Glasnost
Facts for kids
The following fact
sheet contains interesting facts and information on Glasnost.
Glasnost
Facts for kids
Glasnost
Facts - 1:
The terms Glasnost and Perestroika were often used in
conjunction with each other, during the late 1980's to
encompass new reform measures in the Soviet Union and
the democratization of the Communist Party.
Glasnost
Facts -
2:
The term 'Glasnost means "openness to public scrutiny"
and the Russian word 'Perestroika' means "reform,
rebuilding, reconstruction".
Glasnost
Facts - 3:
Glasnost and Perestroika were used during the late 1980's in
relation to changes in Soviet society and its economic policy
allowing competition in business.
Glasnost
Facts - 4:
The policy of Glasnost encouraged open debate and freedom of speech
in the Soviet Union and its 'satellite nations' in the Eastern bloc
that consisted of Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary,
Poland, Romania and Albania
Glasnost
Facts - 5:
Mikhail Gorbachev became the leader of the Soviet Union in 1985. His
goal was to revive the ailing economies and to revitalize the Soviet
Stalinist regime into a more modern social democracy by relaxing
bureaucracy and censorship.
Glasnost
Facts - 6:
The plans of Mikhail Gorbachev were based on the
introduction of Glasnost and Perestroika. Glasnost
allowed for the distribution of information regarding
Soviet life and Perestroika related to political and
economic restructuring.
Glasnost
Facts - 7: President Ronald
Reagan had adopted a strong stance against communism and
increased defense spending during his presidency. The
Soviet Union's efforts to match the expenditure of the
U.S. in the Cold War Arms Race had brought the nation to
the point of bankruptcy. Mikhail Gorbachev realized that
the USSR could not afford the arms race, withdrew from
the conflict in Afghanistan and opened the START
(Strategic Arms Reduction Talks) with the USA.
Glasnost
Facts - 8: Economic
restructuring was vital. Agriculture and industry
were stagnating and the effects and unrest about
shortages was increasing. Mikhail Gorbachev’s
implementation of perestroika aimed at restructuring the
economy by privatizing farms, making industries more
efficient, reducing imports and increasing exports.
Glasnost
Facts - 9:
The ideals were prominently referred to in his speech of
March 11, 1985, in which he accepted the post of general
secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU).
Glasnost
Facts - 10: Gorbachev used
Glasnost (meaning openness) and Perestroika (meaning
restructuring) to introduce policies aimed at moderating
the abuse of administrative power and reducing
corruption at the top of the Communist Party and in the
Soviet Government.
Glasnost
Facts - 11:
The new policies of Mikhail Gorbachev had the effect of
weakening the system of political repression and in turn
undermined and reduced the authority and ability of the
Soviet central Moscow government to impose its will on
its 'satellite nations'.
Glasnost
Facts - 12: Glasnost limited
strict government censorship rules and allowed for
freedom of expression and relaxed controls on the media
via the radio, newspapers and television. The previously
censored literature in the libraries were also opened to
the public. Soviet citizens were shocked to discover the
truth about Stalin's brutal regime and caused many to
lose faith in communist ideology.
Glasnost
Facts - 13: The new freedom of
information raised Soviet citizens awareness of the high
standards of living enjoyed by Americans and Western
European citizens fueling disillusionment with the
Soviet system.
Glasnost
Facts - 14: Mikhail Gorbachev
had miscalculated the forces that such liberal policies
might unleash and watched as public opinion slipped
beyond his control.
Continued...
Glasnost
Facts for kids
Facts
about the Glasnost for kids
The following fact
sheet continues with facts about Glasnost.
Glasnost
Facts for kids
Glasnost
Facts - 15:
The introduction of Gorbachev's Soviet policies of
Glasnost and Perestroika inadvertently opened the
floodgates for peaceful demonstrations and protests
across the Eastern bloc. People seized the opportunity
to assert their independence and voice discontent with
their restrictive Communist-led governments in their
struggle for equality and opportunity.
Glasnost
Facts - 16: A group of Crimean
Tatars staged the first mass protests of the Glasnost
era and 2000 marched to the Kremlin in Moscow to protest
against the exile of their people.
Glasnost
Facts - 17: In June 1989 free
elections were held in Poland that were won by
Solidarity, originally a banned trade union and Lech
Walesa became the first non-communist president of
Poland.
Glasnost
Facts - 18: The "Revolutions
of 1989" witnessed the ousting of Soviet-imposed
communist regimes in central and eastern Europe in
Hungary, East Germany, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and
Romania. Mikhail Gorbachev significantly refused to
authorize the use of the military to force in either the
Soviet Union or the satellite nations of the Eastern
Bloc.
Glasnost
Facts - 19: Up to this time
defection attempts were illegal and refusal to return
home was considered treason against the state. Hungary
made a radical change and began to
allow people free passage to Austria which allowed them to
escape to the West.
Glasnost
Facts - 20: In Bulgaria
demonstrations in Sofia for political reform occurred
during October and November 1989. The Bulgarian leader,
Todor Zhivkov, was eventually ousted by his Politburo
and was succeeded by Petar Mladenov, a much more liberal
Communist.
Glasnost
Facts -
21: Demonstrations
flared in Romania against the Romanian leader and
dictator Nicolae Ceausescu as years of repressed
dissatisfaction surfaced and the people protest against
shortages of basic necessities such as food, fuel,
energy and medicines. Ceaușescu’s regime collapsed after
he ordered his security forces to fire on
anti-government demonstrators. Ceausescu was tried and
found guilty of genocide and the illegal gathering of
wealth. Nicolae Ceausescu was executed by a firing squad
on December 25, 1989.
Glasnost
Facts -
22: The non-violent
"Velvet Revolution" broke out in Czechoslovakia
culminating in 800,000 strong group of protesters in
Letna Square. held 800,000 protesters.[43] On 24
November, The entire Communist Party leadership,
including the Czechoslovakian leader, Milos Jakes,
resigned.
Glasnost
Facts -
23: In East Germany,
an unprecedented series of mass public marches and
rallies led to the
Fall of the Berlin
Wall on 9 November, 1989.
East and West Germany were officially reunited as the
Federal Republic of Germany on October 3, 1990
Glasnost
Facts -
24: Hard-liners in the
Communist Party attempted to remove Mikhail Gorbachev
and he was briefly imprisoned as the military attempted
to seize control of the Russian parliament. The military
coup failed but the balance of power and popular support
shifted to Boris Yeltsin.
Glasnost
Facts -
25: In September 1991
the Congress of People's Deputies voted for the
dissolution of the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union
acknowledged the independence of the former Soviet
republics.
Glasnost
Facts -
26: Mikhail Gorbachev
resigned as Soviet president on December 25, 1991. The
Soviet Union collapsed and the Cold War finally came to
end - refer to the
Collapse of the Soviet Union. The impact of Glasnost on these momentous, historic
events should never be underestimated.
Glasnost
Facts for kids
Glasnost - President Ronald Reagan Video
The article on the Glasnost provides detailed facts and a summary of one of the important events during his presidential term in office. The following
Ronald Reagan video will
give you additional important facts and dates about the political events experienced by the 40th American President whose presidency spanned from January 20, 1981 to January 20, 1989.
Glasnost
●
Interesting Facts about Glasnost for kids and schools
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Summary of the Glasnost and Perestroika for kids
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The Glasnost, a major
event in US history
●
Ronald Reagan from January 20, 1981 to January 20, 1989
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Fast, fun facts about Glasnost and Perestroika
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Foreign & Domestic
policies of President Ronald Reagan
● Glasnost for schools,
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