30 Aug.1980 The government agrees to all 21 of Solidarity’s demands.
Sept. 1980 Solidarity’s membership grows to 3.5 million
Oct. 1980 Solidarity membership is 7 million. Solidarity is officially recognised by the Government.
Jan. 1981 Membership of solidarity reaches its peak at 9.4 million – more than a third of all the workers in Poland. If you exclude farmers, 60 % of the polish workforce are members.
Feb. 1981 General Jaruzeslki, leader of the army, is made head of the Communist Party and Prime Minister of Poland.
March 1981 After negotiations with Jaruzelski, Walesa calls off a strike at Bydgoszcz. Many solidarity members are unhappy about this. They see it as gibing in to the government.
May 1981 “Rural Solidarity” is set up as a farmers union.
Sept. 1981 Lech Walesa elected chairman of Solidarity. The Solidarity Congress produce an “open letter” to workers of eastern Europe.
Nov. 1981 Negotiations between Walesa and Jaruzelski to from a government of “National Understanding” break down.
Dec. 1981 Worried about the increasing chaos in Poland Brezhnev orders the Red Army to carry out “training manoeuvres” on the polish border. Jaruzelski introduces martial law (rule by the army). He puts Walesa and almost 10.000 other solidarity leaders in prison. He suspends Solidarity.
Q1 PG 319
How can you tell that the writer of Source 35 is critical of Jaruzelski’s actions?
You can tell by the way he explains himself, the way he explains what the red army had done to many people, he says it with fear, and anger against the Red Army.
Q1 PG 320
What do you think “preventive and cautionary talks” might mean.
This might mean that people meet up and talk about problems and issues, but in a positive way, to prevent a bad thing to happen in result of the issue. For example, Russia and the USA meet for a conference, and it’s just after the arms race. Russia and the USA know exactly that they could destroy each other, so they have “preventive and cautionary talks”, to try and keep the meeting calm.
Profile of Lech Walesa
- Born 1943. His father was a farmer
- Like many of his fellow pupils at school he went to work in the shipyards at Gdansk. He became an electrician.
- In 1970 he led shipyard workers who joined the strike against price rises.
- In 1976 he was sacked from the shipyard for making malicious statements about the organisation and working climate.
- In 1978 he helped organise a union at another works. Dismissed officially because of the recession, unofficially because of pressure from above.
- In 1979 he worked for Eltromontage. He was said to be the best automotive electrician in the business. He was sacked.
- Led strikes in Gdansk shipyard in August 1980.
- With others he set up Solidarity in August 1980 and became its leader soon after.
- He was a committed Catholic and earned massive support among the Polish people and overseas.
- The Polish government imprisoned him. in 1982.
- In prison he became a symbol of Eastern Europe’s struggle against Communist repression. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983.
- In 1989 he became the leader of Poland’s first non-Communist government since the Second World War.
Why did the polish government agree to Solidarity’s demands in 1980?
- The union was strongest in those industries, which were most important to the government. It was strong in shipbuilding and heavy industry – and the membership was particularly high among the skilled workers and foremen in those industries. Half of all journalists and filmmakers also joined.
- In the early stages the union was not seen by its members as an alternative to the party. More than one million members (30 %) of the Communist Party joined Solidarity. In the early months Solidarity was not therefore a threat to the Party. People joined Solidarity simply because they thought it would “make things better” in Poland. In one survey of members in 1091 almost 40 % gave this as their reason for joining Solidarity, whereas only 5 % said that they joined because Solidarity had a better programme than the government.
- Lech Walesa was very careful in his negotiations with the government to tread carefully and not to threaten the Soviet Union. He tried to avoid provoking a dispute which might bring in the Soviet Union.
- The union was immensely popular. Lech Walesa was a kind of folk hero, and the movement which he led was seen as very trustworthy. In a survey in 1091 Solidarity was regarded as being as trustworthy as even the Catholic Church – which has immensely powerful and popular in Poland. Ninety-five per cent of Poles said they trusted Solidarity.
- Finally the Soviet Union tolerated events in Poland only because it could not do anything else. Solidarity had gained support in the West in a way that neither of the Hungarian or Czech risings had. Walesa was regularly interviewed and photographed for the Western media. Solidarity logos were bought in their millions as posters, postcards, even car stickers throughout the capitalist world. The scale of the movement and the charismatic appeal of Lech Walesa ensured that the Soviet Union treated the Polish crisis cautiously.
