A look at the collapse of communism across Eastern Europe in the late 1980s with some links to YouTube clips. The links all worked at time of uploading.

1. The Disintegration of the Communist Bloc

2. Mikhail Gorbachev End of the gerontocracy Committed communist but… “We can’t go on living like this…” Change in USSR = Cut military spending New political thinking This is man with whom I can do business – Margaret Thatcher

3. Gorbachev’s New Thinking Perestroika Re-structuring of economy Some private enterprise Boost productivity, efficiency, quality Glasnost Openness Encourage new ideas, initiative Democratisation Get more people involved in CPSU

4. Gorbachev’s Impact

5. Ending The Brezhnev Doctrine Some satellite governments used it Hungary: multi-party system Poland: elections  non-communist government USSR: no reaction Some satellite governments resisted new trends Romania immune to calls for change Ceausescu overthrown Executed

6. The End of Communism Poland May Day 1983 BBC 6 O’Clock News Disintegration of Communist Bloc An overview of Czechoslovakia Fall of the Berlin Wall Romania’s experience