Showdown: The Lithuanian Rebellion and the Breakup of the Soviet EmpireShowdown explores the revival of the Lithuanian independence movement, beginning in 1988 when the popular front movement, Sajudis, was founded and including its February 1990 victory in the first free elections in the Soviet Union. A month later, Lithuania declared its independence. But as American author and political scientist Richard J. Krickus explains, by 1990 Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev had begun scaling back reforms and courting the neo-Stalinists. Lithuanian independence threatened to upset the Soviet Union's uneasy status quo. The Soviets' deadly response and the movement's ultimate success - with its far-reaching consequences - stunned the world. Krickus was in Lithuania as an elections monitor during the momentous days leading to independence. His eyewitness account explains how this nation of fewer than four million set in motion the forces that broke apart the vast Soviet Union. Based on Dr. Krickus's personal knowledge of the dangerous events and the courageous Lithuanians involved, this dramatic account also shows how Americans aided this unforeseen catalyst to the collapse of the Soviet empire. Though the Lithuanians were victorious in their struggle against the Soviet Union, the country's independence and its democracy are tenuous. As Krickus warns, unless the West takes concrete steps to safeguard democracy in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, the freedom which was so hard won could be lost again. |
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Page 68
... Brazauskas was under orders from Gor- bachev when he led the LCP out of the CPSU , that this was just the latest tac- tic in Moscow's strategy to have Brazauskas cooperate with Sajudis in the hope of coopting militants who proposed ...
... Brazauskas was under orders from Gor- bachev when he led the LCP out of the CPSU , that this was just the latest tac- tic in Moscow's strategy to have Brazauskas cooperate with Sajudis in the hope of coopting militants who proposed ...
Page 69
... Brazauskas claims Gorbachev was shocked by the Lithuanians ' departure from the CPSU . " After we broke with Moscow , Gorbachev said , ' Algi , what have you done to me ! ' I responded it was not me , it was most of the Commu- nist ...
... Brazauskas claims Gorbachev was shocked by the Lithuanians ' departure from the CPSU . " After we broke with Moscow , Gorbachev said , ' Algi , what have you done to me ! ' I responded it was not me , it was most of the Commu- nist ...
Page 197
... Brazauskas retained good relations with his former colleagues in Moscow and could negotiate deals with them that Landsbergis neither sought nor could achieve even if he tried . Most voters agreed with Brazauskas that it was sensible to ...
... Brazauskas retained good relations with his former colleagues in Moscow and could negotiate deals with them that Landsbergis neither sought nor could achieve even if he tried . Most voters agreed with Brazauskas that it was sensible to ...
Contents
A Turbulent History | 4 |
Lithuanian Nationalism Endures | 30 |
Popular Front Revolutionaries | 47 |
Copyright | |
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accepted activists American Army asked attack August authorities Baltic became become believed Bloody Sunday Brazauskas building Bush called campaign Catholic Center close Communist Communist Party Congress coup culture democratic demonstrated deputies economic election empire ethnic Europe face favor feared force foreign gathered German Gorbachev hoped House independence Interview January Jews joined Kaunas knew Landsbergis later leaders leave Lithuan Lithuanian Lithuanian independence lived March Matlock meeting military minister Moscow move movement nationalist occupation once organized parliament party Poles Polish political popular president protest question received reform refused remained reports republics resistance response restoration returned rule Russian Sajudis served society Soviet Union Stalin tanks throughout tion told troops turn United University USSR Vilnius Vytautas Landsbergis Washington West Western White Yeltsin young