20 years ago today

[draggar]

The mistaken broadcast of eased travel restrictions between East and West Germany is played - they state that restrictions begin immediately. This sets the foundation for the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Iron Curtain.

IMO it's very interesting what can happen in a year.

1989:
Nov 7: The communist party in East Germany resigns.

Nov 9: Günter Schabowski accidentally states in live broadcast press conference that new rules for traveling from East Germany to West Germany will be put in effect "immediately". East Germany opens checkpoints in the Berlin Wall, allowing its citizens to travel freely to West Germany for the first time in decades.

Nov 10: Bulgaria's communist leader is replaced by the Bulgarian Socialist Party.

Nov 17: East and West German residents start to tear down The Wall.

Nov 17: The Velvet Revolution (Czechoslovakia) begins (peaceful "civil war" - students protest the communist government. the protest was beaten back by riot police but..

Nov 20: Half a million attend the Velvet Revolution and finally:

Nov 28: The Czechoslovakian government announces that they'll hold elections in December - alowing the first non-communist leader in. Valclav Havel

Dec 1: East German parliament abolishes the pro-Communist constitution allowing non-Communists leaders in place.

Dec 3: Gorbachev and Bush meet and announce that the cold war may be coming to an end.

1990:
(Early - small civil war in Romania - Communist vs. non-Communists)

Jan 11 - 300,000 Lithuanian residents protest for independence.

Jan 31: First McDonalds in Moscow opens.

Feb 26: The USSR agrees to withdraw all troops from Czechoslovakia.

Mar11 - Lithuania declares independence from the Soviet Union.

Mar15: Soviet Union announces that the Lithuanian independence is invalid.

Mar18: East Germany holds their first free elections.

Apr24: East and West German y agree to merge their currencies on July 1.

May 4: Latvia declares independence from the Soviet Union

May 20: The first non-Communist elections are held in Romania.

June12: The Russian Federation declares it's sovereignty (thus formally dismantling the USSR?).

July27: Belarus declares their independence from the USSR / Russian Federation.

(Side note: Aug 2 - Iraq invades Kuwait thus laying the ground work for the two Gulf wars).

Aug 23 - East and West Germany announce that they will unite on October 3

Sept2: Tansnitstria declares independence from the USSR.

Oct27: Kyrgyzstan appoints their first non-Communist leader.

[Donald Aquilano]

I would like to thank President Ronald Reagan for standing up to the Soviets which lead to the fall of the Berlin wall and the freeing of over 200 million people from tyranny when the Soviet Union finally collapsed.

[fab]

I would like to thank President Ronald Reagan for standing up to the Soviets which lead to the fall of the Berlin wall and the freeing of over 200 million people from tyranny when the Soviet Union finally collapsed.

That statement is permissible for Conservatives only.

[Donald Aquilano]

That statement is permissible for Conservatives only.

lol

[denny007]

Romanians got the biggest balls

[draggar]

Romanians got the biggest balls

Many people did then.

The Velvet revolution - they had riot police beating them and they still grew in numbers.

East and West Germans coming together to tear down the wall.

All the smaller nations that stood up to the USSR and said "no more!".

[Donald Aquilano]

Many people did then.

The Velvet revolution - they had riot police beating them and they still grew in numbers.

East and West Germans coming together to tear down the wall.

All the smaller nations that stood up to the USSR and said "no more!".

Not to take anything away from these smaller nations but they didn't stand a chance without the U.S. supporting them. Many of the western European nations wanted to appease the Soviets because they had no backbone.

[draggar]

Not to take anything away from these smaller nations but they didn't stand a chance without the U.S. supporting them. Many of the western European nations wanted to appease the Soviets because they had no backbone.

True but there is a difference between writing a check and mailing it and actually staring down the barrel of a gun pointed at you (figuratively, not literaly).

[Mike Cruz]

True but there is a difference between writing a check and mailing it and actually staring down the barrel of a gun pointed at you (figuratively, not literaly).

I have to agree.

Obviously the US deserves some credit for the funding against the Soviets, but you have to give the majority of the credit to the men and even children on the floor fighting against them.

[katherine]

The sad thing is that the Western world has adopted many traits of the former communist regimes.

[Acro]

So are we all better off today? At least we have Internet, but otherwise same shit - different day