Significant Events between 1985-1990

Gorbachev introduces perestroika

Dec 24, 1985

Perestroika is a plan that allowed free-market reforms. The goal of perestroika was to make socialism work more efficiently.

Gorbachev introduces glasnost

Mar 24, 1986

Glasnost introduced profound changes in economic practice, internal affairs and international relations.

Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty signed

Dec 8, 1987

This was an agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union. This agreement was put in place to eliminate intermediate range and short ranged missiles.

Berlin Wall Falls

Aug 13, 1989

There was a wall built between East and West Germany to separate the fascists and the socialists. This wall eventually got knocked down letting the west people flood to the east.

Jozsef Antall elected prime minister of Hungary

Oct 21, 1989

He was the first democratic elected prime minister of Hungary. He was a teacher, librarian, historian and a political figure.

Vaclav Havel elected president of Czechoslovakia

Dec 29, 1989

He was elected president of Czechoslovakia and was actually the last president. And he went onto serve as the first president of the Czech-republic.

Germany reunification takes place

Jul 24, 1990

The East German regime started to falter in May 1989. The negotiations between the GDR and FRG that culminated in a Unification Treaty

Lech Walesa elected president of Poland

Dec 9, 1990

He was the first non-communist person who was elected the president of Poland. He also created his own political party called the BBWR.

1st general elections in Romania

Dec 24, 1990

Romania elects on a national level a head of state, the president, a legislature.