Lecture 2.1 The historical context of the Eastern Neighbourhood region

Summary

In this lecture, Catherine Gibson provides an overview of key historical events in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus during the 20th century, focusing on the collapse of empires and the rise of nationhood in the region. She explores the impacts of World War I, the Bolshevik Revolution, Soviet policies, and World War II on the region. The lecture also covers the Cold War era, the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, and the emergence of independent states like Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, and others. This context sets the stage for understanding contemporary developments in the region.

Takeaways

• 😀 At the start of the 20th century, Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus were divided between the Romanov, Habsburg, and Ottoman Empires.
• 😀 Nationalist movements in the region emerged in the late 19th century but were mostly limited to elites due to censorship and social constraints.
• 😀 World War I led to the collapse of the three empires, allowing for the formation of several independent states, though these attempts were largely unsuccessful.
• 😀 The Bolshevik Revolution in 1917 and the subsequent formation of the Soviet Union in 1922 established Soviet control over much of the region, including Belarus, Ukraine, and the South Caucasus.
• 😀 Stalin's policies led to a complex history of Russification and repression in the Soviet republics, including the infamous Holodomor famine in Ukraine.
• 😀 WWII had a devastating impact on the region, with millions of casualties and major population shifts due to Nazi occupation and Soviet occupation.
• 😀 Following WWII, the Soviet Union annexed parts of Romania and Poland, significantly altering the region's borders.
• 😀 The Cold War period, marked by the division of Europe into East and West, saw heightened geopolitical tensions and an arms race between the US and the Soviet Union.
• 😀 Gorbachev's reforms in the 1980s, such as glasnost and perestroika, led to increased openness and nationalist movements, eventually destabilizing the Soviet system.
• 😀 The Revolutions of 1989, including the Baltic Way, contributed to the fall of Communist regimes across Eastern Europe, leading to greater demands for independence.
• 😀 The Soviet Union officially dissolved in December 1991, with many former republics, such as Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova, gaining independence and forming the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

Q & A

What were the three main empires controlling the Eastern neighborhood region at the beginning of the 20th century?

The three main empires were the Romanov Empire, the Habsburg Empire, and the Ottoman Empire.

How did modernization in the late 19th century impact the Eastern neighborhood region?

Modernization led to agrarian reforms, the abolition of serfdom, urbanization, and industrialization, which caused significant changes to old imperial estate-based societies and sparked nationalist movements.

Why did nationalism in the Eastern neighborhood region fail to become a mass movement before World War I?

Nationalism remained confined to elites and intellectuals due to censorship, government restrictions on cultural organizations, and high levels of illiteracy, which prevented it from gaining mass appeal.

What was the significance of the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917 for the Eastern neighborhood countries?

The Bolshevik Revolution led to nationalist movements declaring independence and attempting to establish independent states, although these attempts were ultimately unsuccessful.

What was the outcome of the Bolshevik consolidation of control over the Eastern neighborhood region by 1922?

By 1922, Belarus, Ukraine, and Transcaucasia (comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia) became Soviet Socialist Republics, marking the formation of the Soviet Union.

How did Soviet policies in the 1920s and 1930s affect the national identities of the Eastern neighborhood republics?

Soviet policies initially promoted 'korenizatsiia' (nativization), encouraging local nationalities to develop socialist identities through the promotion of local languages and communist cadres. However, by the 1930s, policies shifted towards Russification under Stalin.

What was the impact of World War II on the Eastern neighborhood region?

World War II caused devastating casualties, with millions of Soviet deaths and widespread destruction. The war also resulted in significant geopolitical changes, such as Soviet territorial annexations and the alteration of regional borders.

How did World War II influence the politics of memory in Eastern neighborhood countries?

During the Soviet period, Victory Day was commemorated annually, but after the Soviet Union's collapse, countries like Ukraine and Moldova stopped celebrating it officially, as they saw the defeat of Nazi Germany not as liberation from Stalinism.

What was the significance of the Cold War for the Eastern neighborhood countries?

The Cold War marked a period of heightened geopolitical tensions between the US and the Soviet Union, with Eastern European countries being part of the Soviet bloc and isolated from the West by the 'Iron Curtain'.

What were the key reforms introduced by Gorbachev in the 1980s, and what impact did they have?

Gorbachev introduced 'glasnost' (openness) and 'perestroika' (restructuring) to address Soviet economic and social issues. These reforms led to increased criticism of the government, sparked environmental and nationalist movements, and contributed to the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union.