The collapse of the USSR at what time was. In what year did the USSR collapse and the reasons for this event

Eleven years before the collapse of the USSR

On the morning of May 20, 1980, Ronald Reagan (President of the United States) received William Casey (Director of the CIA), who provided Reagan with new information about the state of affairs in the USSR, namely, Casey presented unofficial classified materials about the problems in the economy of the USSR. Reagan liked to read similar information on the USSR and in his diary on March 26, 1981 he made the following entry: The USSR is in a very bad situation, if we refrain from loans, they will ask others for help, because otherwise they will starve to death. All information on the USSR was personally selected by Casey, bringing his old dream closer - collapse of the USSR.

March 26, 1981 W. Casey arrived with a report to Reagan. Casey presented new information on the state of affairs in the USSR:
The USSR is in a very difficult situation, there is an uprising in Poland, the USSR is stuck in Afghanistan, Cuba, Angola and Vietnam. Casey insisted that the best time for collapse of the USSR does not exist. Reagan agreed and Casey began to prepare his proposals for collapse of the USSR.

Members of the working group leading the collapse of the USSR

Ronald Reagan, William Joseph Casey, George W. Bush, Caspar Willard Weinberger

In early 1982, Casey, at a closed meeting at the White House, proposed plan for the collapse of the USSR... For some senior officials in the Reagan administration, a proposal for collapse of the USSR came as a shock. Throughout the 70s, the West and Europe accustomed themselves to the idea that one should not fight with the USSR, but negotiate. The majority believed that there was simply no other way in the era of nuclear weapons. The NSDD plan went the other way. On January 30, 1982, at a meeting of the working group, Casey's plan for the deployment of secret offensive operations against the USSR, under the heading top secret it was called the "NSDD plan" (directive of the Reagan administration in the matter of the strategy, goals and aspirations of the United States in relations with the USSR). The NSDD plan clearly formulated that the next goal of the United States is no longer coexistence with the USSR, but a change in the Soviet system. All working group recognized the necessary achievement of one goal - collapse of the USSR!

The essence of the NSDD plan for the collapse of the USSR was as follows:

Secret, financial, intelligence and political assistance to the Polish Solidarity movement. Purpose: preservation of the opposition in the center of the USSR.
Significant financial and military assistance to the Afghan mujahideen. Purpose: the spread of the war on the territory of the USSR.
Secret diplomacy in the camps Western Europe... Purpose: to limit the USSR's access to Western technologies.
Psychological and information warfare. Purpose: technical misinformation and destruction of the USSR economy.
The growth of weapons and their maintenance at a high technological level. Purpose: undermining the economy of the USSR and exacerbating the resource crisis.
Cooperation with Saudi Arabia to lower world oil prices. Purpose: a sharp decrease in the receipt of hard currency in the USSR.

CIA Director W. Casey realized that it was useless to fight the USSR; the USSR could only be destroyed economically.

Preparatory stage for the collapse of the USSR

In early April 1981, CIA Director W. Casey traveled to the Middle East and Europe. Casey had to solve 2 problems: lower oil prices and increased resistance in Afghanistan. Therefore, Casey visited Egypt (an arms supplier for the Afghan mujahideen). Then Casey told President Mohammed Anwar al-Sadat (a friend of the CIA) that the weapons that Egypt is supplying to the Afghan mujahideen are scrap! The USSR could not win with him, and offered financial assistance so that the supply of modern weapons began. However, Sadat was not destined to carry out the instructions of the CIA chief, since after 6 months he was shot. But the United States still managed to supply the Afghan mujahideen with weapons worth $ 8 billion !!! So the mujahideen got the first Stinger air defense system. This is the largest covert operation since World War II.

Then the CIA chief visited Saudi Arabia. The analytical department of the CIA has calculated that if oil prices on the world market fall by only 1 dollar, the USSR will lose from 500 million to 1 billion dollars a year. In return, Casey promised the sheikh protection from possible revolutions, protection to family members, the supply of weapons, and guaranteed the inviolability of personal deposits in US banks. The Sheikh agreed to the proposal, and oil production in Saudi Arabia skyrocketed. So in 1986 the losses of the USSR from the fall in oil prices amounted to $ 13 billion. Even then, experts realized that Gorbachev would not be able to carry out any leap forward and restructuring. The modernization required $ 50 billion, which was taken from the USSR by the NSDD plan.
Casey also managed to persuade the sheikh into the secret participation of Saudi Arabia in the Afghan war and the strengthening of the Afghan mujahideen by the Saudis. The sheikh’s money was used to recruit the modest owner of a construction company, Osama bin Laden (terrorist number 1 in the world).

After Saudi Arabia, the CIA chief visited Israel. The first points have already begun to work, the next stage in the collapse of the USSR is information and psychological warfare, without which collapse of the USSR might not have been. According to Casey's plan, the Israeli intelligence of the Mossad was to play a decisive role. Casey suggested that Israel use American spy satellites to obtain information about Iraqi nuclear facilities, as well as materials on Syria. In response, Israel opened part of its station in the USSR to the CIA. The channels have been established.

The beginning of the implementation of the plan for the collapse of the USSR

The United States decided to conduct an economic sabotage against Poland. One of the authors of this plan was Zbigniew Brzezinski. The meaning of this plan was that Western partners supplied enterprises to Poland, assuring them that they would take the products manufactured at these enterprises in the form of payment, and after the launch of the enterprise they refused to take the products. Thus, the sale of products was slowed down, and the amount of the Polish foreign currency debt climbed up. After this sabotage, Poland was in large debts, in Poland they began to introduce cards for goods (cards were even introduced for diapers and hygiene products). After that, workers' strikes began, the Poles wanted to eat. The burden of the Polish crisis fell on the economy of the USSR, Poland received financial assistance in the amount of $ 10 billion, but Poland's debt remained at $ 12 billion. This is how the revolution began in one of the socialist countries.

