The Breakup of the Soviet Union Explained

The Collapse of the Soviet Union.
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My music playlist while animating: • My Music Playlist
Music in this video
0:00, 30:42 - Soviet National Anthem
4:58 - Carmen Habanera - Georges Bizet
7:10, 39:32 - From Russia With Love - Huma Huma
10:17 - Waltz of the Flowers - Tchaikovsky
18:17 - Danse des Petits Cygnes - Tchaikovsky
28:15 - Balada pentru vioara - George Enescu
(I need to add the others but I am super tired at the moment... please leave a comment asking for the others if you want to know them... I'm too tired to look them all up at the moment. I'm sorry)
FURTHER WATCHING
- The Soviet Economy Explained: • The Economy of the Sov...
- The opening of the Berlin Wall: • The Fall of the Berlin... & • The Fall of the Berlin...
- Yeltsin on a Tank: • Yeltsin's "tank" speech
- Human Barricade: • USSR - Coup ]
SOURCES:
- Short summary of the events: www.history.com/topics/cold-w...
- www.britannica.com/place/Russ...
- The Collapse seen as at the time: www.nytimes.com/1991/12/26/wo...
- Comparison between the USA’s economy and the Soviet economy: www.cia.gov/library/readingro...
The USA’s perspective: history.state.gov/milestones/...
- Text of Gorbachev’s Farewell Address: www.nytimes.com/1991/12/26/wo...
- Why the USSR collapsed: www.thoughtco.com/why-did-the...

[@viridescent7762]

"to avoid controversy over finland, i'll just remove finland" problem solving 100

[@eenayeah]

Mans literally thanos snapped Finland away

[@justskip4595]

Greetings from Finland. I am fine with this.

[@tricialewis2560]

@@justskip4595 you no longer exists

[@jessicarukuata-joynson938]

​@@tricialewis2560 who are you replying to?

[@darh3375]

LOL !

[@chadnester3654]

"Russia left" "Kazakhstan is now admin"

[@RandomNullpointer]

That was a surprise to me!

[@harshagrawal1000]

Sir , you put that quite accurately.

[@zenothemeano4381]

Kazakhstan: "Is anyone else out there?" Kazakhstan: "Am I the only soviet here?" *KAZAKHSTAN LEFT THE SERVER*

[@AaronEbrahim]

You spelled Afghanistan wrong.

[@skizzik121]

When you forget to update the command structure of your irc net and the lowest common denominator is the only one online after a big crash

[@manugamer9984]

He possessed a quality lacking in most world leaders: he knew when to quit. May he rest in peace... he was what in the end matters the most: a good person.

[@mobpsy1526]

You ask Russians and most will say Gorbachev was bad and destroyed the Union. Then you ask them if they want to go back to the living conditions of the Union and nobody wants it. No other leader of an empire ever has let their people go their own way without mass killings.

[@hashir7401]

A good person lol. The suffering people went through after the collapse of UUSR was unprecedented. Authoritarianism was a problem but almost everyone had access to things like housing, education, healthcare in the soviet union.

[@manugamer9984]

@@hashir7401 well, if you compare him with it’s predecessors you get a brighter portrait of his office. But you’re right, one cannot be a politician and a good person at the same time. Dude, I don’t know where you’re from but trust me: those things were mostly accessible in name only. And you have to consider what kind of housing, education and healthcare you got. Communism is a great project in theory, but that was not communism and never had been.

[@mobpsy1526]

@@hashir7401 Except access to food. USSR economy was close to collapse because everything was invested in industrial production which build up a critical weight. Stores empty, people hungry and angry.

[@wenwengaming9900]

brro it was the officials in the USSR who destroyed his reform of recosntruction the USSR. if the soviet parliament supprot his reform, maybe USSR might still exist and more powerful country and strong economy than US. Like Chinese communist party did to deng xiaoping on economic liberalization. maybe USSR will turn into Democratic Socialist with free election and allowing the Communist party to run on the election, but USSR was broken before gorbachev rise to power.@@mobpsy1526

[@Gray.Karen333]

As a documentary buff, this is one of the most fascinating and informative documentaries I have ever watched. You have a new subscriber.

[@latkagravas986]

👍, Indeed. I just saw on the Fall and Rise of the Berlin wall ----'after not having a thorough understanding of it' from TV or the newspapers in the late 80s or no book or cheat book gave me that complete simple understanding in words.