Why did the Polish government clamp down on Solidarity in December 1981?
- There were increasing signs that Solidarity was acting as a political party. The government had been sent secret tapes of a Solidarity meeting at which the leaders talked of Solidarity setting up a new provisional government – without the Communist Party. This formed a direct challenge to the Soviet plan for Eastern Europe. Brezhnev was not prepared to have a Communist Party within the Soviet block dictated to by an independent union.
- Poland was sinking into Chaos. Meat and fish supply was down by 25%. Almost all Poles felt the impact of food shortages. Rationing was introduced in April 1981. National income had fallen by 13 % in a year, industrial production by 11 per cent and foreign trade by 20 per cent. Wages had increased by less than inflation. Unemployment was rising. Strikes were continuing long after the Solidarity leadership had ordered them to stop.
- Solidarity itself was also tumbling into chaos. There were many different factions. Some felt that the only way to make pressure was to push the Communists harder until they cracked under the pressure. Against the advice and better judgement of Walesa, they passed a motion at their October 1981 Congress to “issue a statement of sympathy and support for all the downtrodden peoples of the Soviet block and to all the nations of the Soviet Union”. It proclaimed that the Poles were fighting “for your freedom and for ours”. Walesa was well aware how dangerous a course this was, but by then the different fractions in solidarity were threatening to pull the organisation apart and Walesa was no longer able or willing to dictate to them.
Question 2 PG. 321
Which of these problems do you think would most worry the government?
I think the first problem would most worry the government, because at that time the government was still Communist, and the Solidarity, planned on making a provisional government, but without Communism. This was found out by secret tapes, which recorded a meeting of the Solidarity group.
The Significance of solidarity.
Was Solidarity only important in Poland or did it have a wider significance in Eastern Europe?
Even though Solidarity was very important in Poland, it appeared to have an effect in foreign countries. As the leaders of foreign countries were consulting Lech Walesa (leader of solidarity in Poland) to ease the economic sanctions on Poland, it was shown that solidarity affected foreign countries. It showed that the foreign countries “preferred” to negotiate with solidarity members, than with the pro-communist Polish Government.
The Aftermath
What happened to The Solidarity movement in the 1980’s?
In the beginning of 1983 Jaruzelski started the liberation of jailed Solidarity leaders. However, Solidarity’s friends in the other countries were not impressed as the released leaders were hounded from their jobs, some harassed, and some even murdered.
Although being outlawed, Solidarity started operating openly and gaining influence once again. In 1986 it threatened to call a nationwide strike against price rises and the government backed down. Lech Wałęsa was treated like Poland’s leader.
How did Gorbachev change Eastern Europe?
- What kind of person was Gorbachev?
- What changes did he introduce to the Soviet Union?
- What was his policy on Eastern Europe?
- What was his attitude to nuclear disarmament?
- What did he think about environmental issues?
- What did he think about human rights?
- All of the people that wrote to Gorbachev (in these sources) think that he was a great person, and that he did the only right thing to the Eastern Policies. One letter said “…Your sincerity, straightforwardness, foresight, capabilities, fearless nature…” All the sources approve that Gorbachev was liked, not only by the Russians, but also by the rest of the world, letters from Germany, Italy, Ireland, America, India, Spain, and most probably from many more came to Gorbachev’s hands.
- Gorbachev introduced quite a few changes, he got rid of part of the Nuclear bombs in Russia, he tought the Russian to have freedom, he “got rid of” Stalin’s policies.
- Gorbachev’s aim was to lower the amount of aggression in Russia, the best way to do this was to get rid of all the creators of aggression and anti-trust of other countries. He disarmed many nuclear missiles, which was a relief to many countries, especially to the USA who had had an arms race with Russia, which could’ve had escalated quickly, Gorbachev knew this and therefore got rid of nuclear arms.
- Gorbachev gave the Population of eastern Europe the freedom they wanted, for the first time in 45 years the people were free, the wall dropped, and the Germans fell into each others arms with joy and happiness, all this thanks to Gorbachev.
Profile of Mikhail Gorbachev
- Born 1931. one grandfather was a kulak – a landowning peasant – who had been sent to a prison camp by Stalin because he resisted Stalin’s policy of collectivisation. The other grandfather was a loyal Communist Party member.