The US administration was confident that the revolutionary fire that began in one of the countries of the USSR would lead to destabilization throughout the USSR. The Kremlin leadership, in turn, understood where the wind of change was blowing, intelligence reported that Polish revolutionaries were receiving financial assistance from Western countries (1.7 thousand newspapers and magazines, 10 thousand books and brochures were published underground, underground printing houses were operating), on the radio “ Voice of America ”and“ free Europe ”Polish revolutionaries received covert orders about when and where to go on strike. Moscow has repeatedly pointed to the outgoing danger from abroad and began to prepare for intervention. CIA intelligence decided to oppose Moscow with the following trump card: Casey flies to Rome, where there was a key figure with influence on the Poles - it was the Pole Karol Jozef Wojtyla, after enthronement - John Paul II (primate of the Roman Catholic Church from 1978 to 2005). The CIA remembered well how the Poles met John Paul II when he returned to his homeland. Then millions of excited Poles met their compatriot. After meeting with Casey, he began to actively support the Polish resistance and personally met with the leader of the resistance Lech Walesa. The Catholic Church begins to financially support the resistance (distributes humanitarian aid received from Western charitable foundations), provides shelters for the opposition.

CIA Director's report on the collapse of the USSR

In February 1982, at a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House, the CIA director again reported on the work done. The loss of tens of millions of dollars, the tense situation in Poland, the protracted war in Afghanistan, instability in the socialist camp, all this led to the emptying of the USSR treasury. Casey also said that the USSR is trying to replenish the treasury at the expense of Siberian gas supplied to Europe - this is the Urengoy-6 project. This project was supposed to give the USSR colossal funds. In addition, Europe was strongly interested in the construction of this gas pipeline.

Disruption of the Urengoy-6 project as one of the reasons for the collapse of the USSR

From Siberia to the borders of Czechoslovakia, the gas pipeline was supposed to be laid by the Soviet Union, but imported pipes were required for laying. It was then that the US administration introduced a ban on the supply of oil equipment to the USSR. But Europe, which was interested in gas, and which, by agreement with the USSR, had a significant 25-year discount on gas, secretly (the government secretly supported smuggled suppliers) continued to supply necessary equipment for the USSR. The US administration sent its man to Europe, who campaigned for Europe for American coal, natural gas from the North Sea, as well as for synthetic species fuel. But Europe, sensing the benefits of cooperation with the USSR, continued to secretly help the USSR to build a gas pipeline. Then Reagan again instructed the CIA to deal with this problem. In 1982, the CIA developed an operation according to which the USSR, through a long chain of intermediaries, was supplied gas equipment whose software was deliberately buggy. These errors were brought into play after installation, resulting in big bangs on transport routes. As a result of these acts of sabotage, Urengoy-6 was never completed, and the USSR again suffered losses in the amount of $ 1 trillion. dollars. This became one of the reasons for the bankruptcy and collapse of the USSR.

Another covert operation to break up the USSR

Reagan on March 23, 1983 proposed deploying a system that was supposed to destroy enemy nuclear missiles in space. Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) or "star wars" the essence of the program was to create a large-scale missile defense system with space-based elements. According to this program, the United States was to launch satellites with laser weapons into geostationary orbits, which would constantly be above the base of nuclear missiles and could shoot them down at the time of their launch. The US administration used this program to intimidate the USSR and continued to drain the USSR economy. The USA was inspired that one day all Soviet missiles would become a heap of unnecessary metal. Soviet scientists began to study SDI and came to the conclusion that a powerful energy pump was needed for laser weapons to work, and in order to hit a flying rocket, the diameter of the laser beam must be the size of a pinhead, and according to scientists, the diameter of the laser beam of the rocket turned into a circle of light diameter 100 sq. meters. Scientists have proven SDI is a bluff! But in the Soviet Union, they continued to devote too much time and energy to SDI, and the United States acted from a position of strength in negotiations on missile defense with the USSR.

Gorbachev also tried to somehow raise the economy of the USSR, he counted on high oil prices, but oil prices fell from 35 to 10 dollars per barrel. Instead of improvement, Soviet citizens felt a deterioration, store shelves became empty, and soon, as in the Second World War, cards appeared. The collapse of the USSR entered its final stage.

The date of the collapse of the USSR

The date of the collapse of the USSR December 26, 1991. As a result collapse of the USSR the territory of Russia has decreased in comparison with the territory of the USSR by 24%, and the population has decreased by 49%. The united armed forces and the single currency collapsed, and interethnic conflicts sharply escalated.

The collapse of the USSR (also the collapse of the USSR) - processes of systemic disintegration in the national economy, social structure, social and political sphere Soviet Union, which led to the end of its existence as a state in 1991.

Background

In 1922, at the time of its creation, the Soviet Union inherited most of its territory, a multinational structure and a multi-confessional environment. Russian Empire... In 1917-1921, Finland and Poland gained independence, proclaimed sovereignty: Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Tuva. Some territories of the former Russian Empire were annexed in 1939-1946.

The USSR included: Western Ukraine and Western Belarus, the Baltic States, Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina, Tuva People's Republic, Transcarpathia, as well as a number of other territories.

As one of the winners of the Second World War, the Soviet Union, following its results and on the basis of international treaties, secured the right to own and dispose of vast territories in Europe and Asia, access to the seas and oceans, colossal natural and human resources. The country emerged from the bloody war with a socialist-type economy, which was quite developed for that time, based on regional specialization and interregional economic ties, most of which worked for the country's defense.

