6.4 The August Coup and the Collapse of the Soviet Union

The August 1991 coup attempt marked the beginning of the end for the Soviet Union. Hardline Communist officials tried to seize power from Gorbachev, opposing his reforms and aiming to preserve centralized control. Their actions backfired spectacularly.

Boris Yeltsin emerged as the hero of the resistance, rallying opposition and defying the coup plotters. The failed coup accelerated the collapse of Soviet power, leading to the rapid independence of republics and Gorbachev's resignation, officially ending the USSR by December 1991.

August 1991 Coup Attempt

Plotters and Their Motivations

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• Group of hardline Communist Party members, military officials, and KGB officers attempted to seize power from Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev in a coup d'état
• Motivated by opposition to Gorbachev's reforms, particularly efforts to decentralize power and negotiate a new union treaty granting more autonomy to Soviet republics
• Aimed to reverse Gorbachev's reforms, crack down on dissent, and preserve the Soviet Union under a more centralized and authoritarian system
• Key figures included Vice President Gennady Yanayev, Prime Minister Valentin Pavlov, and Defense Minister Dmitry Yazov

Actions Taken by the Coup Plotters

• Declared a state of emergency and announced Gorbachev was ill and unable to govern
• Placed Gorbachev, who was vacationing in Crimea, under house arrest and cut off his communication with the outside world
• Attempted to control media outlets and suppress opposition to their actions
• Deployed military forces in Moscow and other key cities to maintain order and intimidate potential resistance

Boris Yeltsin's Role in the Coup's Failure

Yeltsin's Leadership in Resisting the Coup

• Boris Yeltsin, then president of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR), emerged as the central figure in resisting the coup and rallying opposition
• Denounced the coup as unconstitutional and called on the public to resist the plotters
• Famously climbed atop a tank outside the Russian parliament building (White House) to deliver a defiant speech
• Yeltsin and supporters, including Russian government and military members, barricaded themselves inside the White House and prepared to defend it against a possible attack

Popular Resistance and Key Figures

• Thousands of civilians in Moscow and other cities responded to Yeltsin's call, protesting the coup, erecting barricades, and facing down tanks and troops loyal to the plotters
• Moscow Mayor Gavriil Popov and Leningrad Mayor Anatoly Sobchak played important roles in organizing resistance and maintaining order in their cities
• Widespread popular resistance and defections among military and security forces led the coup plotters to back down and surrender after just three days

Consequences of the Failed Coup

Weakening of Gorbachev and Acceleration of Reforms

• Gorbachev was restored to power but with severely weakened authority
• Forced to accept the dissolution of the Communist Party and acceleration of reforms
• Yeltsin and other republican leaders, emboldened by their success in resisting the coup, moved quickly to assert independence and dismantle the Soviet Union

Dissolution of the Soviet Union and Emergence of Independent Republics

• Most Soviet republics (Ukraine, Belarus, Baltic states) declared independence and began establishing themselves as sovereign nations
• On December 8, 1991, leaders of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus signed the Belavezha Accords, formally dissolving the Soviet Union and establishing the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) as a loose confederation
• Gorbachev resigned as president on December 25, 1991, marking the official end of the Soviet Union
• Newly independent states faced challenges in transitioning to market economies and democratic systems

Geopolitical and Economic Consequences

• Collapse of the Soviet Union ended the Cold War and restructured the global balance of power
• Significant economic challenges for former Soviet republics as they transitioned from centrally planned to market-based economies
• Social and political upheaval as populations adjusted to new realities and leaders sought to establish stability and legitimacy in their respective countries