[@ivangoran4461]

I recommend video - "Sean Gervasi: How US Caused Breakup of USSR" from 1992. Sean Gervasi was economic adviser to JFK who resigned in prostest of US invasion of Cuba, and he was a member of UN Commission on Apartheid who broke the story about US support of Apartheid.

[@joeshittheragman6252]

To avoid offending people from Finland, I will just delete the country from history

[@arthas640]

Is that a quote from Stalin?

[@Deoxys911]

@@arthas640 Nah, I'm pretty sure it was Xeno.

[@thesecretsuspects]

Finland doesn’t exist

[@dathn9880]

@@thesecretsuspects true

[@LynxStarAuto]

Finland is fini

[@galaxysweetie5419]

KZbin recommendations: shows fall of the Soviet Union Me at 3:00 am: yeah I got time

[@cesarcruz4091]

Same atm

[@marshalmaruf6353]

Me at same time by recommendation 😂

[@gregwalker121]

Omg that's me now 😂😂

[@HistoryScope]

Please don't lose sleep over my videos. Your health is more important. My video will still be there the next day :)

[@galaxysweetie5419]

History Scope it is a meme but thank you!

[@lillyanneserrelio2187]

EXCELLENT video. So much history summed up in just 40 minutes. Also, i noticed the LACK of ad breaks. Another THANK YOU. I couldn't believe how fast the time went. This was educational yet also interesting and presented in a clear, understandable way. Its sad how MANY people lived through this but how FEW people know what truly happened. Even in USA public schools this is glossed over..i remember my history teacher spent MORE time trying to shame us for taking the land away from the Native American Indians than she did about anything in Europe.

[@sparks1792]

This is a really stupid comment. Why wouldn’t US history include what happened to the natives. Nobody shamed you in class they simply told the truth if you felt that was “shaming” it shows how terrible of a person you are.

[@sparks1792]

History scope don’t like this comment this is a literal lie. American history class rarely deep dives into anything. The best way I can explain how it works you’ll hear about everything but you won’t understand anything.

[@latkagravas986]

👍, YOU SAID IT! Otherwise I wouldn't be reading any these comments either. All those late 80s to early 90s years not understanding this peep 'from newspapers or tv' back then or even books ----to this Cool and Concise video. Just got off one on 'The Rise and Fall of the Berlin Wall' and it had super detail and super simple understanding facts of what it was and impacts.

[@punished4890]

8:55 My mom was a soviet medical student, she almost died in an earthquake that happend in the 90’s in Moldova. Developed a fear of cars temporarily cuz she got in a accident an the driver bailed cuz fuel was leaking and waited for the car to explode, but thankfully nearby people came to help her and the other trapped students, the car was flipped on the side and all of them got out thru the window, the car they were in was a soviet ambulance. I was in one for a couple of times, either it be to go to the capital, and to go to the main hostipal that was on the outskirts of town, and I’m Gen Z. Healthcare wasn’t attrocious, they had good lasting equiment for that time, and you wouldn’t just die of hunger, even tho poverty was somewhat widespeard, it all depended on what your parents job was and much they would get. Medics weren’t stupid and they were very good, what was bad, was the system. I live in Moldova so take that as an isolated conclusion, I know nothing about what was happening in the other parts of USSR.

[@robert9016]

This video is full of absurd western propaganda

[@mayuri4184]

I'd imagine that Russia declaring independence from the USSR before Kazakhstan did would have been as surreal as England declaring independence from the UK before, say, Wales did.

[@leonardobaracchi7040]

No, that's the point. People think Russia had an imperialistic attitude towards other countries of the union. And this is not true at all. Of course a very different situation existed in the satellite countries of Central and Eastern Europe, for they were under an imperialistic grip, but we couldn't say the same of ex. Kazakistan, which was completely involved in the union, with full trust in the ideology, even if they suffered from some of the worst crimes towards people and environment (polygon and baikonur just to name two)

[@m7ray]

@@leonardobaracchi7040 "Baikonur"...."Worst crime" Oh. My. God. *facepalm

[@danc7934]

@@leonardobaracchi7040 You say that, but back then, me, a kid from Moldova watched as tens of trucks with milk went to Russia and other Soviet republics when my family was barely eating. Lucky we had a cow

[@hagron5702]

Or Ontario from Canada

[@roscosmosenglish1271]

Shut up

[@edwardboss]

I love the fact that kazakhstan was the soviet union for 4 days

[@jameslegrand848]

In Kazakhstan, You don't leave Soviet union. Soviet union leaves you.