In the sphere of influence of the USSR were the countries of the so-called socialist camp. In 1949, the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance was created, and later the collective currency, the transferable ruble, was introduced into circulation, which was circulating in the socialist countries. Thanks to strict control over ethno-national groups, the introduction of the slogan of indestructible friendship and brotherhood of the peoples of the USSR into the mass consciousness, it was possible to minimize the number of interethnic (ethnic) conflicts of a separatist or anti-Soviet persuasion.

Individual demonstrations of workers that took place in the 1960s-1970s, for the most part, were in the nature of protests against the unsatisfactory provision (supply) of socially significant goods, services, low wages and dissatisfaction with the work of the local authorities.

The 1977 Constitution of the USSR proclaims a single, new historical community of people - the Soviet people. In the mid and late 1980s, with the beginning of perestroika, glasnost and democratization, the nature of protests and mass demonstrations changed somewhat.

The Union republics that made up the USSR, according to the Constitution, were considered sovereign states; for each of which the Constitution enshrined the right to secede from the USSR, but the legislation lacked legal norms regulating the procedure for this secession. Only in April 1990, a corresponding law was adopted, which provided for the possibility of the union republic seceding from the USSR, but after the implementation of rather complicated and difficult-to-implement procedures.

Formally, the union republics had the right to enter into relations with foreign states, conclude treaties with them and exchange

diplomatic and consular representatives, to participate in the activities of international organizations; for example, the Byelorussian and Ukrainian SSR, based on the results of the agreements reached at the Yalta Conference, had their representatives in the UN since its inception.

In reality, such "initiatives from below" required detailed coordination in Moscow. All appointments to key party and economic positions in the union republics and autonomies were preliminarily considered and approved by the center, the decisive role under the one-party system was played by the leadership and the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee.

Reasons for the disappearance of a huge power

There is no consensus among historians on the reasons for the collapse of the USSR. Rather, there were several of them. Here are the most basic ones.

Degradation of power

The USSR was formed by fanatics of the idea. Ardent revolutionaries came to power. Their main goal is to build a communist state where everyone would be equal. All people are brothers. They work and live the same way.

Only the fundamentalists of communism were allowed to power. And such every year it became less and less. The highest bureaucratic apparatus was aging. The country was burying the General Secretary. After the death of Brezhnev, Andropov came to power. And two years later - his funeral. The post of General Secretary is occupied by Chernenko. A year later he is buried. Gorbachev becomes General Secretary. He was too young for the country. At the time of his election, he was 54 years old. Before Gorbachev average age executives was 75 years old.

The new leadership turned out to be incompetent. There was no longer that fanaticism and that ideological spirit. Gorbachev became the catalyst for the collapse of the USSR. His famous restructuring led to the weakening of the monocentrism of power. And the union republics took advantage of this moment.

Everyone wanted independence

The leaders of the republics strove to get rid of the centralized power. As mentioned above, with the arrival of Gorbachev, they did not fail to take advantage of democratic reforms. The regional authorities had a lot of reasons for dissatisfaction:

centralized decision-making slowed down the activities of the union republics;
time wasted;
individual regions of a multinational country wanted to develop independently, because they had their own culture, their own history;
a certain nationalism is characteristic of every republic;
numerous conflicts, protests, coups only added fuel to the fire; and many historians see the breakdown of the Berlin Wall and the creation of a United Germany as a catalyst.

Crisis in all spheres of life

What, what, and the crisis phenomena in the USSR were typical for all areas:

there was a catastrophic lack of essential goods on the shelves;
products of inadequate quality were produced (the pursuit of deadlines, the cheapening of raw materials led to a drop in the quality of consumer goods);
uneven development of individual republics in the union; the weakness of the raw material economy of the USSR (this became especially noticeable after the decline in world oil prices);
the most severe censorship in the media; active growth of the shadow economy.

The situation was aggravated by man-made disasters. The people especially rebelled after the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. The planned economy in this situation has caused many deaths. The reactors were commissioned on time, but not in proper condition. And all information was hidden from people.

With the arrival of Gorbachev, the curtain to the West was slightly opened. And the people saw how others live. Soviet citizens smelled freedom. They wanted more.

The USSR turned out to be problematic in terms of morality. Soviet people engaged in sex, and drank, and dabbled in drugs, and faced crime. Years of silence and denial made the confession too harsh.

The collapse of ideology

The huge country held on to the strongest idea: to build a bright communist future. The ideals of communism were inculcated from birth. Kindergarten, school, work - a person grew together with the idea of equality and brotherhood. Any attempts to think differently, or even hints of an attempt, were harshly suppressed.

But the country's main ideologues were getting old and dying. The young generation did not need communism. What for? If there is nothing to eat, it is impossible to buy anything, to say, it is difficult to go somewhere. Moreover, people are dying because of restructuring.

Not the least role in the collapse of the USSR was assigned to the activities of the United States. Huge powers claimed world domination. And the States systematically "erased" the union state from the map of Europe (Cold War, initiating a fall in oil prices).

All these factors did not even leave a chance for the preservation of the USSR. The great power broke up into separate states.

Fatal dates

The collapse of the USSR began in 1985. Mikhail Gorbachev, General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee, announced the beginning of perestroika. In short, its essence meant a complete reform of the Soviet system of power and economy. As for the latter, a transition to private entrepreneurship in the form of cooperatives is being tried. If we take the ideological side of the issue, it was declared a softening of censorship and an improvement in relations with the West. Perestroika causes euphoria among the population, which is gaining unprecedented, by the standards of the Soviet Union, freedom.

