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East and West Germany were re-united one year after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Cold War: The End, 1970-1991 - Poland's Example ('Solidarity')

Solidarity helped bring communism in Poland to an end. See how protests, strikes, and government crackdowns changed the Cold War in Eastern Europe.

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Fascinating Fact:

In December 1981 General Jaruzelski declared martial law. Solidarity was banned, leaders were arrested, and meetings were suppressed.

In GCSE History, this part of the Cold War topic uses Poland and Solidarity as a case study. You will explore why an independent trade union challenged communist rule, how the authorities tried to regain control, and why negotiations in the late 1980s helped weaken Soviet influence in Eastern Europe.

Key Terms

Solidarity: An independent trade union and mass movement in Poland that campaigned for workers’ rights and political reform.
Martial law: A period when the army and security forces take over many powers from civilian authorities and restrict normal freedoms.
Opposition movement: A group or organisation that openly challenges the policies or authority of the government in power.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

What was Solidarity in Poland during the Cold War?

Solidarity was an independent trade union formed in 1980 at the Gdansk shipyard. It quickly grew into a national movement, speaking for workers, demanding civil rights, and challenging communist rule in Poland.

Why did the Polish government introduce martial law in 1981?

The communist government introduced martial law because it feared losing control as Solidarity grew stronger and strikes spread. Leaders hoped that troops, curfews, and mass arrests would halt protest and prevent outside intervention from the Soviet Union.

How did events in Poland help bring the Cold War to an end?

Events in Poland showed that communist governments could no longer rely on force alone. Round table talks with Solidarity and partly free elections in 1989 encouraged similar changes elsewhere, weakening Soviet control and speeding up the end of the Cold War.

Try These Related Quizzes

1 .

Which East European state was the first to set up a non-Communist government - even before the fall of the Wall?

Hungary

Romania

Czechoslovakia

Poland

The signs of the collapse of Communism could be detected throughout Eastern Europe, well before the collapse of the Berlin Wall

2 .

Which younger Soviet leader emerged as the Communist Party Secretary in 1985?

Chernenko

Gorbachev

Yeltsin

Putin

A new Soviet leadership now enabled the USSR to negotiate more successfully with NATO

3 .

In which year did the re-unification of Germany take place following the fall of the Berlin Wall?

1989

1988

1991

1990

Chancellor Kohl of West Germany was keen to move towards re-unification of the two German states as quickly as possible

4 .

Presidential elections were held in Russia in 1990. When had free elections most recently been held there?

1917

1921

1989

1988

There had been regular elections during the Communist years, but these did not meet Western standards of fairness

5 .

Which Afghan leader did the Soviet Union support, following their invasion of that country in 1979?

Karmal

Amin

Daoud

Zahir Shah

Once the Soviet Union had invaded Afghanistan they needed a compliant ruler who could be relied on to foster Communism there

6 .

What name was given to the nuclear treaty signed between East and West in 1979 to continue mutual disarmament?

Salt I

Salt II

Star Wars

Helsinki Accords

Both the USA and the USSR were spending huge sums on weaponry

7 .

Which year marked the official end of the Cold War?

1991

1990

1988

1989

The beginning of the crumbling of the Warsaw Pact, and threats to the unity of the USSR itself, forced the end of Cold War hostilities

8 .

In the early 1980s three NATO members (Great Britain, the Netherlands and Italy) requested US-made missiles to deter the new Soviet SS20 rocket. Which was the principal missile involved?

Pershing

Jupiter

Blue Streak

Cruise

The USSR's introduction of new missiles seemed to be an unacceptable escalation of the Cold War arms race

9 .

In which year were Soviet troops withdrawn from Afghanistan?

1991

1988

1989

1990

The USSR took its forces out of Afghanistan after years of failure trying to subdue this turbulent state

10 .

Which Polish trade union leader became the first president of an independent Poland?

Gierek

Glemp

Mazowiecki

Walesa

The growth of the Solidarity movement showed the strength of anti-Communist feelings, which spread beyond the confines of the Lenin shipyard in Gdansk

You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - The Cold War and Vietnam

Author: Edward Towne