[@Expocat69420]

F

[@TheLocalLt]

Dr. Edward Boss It wasn’t, these states which declared their independence had no actual sovereignty until December 25 when the Soviet Union officially dissolved, before then the Soviet Military command structure was still in place, and there was still small scale violence against some of the republics trying to declare independence (there were at least a couple incidents in both the Baltics and Caucasus). Only on December 25, 1991 did all of these countries fully gain any sovereignty, with the dissolution of the Soviet command structure and transfer of all Russian units (who were basically the only ones left in the Soviet Army at that point anyway) to the Russian Army.

[@edwardboss]

@@TheLocalLt pls don't break my dreams

[@Expocat69420]

@@nimportequi2249 ok buddy edit: they were advocating for the destruction of Cananada so... ok then

[@elessar0009]

Loved every minute of it. Thanks a lot for the effort you put in making this.

[@Charmly7035]

As an Englishman I love learning about foreign history it’s just so interesting. We don’t get taught any of this In school and we dong get taught how not everything about communism is bad. It’s just so much better to learn things from an unbiased viewpoint. I wish school was like this :((

[@yhax909]

Communism is bad. This isnt a bias viewpoint. It's just straight facts

[@Baconcatboy]

I feel the same way as an American

[@latkagravas986]

👍, Wow - shocked they did not. I'm so glad for the internet 'for I was puzzled' for all that going on in the early 90s on this in the States. This clip / video was so Great and see it valid.

[@alexandrugheorghe5610]

You don't get this in schools because governments don't want kids to grow with these ideas. They assume they will keep to democratic ideal from a national security perspective later on when in adult years. The majority are well aware of West's development when they visit ex communist countries and see the communist ideal on first hand. Some will switch sides (see North Korea examples) though these are few. Unsure why governments want to keep this kind of education away from the new generations as long as there's a good foundation. Probably they are afraid of giving in to China.

[@asne4174]

You get taught it now in A level history if your school chooses to do Russian history .Its unbiased for the most part but it largely doesn’t paint communism in a good light rightly in my view as its concerned from 1860-1964

[@andreasbernard7963]

Remove Finland? You cannot simply toy with Swedish property like that.. xD

[@NeiasaurusCreations]

Amazin'.

[@rodm8113]

Sweden is Somali property now

[@roskcity]

@@rodm8113 Håll käften.

[@lewisbeer6156]

That's fightin talk

[@NeonNion]

@@rodm8113 Always has

[@FaffyWaffles]

"Did you do it?" "Yes." "What did it cost?" "Finland."

[@tothere8314]

not much then

[@vitunmestari2087]

@@tothere8314 nah finland the best

[@Juwz-]

@@vitunmestari2087 （╹◡╹）thanks

[@louiscypher4186]

@Gerrie van Boven Critical Drinkers more like it. Fin's are the Nordic version of Australians.

[@karellen4913]

I love how you put classical musics relevant to the countries being talked about. Some that I picked up: Hungarian dance for Hungary Dvorak's From the New World for Czechoslovakia.

[@therealspeedwagon1451]

Thank you so much! I’ve been looking for that song for many years! I for some reason always associated it more with Russia than with Hungary, despite it literally being called Hungarian dance.

[@mlcooks8663]

My third video I've watched of urs today. Such in depth knowledge, I appreciate this and your hard work. Thank you for presenting this.

[@LeanneFowler-ms5xc]

It's called the USSR.

[@ComboBreakerHD]

"Last time, the Fins complained. So I'm just going to remove them from existence entirely" /subbed

[@sam8742]

Ngl how much of a crybaby do you have to be in denial about your history.

[@vitolaknar924]

@grit

[@SocialistFinn1]

@@sam8742 so everyone in the world is a crybaby? Literally every nation wants to deny some part of their history.

[@sam8742]

@@SocialistFinn1 My point was their reaction was really over the top, like they tend to say Finland didn't really do anything similar to the other axis powers, so why do they get so upset over something which wasn't bad nor good. Finland used it to justify war with the Soviets to take back land, and fighting the USSR didn't cause to much of a strain on the rest of the eastern front.

[@charleneberry7085]

@Grizzly 2-3 They literally won a war with the USSR why are they trying to hide that

[@azharkuzairy]

Soviet Union: Good night everyone. See you tomorrow... Last online 30 years ago.

[@AKGuerilla]

"this one hit me right in the feels" --- Putin, probably.