And what went wrong then?

Almost all. The fact is that the economic situation in the country has begun to deteriorate. Plus, national conflicts are escalating - for example, the conflict in Karabakh. In 1989-1991, a total shortage of food began in the USSR. On the outside, the situation is no better - the Soviet Union is losing ground in Eastern Europe. Pro-Soviet communist regimes are overthrown in Poland, Czechoslovakia, Romania.

Meanwhile, the population is no longer euphoric due to food shortages. In 1990, disappointment with the Soviet regime reaches its limit. At this time, it is legalized

private property, stock and foreign exchange markets are formed, cooperation begins to take the form of a Western-style business. In the external arena, the USSR finally loses its superpower status. Separatist sentiments are ripening in the union republics. The priority of the republican legislation over the union legislation is massively announced. In general, it is clear to everyone that the Soviet Union is living out its last days.

Wait, there was some other coup, tanks?

Everything is correct. First, on June 12, 1991, Boris Yeltsin became president of the RSFSR. Mikhail Gorbachev was still the president of the USSR. In August of the same year, the Treaty on the Union of Sovereign States was published. By that time, all union republics had declared their sovereignty. Thus, the USSR ceased to exist in its usual form, offering a soft form of confederation. 9 out of 15 republics were to enter there.

But the signing of the treaty was thwarted by the old avid communists. They created the State Committee for the State of Emergency (GKChP) and declared their disobedience to Gorbachev. In short, their goal is to prevent the collapse of the Union.

And then there was the famous August putsch, which also famously failed. The same tanks were being driven to Moscow, Yeltsin's defenders are blocking the vehicles with trolleybuses. On August 21, a column of tanks was withdrawn from Moscow. Later, members of the State Emergency Committee are arrested. And the union republics are declaring their independence en masse. On December 1, a referendum is held in Ukraine, where independence is declared on August 24, 1991.

And what happened on December 8?

The last nail in the coffin of the USSR. Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, as founders of the USSR, stated that "the USSR as a subject of international law and geopolitical reality ceases to exist." And they announced the creation of the CIS. On December 25-26, the authorities of the USSR as a subject of international law ceased to exist. On December 25, Mikhail Gorbachev announced his resignation.

3 more reasons that caused the collapse of the USSR

The country's economy and the war in Afghanistan were not the only reasons that "helped" to destroy the Soviet Union. Let's name 3 more events that took place in the mid-late 90s of the last century, and became associated with the collapse of the USSR by many:

Fall of the Iron Curtain. The propaganda of the Soviet leadership about the "terrible" standard of living in the United States and the democratic countries of Europe collapsed after the fall of the Iron Curtain.
Technogenic disasters. Since the mid-80s, man-made disasters have taken place throughout the country. The climax was the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
Morality. Low morale people holding public office, helped the development of theft and lawlessness in the country.

If we talk about the main geopolitical consequences of the collapse of the Soviet Union, then first of all it should be said that only from that moment could globalization begin. Before that, the world was divided. Moreover, these boundaries were often impassable. And when the Soviet Union collapsed, the world became a single informational, economic, political system... The bipolar confrontation is a thing of the past, and globalization has taken place.
The second most important consequence is the most serious restructuring of the entire Eurasian space. This is the emergence of 15 states on the site of the former Soviet Union. Then the subsequent disintegration of Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia. The emergence of a huge number of not only new states, but also unrecognized republics, which sometimes waged bloody wars among themselves.
The third consequence is the emergence of a unipolar moment on the world political scene. For some time, the United States remained the only superpower in the world that, in principle, had the ability to solve any problems at its own discretion. At this time, there was a sharp increase in the American presence not only in those regions that fell away from the Soviet Union. I mean both Eastern Europe and the former republics of the Soviet Union, but also in other regions of the world.
The fourth consequence is the massive expansion of the West. If earlier the Eastern European states, like the West, were not considered, now they not only began to be considered, but in fact institutionally became part of the Western alliances. I mean the members of the European Union and NATO.
The next most important consequence is the transformation of China into the second largest center of world development. China, after the Soviet Union left the historical arena, on the contrary, began to gain strength, applying the opposite pattern of development. The opposite of the one proposed by Mikhail Gorbachev. If Gorbachev proposed democracy without a market economy, then China proposed a market economy while preserving the old political regime and has achieved tremendous success. If at the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union the economy of the RSFSR was three times larger than the Chinese one, now the Chinese economy is four times the size of the economy of the Russian Federation.
And finally, the last major consequence is that developing countries, especially African ones, have been left to their own devices. Because if during the times of bipolar confrontation each of the poles in one way or another tried to help its allies outside their immediate zone of influence or outside their countries, then after the end of the Cold War all this stopped. And all the flows of aid that went to development in different regions of the world, both from the Soviet Union and from the West, were abruptly cut off. And this led to serious economic problems in virtually all developing countries in the 90s.

conclusions

The Soviet Union was a large-scale project, but it was destined to fail, as it was facilitated by internal and foreign policy states. Many researchers believe that the fate of the USSR was predetermined when Mikhail Gorbachev came to power in 1985. The official date for the collapse of the Soviet Union was 1991.

There are a great many possible reasons why the USSR collapsed, and the following are considered to be the main ones:

economic;
ideological;
social;
political.

Economic difficulties in the countries led to the collapse of the union of republics. In 1989, the government officially recognized the economic crisis. This period was characterized by the main problem of the Soviet Union - a commodity deficit. There were no goods on free sale except bread. The population is transferred to special coupons, according to which it was possible to get the necessary food.

