did not work as well with the West as his former had; Gorbachev attempted to co-operate with the West, whereas Yelstin was focused on Russian nationalism and did not want to work with them (despite wanting to create a nation with similar values).
The Soviet Union and the Russian Federation effectively switched positions succeeding the fall of the Berlin Wall. There was a short power struggle between the two parties. The result of this was a shift in focus from maintaining a