- His elder brother was killed in the Second World War.
- Studied law at Moscow University in the 1950’s. Became a persuasive speaker.
- Worked as a local Communist Party official in his home area. By 1978 he was a member of the Central Committee of the Party and in charge of agriculture.
- In 1980 he joined the Politburo.
- He was a close friend of Andropov who became Soviet leader in 1983. He shared many of Andropov’s ideas about reforming the USSR. When andropov was leader he was effectively second in command.
- In 1985 he became leader of the USSR.
- In October 1990 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Why did Gorbachev try to change the soviet union?
Gorbachev differed from the previous leaders whom never touched the system of Communism. Gorbachev worried about the attitude of the soviet people to work. Although the soviet system protected them against economic problems, such as a job and a home, it didn’t give them a better incentive to work better or harder. Gorbachev had a worry about alcoholism which was very high in the USSR, because of this the life expectancy average was 62. alcoholism was one reason for the decline of the soviet industry. Gorbachev also worried about the quality of soviet goods. He also knew that propaganda and Communist slogans were not enough to solve the problems. Two key ideas were openness and restructuring, he called for an open debate on the government policy. In 1987 his restructuring programme allowed market forces to be introduced into the soviet economy. For the first time in 60 years it was no longer illegal to buy and sell for profit. He also cut spending on defence and the red army began to shrink. Gorbachev knew that he could never win the arms race with the USA and so he cut down the amount of money spent on nuclear weapons. Two years later the USA and the USSR signed a treaty to remove most of their missiles from Europe.
What reasons does Gorbachev give in Source 46 (p. 324) for the changes in the USSR?
Gorbachev says that it is time stop handling foreign policy from an imperial point of view. He says that both, the USA and USSR can’t force each other to do something they don’t want to do. Although there are the options to suppress, compel, bribe, break or blast, it would be for a short period of time. It is clear that none will give in to the other one, and that is why one has to make the first step towards improving their relations.
Why did Soviet Control of Eastern Europe collapse?
Why do you think these jokes are useful as historical evidence about attitudes to Gorbachev? (pg 325 Q1)
Both of the jokes shown in this source, show that the people don’t trust in a success of Gorbachev succeeding to change the economy in Russia. They say that the optimists believe what Gorbachev says, but then the realists want to learn how to shoot a rifle, (of course all this was only a joke) in case the civil war comes. This shows that many people liked Gorbachev’s ideas but they didn’t think that he would be able to convert these plans into realism.
How did Gorbachev’s reforms in the Soviet Union affect Eastern Europe?
Gorbachev’s reforms had created a demand of freedom in the communist countries. Eastern Europe leaders were boggled because now Gorbachev supports the ideas that the soviet wanted to destroy 20 years earlier in the Czech region. Now Gorbachev told the leaders that they should listen to what their population says. The result was the collapse of communism in eastern Europe.
Timeline 1989
May
Hungarians begin dismantling the barbed wire fence between Hungary and non-Communist Austria.
June
In Poland, free elections are held for the first time since the Second World War. Solidarity wins almost all the seats in the contests. Eastern Europe gets its first non-Communist leader.
The cracks in the soviet domination of Eastern Europe begin to appear and the complete collapse of the Red Empire begins with the people of East Germany.
September
Thousands of East Germans on holiday in Hungary and Czechoslovakia refuse to come home. They escape through Austria into West Germany.
October
There are enormous demonstrations in East German cities when Gorbachev visits the country. He tells the East German leader Erich Honecker to reform. Honecker orders troops to fire on demonstrators but they refuse.
Gorbachev makes it clear that Soviet tanks will not move in to ‘’restore order’’.
November
East Germans march in there thousands of checkpoints at the Berlin Wall. The guards throw down their weapons and join the crowds. The Berlin Wall is dismantled.
There are demonstrations in Czechoslovakia. The Czech Government opens their borders with the West, and allows the formation of other parties.
December
In Romania there is a short but very bloody revolution, which ends with the execution of Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.
The Communist Party in Hungary renames itself the Socialist Party and declares that free elections will be held in 1990. In Bulgaria, there are huge demonstrations against the Communist government.
March (1990)
Latvia leads the Baltic republics in the declaring independence from the USSR.