After the decline in world oil prices, the union of republics faced a big problem. This led to the fact that in two years foreign trade turnover decreased by 14 billion rubles. Low quality products began to be produced, which provoked a general economic recession in the country. The Chernobyl tragedy accounted for 1.5% of national income in losses and led to riots. Many were outraged by the government's policies. The population suffered from hunger and poverty. The main factor behind the collapse of the USSR was the thoughtless economic policy of M. Gorbachev. The launch of mechanical engineering, a reduction in foreign purchases of consumer goods, an increase in wages and pensions and other reasons undermined the country's economy. Political reforms ahead of economic processes and led to the inevitable loosening of the established system. In the early years of his reign, Mikhail Gorbachev was wildly popular among the population, as he introduced innovations and changed stereotypes. However, after the era of perestroika, the country entered the years of economic and political hopelessness. Unemployment began, lack of food and basic necessities, hunger, and increased crime.

The political factor in the collapse of the union was the desire of the leaders of the republics to get rid of the centralized power. Many regions wanted to develop independently, without centralized government decrees, each had its own culture and history. Over time, the population of the republics begins to foment rallies and uprisings on ethnic grounds, which forced the leaders to make radical decisions. The democratic orientation of M. Gorbachev's policy helped them create their own internal laws and a plan for leaving the Soviet Union.

Historians identify another reason why the USSR collapsed. The leadership and foreign policy of the United States played an important role in the end of the union's activities. The United States and the Soviet Union have always fought for world domination. It was in America's interest to wipe the USSR off the map in the first place. This is evidenced by the ongoing policy of the "cold curtain", the artificial understatement of oil prices. Many researchers believe that it was the United States that contributed to the rise of Mikhail Gorbachev at the helm of a great power. Year after year, he planned and implemented the fall of the Soviet Union.

On December 26, 1991, the Soviet Union officially ceased to exist. Some political parties and the organizations did not want to recognize the collapse of the USSR, believing that the country was attacked and influenced by Western powers.

The collapse of the USSR in 1991 was the result of the process of systemic disintegration (destruction) that took place in its socio-political sphere, social structure and national economy. As a state, it officially ceased to exist on the basis of an agreement signed on December 8 by the leaders of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, but the events preceding that began in January. Let's try to restore them in chronological order.

The beginning of the end of a great empire

The first link in the chain of events that gave rise to the political crisis of 1991 and the collapse of the USSR was the events that began in Lithuania after M.S. Gorbachev, who was then president of the Soviet Union, demanded that the government of the republic restore the previously suspended operation of the Soviet Constitution on its territory. His appeal, sent on January 10, was reinforced by the introduction of an additional contingent of internal troops, blocking a number of important public centers in Vilnius.

Three days later, a statement was published by the National Salvation Committee created in Lithuania, in which its members expressed support for the actions of the republican authorities. In response to this, on the night of January 14, the airborne troops occupied the Vilnius television center.

First blood

The events became especially acute on December 20, after OMON units arrived from Moscow began to seize the building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Lithuania, and as a result of the exchange of fire, four people were killed and about ten were injured. This first blood spilled on the streets of Vilnius served as a detonator for the social explosion that resulted in the collapse of the USSR in 1991.

The actions of the central authorities, trying to restore control over the Baltic states by force, led to the most negative consequences for them. Gorbachev has become the target of sharp criticism from representatives of both the Russian and regional democratic opposition. Protesting against the use of military force in relation to civilians, E. Primakov, L. Abalkin, A. Yakovlev and a number of other former associates of Gorbachev resigned.

The response of the Lithuanian government to Moscow's actions was a referendum on the republic's secession from the USSR, held on February 9, during which over 90% of its participants voted for independence. This can be rightfully called the beginning of the process that resulted in the collapse of the USSR in 1991.

An attempt to revive the Union Treaty and the triumph of B.N. Yeltsin

The next stage in the general chain of events was the referendum held in the country on March 17 of the same year. On it, 76% of the citizens of the USSR spoke in favor of preserving the Union in a renewed form, and the introduction of the post of President of Russia. In this regard, in April 1991, at the presidential residence Novo-Ogaryovo, negotiations began between the heads of the republics that were part of the USSR, on the conclusion of a new Union Treaty. They were chaired by M.S. Gorbachev.

In accordance with the results of the referendum, the first in the history of Russia was won by B.N. Yeltsin, confidently ahead of the rest of the candidates, among whom were such well-known politicians as V.V. Zhirinovsky, N.I. Ryzhkov, A.M. Tuleyev, V.V. Bakatin and General A.M. Makashov.

Finding a compromise

In 1991, the collapse of the USSR was preceded by a very complex and lengthy process of redistribution of power between the Union center and its republican branches. The need for it was due precisely to the establishment of the presidential post in Russia and the election of B.N. Yeltsin.

This greatly complicated the drafting of a new union treaty, the signing of which was scheduled for August 22. It was known in advance that a compromise option was being prepared, providing for the transfer of a wide range of powers to individual subjects of the federation, and leaving Moscow to decide only the most important issues, such as defense, internal affairs, finance and a number of others.

The main initiators of the creation of the State Emergency Committee

In these conditions, the August events of 1991 significantly accelerated the collapse of the USSR. They went down in the history of the country as the putsch of the State Emergency Committee (State Committee for the State of Emergency), or a failed coup attempt. It was initiated by politicians who previously held high government posts and were extremely interested in preserving the previous regime. Among them were G.I. Yanaev, B.K. Pugo, D.T. Yazov, V.A. Kryuchkov and a number of others. Their photo is shown below. The committee was established by them in the absence of the President of the USSR - M.S. Gorbachev, who was at that time at the government dacha "Foros" in Crimea.

