The Crumbling Soviet System

1980-1991

Brezhnev- ordered an invasion of Afghanistan in 1979

- US did nothing at first....then began sending the Afghan mujahadeen weapons

- war turned into a real mess for Russia after 1984

Brezhnev died in 1982

Leadership problem: the Russian Communist leaders were old (80+)

Yuri Andropov, Konstantin Chernenko - became the dictators for a year apiece

Mikhail Gorbachev- younger- became the dictator in 1985

Gorbachev- attempted to make major changes to solve the Soviet Union's problems

- perestroika: "restructuring" - started allowing some capitalism

- glasnost: "openness"- desired open discussion of the Soviet Union's problems

Turmoil- Gorbachev's changes caused people to become very dissatisfied with the Soviet system

- people in Russia began to question the government

Gorbachev- ended the Afghan war in 1988

- hoped to have a peaceful solution

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