Russian Imperialism and

Communism
Outcome: Soviet Imperialism and the Fall of
Communism

Constructive Response
Question
5.

6.

Describe the reigns of

Vladimir Lenin and Joseph
Stalin and how they were
significant to the USSR:
What was the Cold War and
how did Communism
unravel?

What Will We Learn?

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Joseph Stalin
Soviet sphere of influence
The Cold War
Fall of Communism
Communism today

Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin

Soviet Imperialism and The Fall of

Communism
1.

Setting the Stage: Joseph Stalin

a. Lenin warned people of Stalin before his

death in 1924
b. By 1928 Stalin was poised to take absolute

control as a dictator

c. Was an ally of the United States during

World War II
d. First enemy of the US during The Cold War

Soviet Imperialism and The Fall of

Communism
e. Killed many of his own people if they disagreed and

attacked religion
f. Known as rough and crude
g. Encouraged people to think of him as The greatest
genius of all times and peoples
h. Did Truman use the Atomic Bomb on Japan to show of to the
Soviet Union?

Gulags: Soviet Forced Labor

Camps

Gulags

Gulags

Gulags

Gulags

Soviet Imperialism and The Fall of

Communism
2.

Soviet Imperialism: The Soviet Sphere of

Influence
a.

b.
c.

When the Soviet Union liberated Nazi occupied countries in

World War II, they promised autonomy and free elections in
those countries
Instead, they took over and imposed Communism, The Iron
Curtain
Countries affected were Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary,
East Germany, Poland, Romania, and Albania

Soviet Imperialism and The Fall of

Communism
d.

The Warsaw Pact was a military alliance created for the

countries listed above to offset NATO established by the
free countries of the West

Soviet Imperialism and The Fall of

Communism
e.

The Soviet Union supported Mao Zedongs communist

victory in China in 1949 as well as the communist regime
in North Korea

Soviet Imperialism and The Fall of

Communism
f.

The Soviet Union supported communist

Cuba

Soviet Imperialism and The Fall of

Communism
The Soviet Union invades Afghanistan in 1979
h. The US quietly supports Afghanistan freedom fighters;
Soviets leave beaten and frustrated in 1989
g.

Soviet Imperialism and The Fall of

Communism
3.

Review: The Cold War

a.

Begins in 1945

b.

Time of tension between US (capitalist & free) and Soviet Union

(Communist)
Neither side trusted each other, nor wanted to share in the post
war victory over Germany or Japan

c.

d.

US and Soviet Union never directly fight one another

Soviet Imperialism and The Fall of

Communism
e.

Build of nuclear weapons, Nuclear Arms race (Soviets get

bomb in 1949)

Soviet Imperialism and The Fall of

Communism
f.

Space race starts when the Soviets launch satellite

Sputnik in 1957

Soviet Imperialism and The Fall of

Communism
g. Korean and Vietnam conflicts were U.S. Cold War

Containment policies
i. The Korean Conflict ends in a stalemate at the 38th
parallel
ii. The Vietnam Conflict ends with North Vietnam imposing
communism on South Vietnam and renaming the capital
in the south Ho Chi Minh City

Korean Conflict

The Vietnam Conflict

Soviet Imperialism and The Fall of

Communism
h. The Berlin Wall was built in 1961 to keep

Berlin divided

Soviet Imperialism and The Fall of

Communism
i.

Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 nearly brought us to nuclear

war because the Soviets put nuclear tipped missiles within
striking range of the US

Soviet Imperialism and The Fall of

Communism
j.

Reagan teases Star Wars or SDI missile

defense system

Soviet Imperialism and The Fall of

Communism
k. Miracle on Ice: US beats Soviet Union in Olympic

Hockey in 1980

Soviet Imperialism and The Fall of

Communism
4.

Communism Unravels

a.
b.

Soviets spend too much money on nuclear weapons during

late Cold War; economy is in shambles
Mikhail Gorbechev introduces democratic changes
(glastnost) and new openness (perestroika) in 1985

Soviet Imperialism and The Fall of

Communism
c.

Polish workers union known as Solidarity led by Lech

Walesa, forced the government in Communist Poland to
agree to negotiations and establish (free?) elections

Soviet Imperialism and The Fall of

Communism
d. Tiananmen Square Massacre of 1989: Chinese army
turns on crowd marching for democratic reform; hundreds
killed and protest is ended violently

Soviet Imperialism and The Fall of

Communism
e. Eastern Bloc (Soviet Satellite) countries start

breaking away
f. Berlin Wall comes down in 1989 (Symbolic)

Soviet Imperialism and The Fall of

Communism
Communism falls apart at the end of the Cold War and in
1991, Boris Yeltsin is elected as a democratic leader
h. Soviet Union goes back to being called Russia or Russian
Federation
i. Capitalism and democracy prevailed
g.

Soviet Imperialism and The Fall of

Communism
5.

Communism Today

a. Communist countries today

i. The Peoples Republic of China
ii. Cuba
iii. Laos
iv. North Korea
v. Vietnam

Soviet Imperialism and The Fall of

Communism

Result: The capitalists win the Cold War and The Soviet Union
dissolves allowing Boris Yeltsin to be elected as the first democratic
ruler of Russia in 1991. Today Russia is still facing a slow economy and is
not the super power they once were, but are still a force to reckoned
with.

Constructive Response
Question
5.

6.

Describe the reigns of

Vladimir Lenin and Joseph
Stalin and how they were
significant to the USSR:
What was the Cold War and
how did Communism
unravel?