Emergency measures

Immediately after the establishment of the State Emergency Committee, it was announced that its members had taken a number of emergency measures, such as the introduction in a large part of the country state of emergency and the abolition of all newly formed power structures, the creation of which was not provided for by the Constitution of the USSR. In addition, the activities of opposition parties, as well as the holding of demonstrations and rallies, were prohibited. In addition, it was announced about the economic reforms being prepared in the country.

The August 1991 putsch and the collapse of the USSR began with the order of the State Emergency Committee on the introduction of troops into the most big cities countries, including Moscow. This extreme, and, as practice has shown, a very unreasonable measure, was taken by the members of the committee to intimidate the people and give their statement more weight... However, they achieved just the opposite result.

The inglorious end of the putsch

Taking the initiative into their own hands, representatives of the opposition organized rallies of thousands in a number of cities of the country. More than half a million people took part in them in Moscow. In addition, the opponents of the GKChP managed to win over the command of the Moscow garrison to their side and thereby deprive the putschists of their main support.

The next stage of the coup and the collapse of the USSR (1991) was the trip of the members of the State Emergency Committee to Crimea, undertaken by them on August 21. Having lost the last hope to take control of the actions of the opposition led by B.N. Yeltsin, they went to Foros for talks with MS. Gorbachev, who by their order was isolated there from the outside world and in fact was in the position of a hostage. However, the very next day, all the organizers of the coup were arrested and taken to the capital. Following them, M.S. Gorbachev.

Last Efforts to Preserve the Union

This is how the coup d'etat of 1991 was prevented. The collapse of the USSR was inevitable, but there were still attempts to preserve at least part of the former empire. To this end, M.S. When drafting a new union treaty, Gorbachev made significant and previously unforeseen concessions in favor of the union republics, giving their governments even greater powers.

In addition, he was forced to officially recognize the independence of the Baltic states, which actually launched the mechanism of the collapse of the USSR. In 1991, Gorbachev also made an attempt to form a qualitatively new democratic union government. Democrats popular among the people, such as V.V. Bakatin, E.A. Shevardnadze and their supporters.

Realizing that in the current political situation it is impossible to preserve the old structure of the state, in September they began to prepare an agreement on the creation of a new confederal Union, into which the former were to enter as independent subjects. However, the work on this document was not destined to be completed. On December 1, a nationwide referendum was held in Ukraine, and on the basis of its results, the republic seceded from the USSR, thereby canceling Moscow's plans to create a confederation.

The Belovezhskaya Agreement, which marked the beginning of the creation of the CIS

The final collapse of the USSR took place in 1991. Its legal basis was the agreement concluded on December 8 at the government hunting dacha "Viskuli", located in Belovezhskaya Pushcha, from which it got its name. Based on the document signed by the heads of Belarus (S. Shushkevich), Russia (B. Yeltsin) and Ukraine (L. Kravchuk), the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) was formed, which put an end to the existence of the USSR. The photo is shown above.

Following this, eight more republics of the former Soviet Union joined the agreement concluded between Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. the document was signed by the heads of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Moldova, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.

The leaders of the Baltic republics greeted the news of the collapse of the USSR with approval, but refrained from joining the CIS. Georgia, headed by Z. Gamsakhurdia, followed their example, but soon after, as a result of the coup d'état that took place in it, EA came to power. Shevardnadze also joined the newly formed Commonwealth.

President out of work

The conclusion of the Belovezhskaya Agreement caused an extremely negative reaction from M.S. Gorbachev, who until then held the post of President of the USSR, but after the August putsch was deprived of real power. Nevertheless, historians note that there is a significant share of his personal guilt in the events that have taken place. No wonder B.N. Yeltsin said in one of his interviews that the agreement signed in Belovezhskaya Pushcha did not destroy the USSR, but only stated this long fait accompli.

Since the Soviet Union ceased to exist, the post of its president was abolished as well. In this regard, on December 25, Mikhail Sergeevich, who remained out of work, submitted a letter of resignation from his high post. They say that when he came to the Kremlin two days later to pick up his things, the new president of Russia, B.N. Yeltsin. I had to put up with it. Time was moving inexorably forward, opening another stage in the life of the country and making history the collapse of the USSR in 1991, which is briefly described in this article.

The collapse of the USSR, which resulted in the formation of 15 independent republics, is one of the main events of the 20th century.

Indeed, in a short period of time, one of the two superpowers suddenly ceased to exist. This radically changed the political and economic picture of the world.

In this article, we will touch upon the main reasons for the collapse of the USSR, as well as consider its consequences.

By the way, if you like it at all, then we recommend reading it. Very brief and informative.

The date of the collapse of the USSR

The official date of the collapse of the USSR is December 26, 1991. Exactly then great empire completed its story.

Brief background

The formation of the Soviet Union as a state took place in 1922 during the reign. Then, with, the USSR turned into a superpower.

At the same time, during its existence, its boundaries have changed several times. This was due to the fact that the republics that were part of it had the right to secede from the Union.

However, the Soviet government constantly emphasized that the USSR is a close-knit family consisting of different peoples.

At the head of the USSR was the Communist Party, which ruled over all organs of power.

The final decision on who should head a particular republic has always remained with the central leadership of c.

Causes of the collapse of the USSR

To answer this question, one should consider the many factors that led to the collapse of the USSR.

At the same time, it should be noted that the collapse of the Soviet Union was received by some people with joy and jubilation. This was due to the fact that many wanted to gain independence and live by their own laws.

For others, the collapse was a real shock and tragedy. For example, the communists and people devoted to the ideas of the CPSU found it especially difficult to believe what happened.

