2RR:5 Breaking Ranks I

The fall of the Berlin Wall provides a springboard for national movements throughout the republics. Gorbachev's political skills are stretched, as Lithuania and other states tug away from Moscow's strings. 'Sovereignty' becomes the buzzword for the fractured republics. Gorbachev walks a political tightrope, strengthening his grip on the rebellious republics, struggling to fulfill his promise of perastroika. His pledge and strength would be challenged in the Second Russian Revolution.

This is part of the award-winning documentary "The Second Russian Revolution", made in 1989-1991, at the same time the Soviet Union was undergoing complete social and political metamorphosis. It details the years following the death of Brezhnev, and rise and fall of Mikhail Gorbachev, up to the coup in 1991. The most amazing thing about it is hearing formerly party line-toeing aparachiks letting loose and speaking their minds.

In an interview, producer Brian Lapping said, "When we first went to Moscow and said we were going to get the members of the Politburo to talk, journalists and heads of institutes in Moscow said that no one in the Politburo ever talks in public about whatever happens in the Politburo. They just don't do that. I still look back with amazement that we got several Politburo members to tell us stories of the inside events of the Gorbachev years. And in the end, the head of the KGB, who came to our launch party, said angrily to us, "Why did you not invite me to be part of your program?" To which I had to reply, "We invited you for 18 months, regularly phoning your office, and you would not talk us. That's why you are not in the program." (WorldScreen.com, 10/01)

This series doesn't seem to be available in any form, unfortunately. It's a documentary masterpiece. Sorry about the poor quality video and missing bits--it's about 15 years old.

Produced by Brian Lapping (Brian Lapping Associates Ltd)

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Gorbachev
• Yeltsin
• Shevardnadze
• Lithuania
• Armenia
• earthquake
• Karabagh
• Georgia
• Vilnius
• Tbilisi
• Sajudis
• Supreme
• Soviet
• Russia

[woodbineRed]

Also, under Brezhnev, Andropov & Chernenko, the media were more controlled by--or at least, less inclined to criticize--the government, and public gatherings were more restricted. When public rallies became more common, nationalists had a better chance to find each other and organize movements, as well as get popular support. I guess they were taking a hint from Gorbachev, but probably Gorbachev had no idea they would take it so far!

[woodbineRed]

The 1968 Prague crackdown must have left the republics with a strong sense of the danger of challenging Soviet authority; they seem to have been careful in the beginning with Gorbachev, too. But his more relaxed policies seem to have reduced this fear, and the more the nationalists gained, the more they pushed for. There seems to have been genuine surprise in Armenia and Lithuania when tanks rolled in--they weren't expecting it from Gorbachev.

[sihayab16247]

I wonder why rebellion in Baltic Countries and in Caucasus did not start when Soviet power was so weak, in late Brezhnev era or during Chernenko's year! Were they expecting Gorbachev's hint??