Topic: This week we will look at the collapse of the Soviet Union and life in the “Wild 1990s.”

For many people, this period was worse than WW2 (which for many was still in living memory). Why? Because during WW2, the country pulled together to fight an enemy. There was some meaning in the tragedy and death. In the 1990s, the country fell apart, and there was no meaning. Every institution collapsed or became corrupt, with perhaps the sole exception of public transportation. Everything, from places of work to the court system to the police to the Duma (parliament) to universities and schools suffered. Even the family suffered something of a breakdown, as many who lost jobs and futures despaired and turned to alcohol or suicide. For this reason, this period has been called "Catastroika" (Catastrophic Perestroika).

You can't understand Russia today or the rise of Putin without understanding the disaster of the 1990s. So read on!

Reading/Viewing Assignments:

Read about Victor Tsoy and the Tsoy wall and watch his song "Changes"
Watch “Perestroika and the Collapse of the USSR”
Watch Gorbachev's Resignation speech
Watch “The Yeltsin Years”
Watch Yeltsin’s New Year’s resignation speech
Watch Putin’s New Year’s speech
Read 2 articles that look back on the collapse of the USSR

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Suggested plan of work:

Monday:

Read about Victor Tsoy and the Tsoy wall and watch his song "Changes"
Watch “Perestroika and the Collapse of the USSR”
Watch "Gorbachev's Resignation"

Tuesday:

Watch “The Yeltsin Years”

Wednesday:

Watch Yeltsin’s New Year’s resignation speech
Watch Putin’s New Year’s speech

Thursday:

Read two articles that look back on the collapse of the USSR
Make your first Discussion Board post

Friday:

Make your Discussion Board response posts

REMEMBER TO TAKE NOTES ON ALL YOUR READING AND VIEWING ASSIGNMENTS! ALSO, PERIODICALLY REVIEW YOUR NOTES IN ORDER TO PREPARE FOR THE FINAL.

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