Let's look at the main reasons for the collapse of the USSR:

Autocracy of power and society in the state, as well as the fight against dissidents;
Ethnic conflicts;
The only correct ideology of the party, tough censorship, lack of political opposition;
Economic deficit in relation to the production system;
The international collapse in oil prices;
Many failures related to the reform of the Soviet system;
Global centralization of state apparatus;
Criticism about the introduction Soviet troops to Afghanistan (1989).

It goes without saying that these are far from all the reasons that led to the collapse of the USSR, but they can be considered key.

Perestroika of the USSR

In 1985 he became the new secretary general of the USSR. He embarked on a course of restructuring to change the ideological and political system.

Under his leadership, reforms began to be carried out aimed at achieving comprehensive democratization and rejection of the socialist system.

During the reign of Gorbachev, many KGB documents were declassified, thanks to which many crimes of the previous government became known to the public. It was the so-called publicity policy.

Glasnost led to the fact that Soviet citizens began to actively criticize the communist system and its leaders.

As a result, new political currents emerged that came up with different programs for the further development of the state.

Mikhail Gorbachev repeatedly came into conflict with Boris Yeltsin, who insisted on the withdrawal of the RSFSR from the USSR.

Collapse of the USSR

The crisis and the subsequent collapse of the USSR manifested themselves in different ways. In addition to the economic and political impasse, the state faced a sharp drop in the birth rate, as evidenced by statistics for 1989.

Store shelves were literally empty, and people were often unable to buy essential products.

New democratic leaders have replaced the communist leadership in countries such as Poland, Czechoslovakia and Romania.

Mass demonstrations and protests begin in one republic after another. In Moscow, people are also taking to the streets demanding the overthrow of the government.

On March 10, 1991, the largest anti-government rally in the entire history of Soviet power took place on Manezhnaya Square in Moscow. Hundreds of thousands of people demanded Gorbachev's resignation.

All this played into the hands of those who called themselves democrats. Their leader was Boris Yeltsin, who every day gained more and more popularity and respect of the people.

Parade of sovereignties

In February 1990, members of the CPSU Central Committee publicly announced the weakening of the monopoly on power. Within a month, the first elections were held, as a result of which the nationalists and liberals received the greatest support.

In the period 1990-1991, the so-called "parade of sovereignties" took place throughout the USSR. Ultimately, all the Union republics adopted the Declaration of Sovereignty, as a result of which the USSR ceased to exist.

The last president of the USSR

One of the main reasons for the collapse of the USSR was the reforms carried out by Mikhail Gorbachev in relation to Soviet society and the system.

He himself came from a simple family. After graduating from the law faculty of Moscow State University, he headed the Komsomol organization, and later became a member of the CPSU.

Gorbachev confidently moved along career ladder, gaining authority among associates.

In 1985, after the death of Konstantin Chernenko, he became the Secretary General of the USSR. During his tenure, Gorbachev undertook many radical reforms, many of which were poorly thought out.

Attempts to reform Gorbachev

A big commotion in the USSR was caused by the so-called dry law, which includes a complete or partial ban on alcoholic beverages.

In addition, Gorbachev announced a policy of publicity, which we have already talked about, the introduction of cost accounting, and the exchange of money.

In the foreign policy arena, he adhered to the "policy of new thinking", which contributed to the establishment of international relations and ending the "arms race".

For these "achievements" that led to the collapse of the USSR, Mikhail Sergeevich was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, while the country was in a terrible situation.

Mikhail Gorbachev

Most Soviet citizens were critical of Gorbachev's actions, because they did not see any practical benefit in his reforms.

1991 referendum

In March 1991, an all-Union referendum was held, in which about 80% of the citizens surveyed voted for the preservation of the USSR.

In this regard, attempts were made to sign an agreement on the creation of the Union of Sovereign States. However, in the end, all these ideas remained only in words.

August putsch

In August 1991, a group of politicians close to Gorbachev formed the GKChP (State Committee for a State of Emergency).

This self-proclaimed government body, whose leader was Gennady Yanayev, tried to do everything possible to prevent the collapse of the USSR.

After the creation of the State Emergency Committee, Yeltsin acted as the main oppositionist of the committee. He stated that the actions of the State Emergency Committee are nothing more than a coup.

Causes of the putsch

The main reason for the August putsch can be called the negative attitude of people towards Gorbachev's policies.

Its famous restructuring did not bring the expected results. Instead, an economic and political collapse took place in the state, and the level of crime and unemployment exceeded all conceivable norms.

Then Mikhail Gorbachev came up with the idea of transforming the USSR into a Union of Sovereign States, which aroused indignation among future putschists.

As soon as the president left the capital, activists immediately attempted an armed uprising. Ultimately, it got nowhere, and the putsch was suppressed.

The meaning of the GKChP putsch

As it turned out later, the putsch served as a catalyst for the collapse of the USSR. The situation became more and more tense every day.

Tanks Soviet army at the Spassky Gate after the coup on August 19, 1991

After the suppression of the putsch, Gorbachev resigned, as a result of which the CPSU collapsed, and all the union republics became independent.

The empire was replaced by 15 independent republics, and the main successor to the USSR was a new state - the Russian Federation.

Belovezhskaya agreement

On December 8, 1991, the Belovezhskaya Agreements were signed in Belarus. The heads of 3 republics put their signatures in the documents: Ukraine and Belarus.

The agreements stated that the USSR officially ceases to exist, and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) will be formed in its place.

In some republics, separatist sentiments began to emerge, actively supported by the local media.

For example, in Ukraine on December 1, 1991, a referendum was held, which raised the issue of the republic's independence.

