Oral+History+Project

Oral History! --Michael Smith

Topic: The Fall of the USSR.

Context/Notes: One of the main reasons the USSR fell was the lack of resources, such as food and oil, readily available to the Soviet public. Mere months before the Soviet Union Collapsed, Chicago Tribune writer Thom Shanker wrote, “Soviet farm officials, alarmed over the sluggish pace of spring planting, say that they face crucial shortages of agricultural seed and that half the farm plots in some regions are not even ready for tilling” (Source 2).

“ Representatives from the farming sector also may ask the government to provide needed labor by dragooning students and factory workers and deploying soldiers to the sowing campaign” (Source 2).

“I was in the Kremlin the day Gorbachev dissolved the Communist Party, which was pretty momentous. The Soviet Union was falling apart, with conflicts and protests in the Ukraine, Georgia, Abkhazia, and many other places. We covered as much as we could and by the fall and winter of that year, food was in short supply.” --Alain-Pierre Hovasse, describing her experience as a photojournalist during the fall of the USSR.

In 1990, Lithuania left the Soviet Union, and the main Soviet Government sent in troops to try and keep the nation. To do this, the USSR confiscated as many weapons as possible, and even fired on demonstrators. In retaliation, many holed up in the Lithuanian Parliament. Thirteen Lithuanians were slain when the USSR invaded the Lithuanian broadcast center.

PICTURED: Lithuanian troops are surrendering weapons. The Soviet military firing on protestors. The inside of the Lithuanian Parliament.

Civil Unrest skyrocketed during the tumultuous years of 1990 and 1991, culminating with the coup of August 1991. Mikhail Gorbachev, the president of the USSR, was abducted by a cabal of hard-line Communist party members. When they said Gorbachev was merely ill, the people launched into massive protests, and even the military refused to aid the party. Without the aid of either the military or the people, the cabal soon relinquished power to Gorbachev, as they knew that they had failed. PICTURED: The Soviet military was forced to intervene post-coup. A starved people, a brutal kidnapping and thousands of demonstrators in the Red Square daily led Mikhal Gorbachev to one decision: to dissolve the USSR. He did so in December of 1991, and the Union became 15 separate nations.


 * 1) "Fall of the Soviet Union." //The Cold War Museum//. The Cold War Museum, n.d. Web. < [|__http://www.coldwar.org/articles/90s/fall_of_the_soviet_union.asp__] >.


 * 1) Shanker, Thomas. "Soviet Shortages Fuel Farm Crisis." //Chicago Tribune//. Chicago Tribune, April 21, 1991. Web. <[|__http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1991-04-21/news/9102050521_1_state-and-collective-farms-soviet-consumer-soviet-union__]>.

3. . "20 Years Since The Fall of the Soviet Union." //The Atlantic//. The Atlantic, Dec 23 2011. Web. < [|__http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2011/12/20-years-since-the-fall-of-the-soviet-union/100214/__] >.

INTERVIEW: How do I put a M4A file on here? Please Advise.media type="file" key="SmithOH" width="300" height="50" QUESTIONS:

QUESTIONS: Q1: Where were you living in 1991, and what occupation did you have?

Q8: How did you hear about the dissolution of the Soviet Union?

Q9: What were you doing at the time?

Q10: How did you react to the fall of the USSR? Q2: Before the Soviet Union was dissolved, what internal Soviet problems were you aware of?

Q3: When Lithuania left the Soviet Union, did you believe that it was an isolated incident? OR Q3: How much press coverage did the Soviet coup d’état receive?

Q4: How did you feel about the overthrow of Gorbachev? OR Q4: How did growing up in the time of the Red Scare and McCarthyism affect your view of the Soviet situation?

Q5: How was the level of tension between the Soviet Union and the United states of America in 1991?

Q6: Had you been in Gorbachev’s position in December of 1991, would you have dissolved the USSR as well?

Q7: When you were growing up, did it ever seem possible that the USSR could fall within your lifetime?

Reflection: His take on the USSR was very enlightening. As my dad viewed the Soviet Union, the represented poverty and oppression, until Gorbachev's Perestroika and Glasnost policies al//l//owed the Soviet People to truly see the Western World. Based on his reaction, it would be no large step to assume patriotism reached incredible highs after the USSR dissolved. In addition, it was both relieving and refreshing to see someone so proud of American capitalism and exceptionalism.

PICTURED: Ronald Regan (Freedom, Democracy, America) talks with Gorbachev, (USSR, Communism.)

=**ANDY PICKART: The struggles in the '60's, and Dealing with Vietnam.**=

In America, the Sixties was a time of political and social unrest. Many important events occurred in this time period, like the Assassination of President Kennedy, and the Vietnam war, and Dr. Martin Luther King's assassination. But what got a lot of people upset, was the unreliable government. When told about the war at first, many people were being lied to. When most people figured out that the war wasn't going on like the Government had said, people began not to trust the government. Also, complete chaos occurred in 1968, where both Dr. King AND Robert Kennedy were shot. This was not the greatest place to be in America's History.

(The recorder is rather quiet, so you may need to make it louder.)

= =

media type="file" key="Memo.m4a" width="264" height="22"

=Q1. What do you remember from around 1965, before 1968.= =Q2. Where were you around 1965, during the war?= =Q3. How did you feel about the war in Vietnam?= =Q4. Were any of your friends part of protests against vietnam?= =Q5. How did you feel about the government at this point?= =Q6. What are some of your memories about the year, specifically, 1968?= =Q7. How did you feel about the presidential election, with Nixon winning?= =Q8. How did you feel about our Veterans?=

After hearing more about this, and especially from a primary source, my thoughts on the 60's changed. I used to think the sixties was a mix of Hippies and Rock Music. But now, I really see the harshness of this time, of how Veterans were treated, how African-Americans dealt with racism, and more. It also shows that, well the government has its ups, and downs. This was really an eye opening experience for me.

Protests about the War, many unhappy.

More college like protests, but not as harsh as the ones my Aunt described.

Sites for the pictures:

http://scriptorwrites.wordpress.com/2012/01/24/at-vietnam-protest-1968/

(Picture 1)

(Picture 2)
 * [|uwdigitalcollections] ||

Sites for research:

http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1960s.html

http://www.public.iastate.edu/~rjackson/webbibl.html