Year 11 - History
The collapse of the Soviet Union
Period study: Superpower relations and the Cold War, 1941–91
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit pupils undergo a period study which tells a story about a period that shaped the world we live in today: the Cold War. They look at the key events, developments, people and stories that defined the relationship between the USA and the USSR in this period.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain the events that led to the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Key Notes
- From 1989, the Soviet Union lost control of Eastern Europe and Germany was reunified as a democratic state.
- The Warsaw Pact ended in July 1991.
- In August 1991, Gorbachev was briefly overthrown by a coup and when he returned to power his authority was weakened.
- From 1990 onwards, demands for independence from Soviet republics critically weakened the Soviet Union.
- On 25th December 1991, Gorbachev resigned as Soviet leader and announced the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Vocabulary To Learn
- reunification: bringing things or people back together after they have been separated
- coup: a sudden and illegal takeover of a government, usually by a small group of people, often involving the military
- republic: one of the multiple states that were joined together as part of the Soviet Union under the central Soviet government
- dissolution: when a country or organisation officially ends or breaks apart
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- The collapse of the Soviet Union happened suddenly.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Summarise this historical learning in two key ideas.
From 1989, the Soviet Union lost control of Eastern Europe and Germany was reunified as a democratic state. The Warsaw Pact ended in July 1991.
2. Define this history term and explain why it matters in this topic. 'reunification'
bringing things or people back together after they have been separated.
3. Correct this common history misconception using evidence language.
Mistake: The collapse of the Soviet Union happened suddenly. Correction: The collapse of the Soviet Union was a complex process that unfolded over several years, starting with political reforms under Mikhail Gorbachev in the late 1980s and culminating in the formal dissolution in December 1991.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Berlin, 1958-61: increased tensions Study Guide
- Berlin, 1961-63: the Berlin Wall Study Guide
- Causes of tension between the USA and USSR by 1945 Study Guide
- Cold War crises, 1958-70 Study Guide
- Détente and SALT I Study Guide
- Gorbachev's 'new thinking' Study Guide
- Reagan and the 'Second Cold War' Study Guide
- Soviet influence over Eastern Europe by 1948 Study Guide
- The Berlin Crisis (1948) Study Guide
- The Cold War arms race Study Guide
- The Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) Study Guide
- The Cuban Revolution and the Bay of Pigs Invasion Study Guide
- The end of the Cold War, 1970-91 Study Guide
- The fall of the Berlin Wall Study Guide
- The Helsinki Accords and SALT II Study Guide
- The Hungarian Uprising (1956) Study Guide
- The impact of the atomic bomb on US-Soviet relations Study Guide
- The origins of the Cold War (1941-58) Study Guide
- The Prague Spring (1968) Study Guide
- The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan Study Guide
- The Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia (1968) Study Guide
- The Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan Study Guide
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