Soon he publicly expressed that Ukraine was refusing the 1922 treaty, which spoke of the creation of the USSR.

In this regard, Boris Yeltsin began to more actively strengthen his power in Russia.

The creation of the CIS and the final collapse of the USSR

Meanwhile, Stanislav Shushkevich became the new chairman of the Supreme Soviet in Belarus. He was the initiator of a meeting of the heads of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, at which key political topics were raised.

In particular, the leaders of the countries tried to discuss the further course of history. The creation of the USSR was denounced, and instead a plan for the formation of the CIS was developed.

It is important to note that the Belovezhskaya agreements became the will of the peoples of the former Soviet republics, and not the decision of 3 presidents.

The ratification of the agreements was officially approved by the governments of each of the three countries.

Conclusion

Thus, within just a few months, the huge superpower disintegrated.

What it was: an accidental disintegration, deliberate collapse or the natural end of the empire - history will show.

B. Yeltsin and M. Gorbachev

Despite various criticisms of the USSR, during its existence to the Soviet people managed to achieve unprecedented indicators in social and economic terms.

In addition, the state had a huge military potential, and also achieved fantastic results in the space industry.

It is fair to admit that many people still fondly remember life in the Soviet Union.

Now you know all the main events associated with the collapse of the USSR. If you liked this article - share it on social networks... If you like it at all - subscribe to the site. InteresnyeFakty.org.

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December 8, 1991 during a meeting in Belarus in Belovezhskaya Pushcha, held in secret from the Soviet president, the leaders of the three Slavic republics B.N. Yeltsin (Russia), L.M. Kravchuk (Ukraine), S.S. Shushkevich (Belarus) announced the termination of the union treaty of 1922 and the creation of the CIS - the Commonwealth of Independent States.

The reasons for the collapse:

1) weakening of the influence of the power vertical of the USSR

2) sovereignty of the republics, their constitutional right to secede from the USSR

3) the desire of the elites of the union and a number of autonomous republics to control the resources of their territories without the participation of union authorities

4) the need to restore the lost national statehood

5) orientation towards joining neighboring states

6) ideological crisis

7) unsuccessful attempts to reform the Soviet system, which led to stagnation and then the collapse of the economy and political system

II. The process of the collapse of the USSR - fits into three stages

Stage 1.

This is the period of perestroika, when the political activity of the people increased, mass, including radical and nationalist movements and organizations were formed. The situation was aggravated by the confrontation in the political space between the President of the USSR Gorbachev and the President of the RSFSR Yeltsin.

In 1989, the beginning of the economic crisis was officially announced for the first time - economic growth was replaced by a decline;

In the period 1989-1991. the main problem of the Soviet economy - a chronic shortage of goods - reaches its maximum - practically all basic goods, except for bread, disappear from free sale. In the regions of the country, rationed supply in the form of coupons is being introduced;

Since 1991, for the first time, a demographic crisis has been recorded (excess of mortality over births);

1989 saw the massive collapse of the pro-Soviet communist regimes in Eastern Europe;

A number of interethnic conflicts flared up on the territory of the USSR:

Interethnic conflicts break out in June 1989

Stage 2. A "parade of sovereignties" begins, which in turn pushes the leadership of the USSR to create a new Union Treaty.

On February 7, 1990, the Central Committee of the CPSU announced the weakening of the monopoly on power; within a few weeks, the first competitive elections were held. Liberals and nationalists won many seats in the parliaments of the Union republics. And during 1990-1991. all allied, incl. both the RSFSR and many of the autonomous republics adopted Declarations of Sovereignty, in which they challenged the priority of all-Union laws over republican ones, which started a "war of laws."

From August to October 1990, a "parade of sovereignties" of the autonomous republics and autonomous regions of the RSFSR takes place. Most of the autonomous republics proclaim themselves Soviet socialist republics within the RSFSR or the USSR. - Trying to somehow save the USSR, the Union leadership is holding a referendum in March 1991, at which more than 76% voted for "preserving the USSR as a renewed federation of equal sovereign republics" (including more than 70% in the RSFSR and the Ukrainian SSR). Despite this victory, centrifugal forces continue to grow.

Stage 3. Union Treaty - GKChP and the collapse of the USSR.

3.1. A number of state and party leaders, under the slogan of preserving the unity of the country and restoring strict party-state control over all spheres of life, attempted a coup d'etat known as the "August putsch".

The defeat of the putsch led to the collapse of the central government of the USSR.

On November 14, 1991, seven republics out of twelve (Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan) decide to conclude an agreement on the creation of the Union of Sovereign States (UIT) as a confederation with the capital in Minsk. Its signing was scheduled for December 9, 1991.

3.3. However, on December 8, 1991, in Belovezhskaya Pushcha, where the heads of the three republics, founders of the USSR - Belarus, Russia and Ukraine - gathered, early agreements were rejected by Ukraine.

The heads of the three republics stated that the USSR was ceasing to exist, and signed an Agreement on the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The signing of the agreements provoked a negative reaction from Gorbachev, but after the August putsch he no longer had real power. On December 21, 1991, at a meeting of presidents in Alma-Ata (Kazakhstan), 8 more republics joined the CIS: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan.

On December 25, 1991, the President of the USSR M. S. Gorbachev announced the termination of his activities as President of the USSR "for reasons of principle," signed a decree resigning as the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Soviet Armed Forces and transferred control of strategic nuclear weapons to Russian President Boris Yeltsin.

The collapse of the Soviet Union led to the most impressive geopolitical situation since World War II. In fact, it was real geopolitical disaster, the consequences of which are still reflected in the economy, politics and social sphere of all the former republics of the Soviet Union.