3-GORBACHEV+Won,+Paul

History Assignment: RESEARCH: SOVIET REFORM IN THE GORBACHEV ERA __ What was the situation for that group/institution before Gorbachev became Premier? __ For the Soviet Union, military has been an essential factor in representing their force and the power. Military for the Soviets has been vital in maintaining their security and used as threatening other countries. Before the Gorbachev era, under the ruling of Brezhnev, the Soviet military’s influence and power had significantly increased, to a point where it was even labeled the “golden age” of the high command. During the Brezhnev’s era, the requests for resources from other countries were rarely challenged, and also the concerns of the armed forces were give precedence. The military was also privileged to a direct voice in the highest-decision making body in the Politburo in 1973. However because of decline of the rate of economic growth (four percent to two percent), the Brezhnev was forced to cut back on defense spending. Although the decision to reduce the spending for defense improved the economy of Soviets, it exacerbated the party to military relations. Tensions grew among the politicians, “Brezhnev was forced to defend his policy in an unusual meeting in the Kremlin before the entire top leadership of the military and Ministry of Defense”. Brezhnev believed that there were no need to improve the military thus no need to spend so much money, because he strongly emphasized the fact that the Soviet Armed Forces were “equipped with the modern weapon. However, the Central Committee stated that they wished to “take measures so that the armed forces have all they need”. With Brezhnev’s death the military, led by Marshal Nikolai Ogarkov continued to press for greater defense spending, emphasizing the need to meet the increased threat posed by the American military buildup.

"Gorbachev and the Soviet Military." //Global//. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Mar. 2014.

__ How did that group/institution interpret the application of those policies to it? __ Similar to many opposing politicians during the Brezhnev’s era, many during the Gorbachev era did not want to cut back on defense spending. With the buildup of the American and other European countries’ military, many thought that it was necessary to spend more on military to labeled themselves as the powerful force. Gorbachev believed that spending on the military was unnecessary in a sense that, in order to improve the economy of Soviet Union, it was a necessary task to accomplish. However, even though President Regan accelerated to improve the military, he did not increase his defense spending. Gorbachev wanted to match with America, thus reducing his military spending disregarding all the oppositions he received.

"Assessing the Future of the Soviet Military | Making the History of 1989." //Assessing the Future of the Soviet Military | Making the History of 1989//. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2014.

__ How did the Soviet state apply those policies to that group/institution, and what were the effects? __ The Soviet reform mainly included restructuring and openness. Gorbachev though it was important to cut the spending on the Soviet military, side Soviet borders and also throughout Eastern Europe. End of 1989, Gorbachev ordered to decommission 500,000 men from the Society army, significantly reducing the Soviet military in the Eastern Europe. As Gorbachev announced at the UN of the reduction of the military forces, and his statement about cutting defense spending and production, it created new opportunities for the U.S and NATO in planning for the future of Eastern Europe. Such reduction significantly degraded the Soviet Unions’ ability to concentrate combat power (To measure and calculate the probability of mission success, Soviet staff officers often compare the relative strength of opposing forces in terms of their calculated combat potential). For example, the new rifle division were trained for more of a defense purposes, and were not trained for conducting large-scale attacks and offense. Similar to the new rifle division, many other branches of the military transformed into defense purposes.

"1985: Perestroika and Glasnost." //Perestroika and Glasnost//. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Mar. 2014.

__ What was the significance of Gorbachev’s reforms as it pertained to that group/institution? __ Before Gorbachev’s era, during the Brezhnev era, because of the increase of the military spending, the economy of Soviet Union collapsed. To improve the economy of Soviet Union, Gorbachev decommissioned thousands of military forces, cut back on the general spending, and also transformed the purpose of military branches (offense to defense). Although such reduction of the military spending overall improved the economy, the military of Soviet Union only exacerbated. There were many opposing politicians who disagreed with Gorbachev’s reform who did not agree with his reform because they believed that military spending was necessary to match up with America’s military. Also, such reduction of military gave different impression for UN and NATO, and created new opportunities to better the Eastern European countries.

"The Collapse of the Soviet Union." //Today in History, Birthdays & Historical Events//. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2014.