[@sbevexlr848]

30 years ago *

[@fourtwentyhellions7185]

this shit hit different

[@thexdatabase]

@@sbevexlr848 and counting and may the count never stop

[@sbevexlr848]

@@thexdatabase amen

[@alexanderscalzo340]

Thank u for making the video long! What I don’t like about schools teaching about this period is how quick they do it and not go into detail! It was definitely a long and complicated time and I’m glad u explain it to detail by the events

[@r.w.bottorff7735]

I really enjoyed watching this. I appreciate the objectivity and tone you use to describe the greater context and mitigating factors surrounding the history. Thank you, I'm subscribing.

[@latkagravas986]

👍, Cool huh! Indeed.

[@Gallalad1]

The Bolsheviks didnt overthrow the Tsar, important distinction. They overthrew the liberal provisional government which had overthrown the Tsar

[@86thrasher]

Tom Pearse Yeah Alexander Kerensky’s government, his government wasn’t “radical” enough for the Bolsheviks

[@RestingJudge]

It's an important distinction because the fact that the bolsheviks overthrew a provisional government removes a lot of their legitimacy. They weren't even the only socialists around, the mensheviks were content to gradually transition to socialism through the democratic process.

[@Feffdc]

@@RestingJudge Although the new government was already not popular as it didnt keep many of its really important promises and were kinda Tsar 2.0.And thats why most people supported bolshevicks in the civil war

[@HistoryScope]

You're right, I'm sorry I got that wrong

[@RestingJudge]

@@Feffdc considering they had 8 months of existence they never really had a chance. It's important to remember that Russia from a social perspective didn't have nearly as much influence from the enlightenment. So the provisional government essentially had to jump start democracy rather than transition to it, which infinitely is harder. The Soviets just didn't bother with the democratic process to achieve their goals & fell into totalitarianism. Was the provisional government perfect? No, it was a diverse group of people all trying to achieve their own goals, but I'd take a pluralist political process over a one party regime anyday.

[@Russ49232]

Thank you for removing Finland. We actually do not exist.

[@reshpeck]

Nah, I found it. 6:52

[@scottfagerstrom9312]

The Australians know how you feel.

[@PongoXBongo]

@@scottfagerstrom9312 As do we Wyoming-ans.

[@yourlocalfbiagent1624]

Finland is like Australia it doesn’t exist

[@bruh-jj4xj]

@@yourlocalfbiagent1624 is that a joke

[@DungarooAdventures]

Amazingly put together, I learned more from your 45 min video than other 4 hour documentaries.

[@Digmen1]

Thankyou for this video. I was in my 40's when all this happened, but I was a bit busy with my personal life to keep up on it.

[@shanef.3883]

"So to avoid any controversy this time , I'll just remove Finland" We did it boys , Finland is no more.

[@nobblkpraetorian5623]

Stalin approves.

[@KaiserMattTygore927]

Something the weak Soviets could not accomplish with all their military might, one man did in an INSTANT

[@gj8683]

Well, I guess I'll have to get my kippered herring from somewhere else.

[@alessandrocava4701]

Its the comment that made me subscribe to this channel

[@EluThingol1919]

Up the Farney

[@argon7479]

4:11 You actually included Albania. Everyone always forgets they were in the pact

[@DMS-pq8ou]

I think the pact forgot they were in the pact

[@maksimaubi4267]

and then they withdrew from the pact in 1968

[@johnrogan9420]

Montenegro...👱‍♀️

[@argon7479]

@@johnrogan9420 Montenegro was apart of Yugoslavia

[@Jas-man]

Albania was communist but followed Maoism instead of Leninism.

[@Julian-tf8nj]

VERY INFORMATIVE and concise! I "sort of" knew it all... but having it all here, in a coherent presentation - neither too short nor too long - is awesome, thank you!

[@Curt_Johnston]

Fantastic video. Great visuals, clear audio and concise in narration.

[@rasyty2]

It’s worth mentioning that once Lithuania declared independence in 1990, as Soviet troops were still present in the country, in January 1991, they tried to take over the government buildings again. People were gathering and forming human-blockades, trying to stop the tanks. 14 civilians were killed and over 140 injured. Another significant event was the Baltic Way/ The Chain of Freedom, where in 1989, Lithuanians, Latvians and Estonians, around 2 million people, gathered in a peaceful demonstration showing the world that they were seeking independence from the Soviet Union.

[@gintaraspanavas2413]

@@raketny_hvost richest? When soviet were richest? We have average salaries like more than twice as in russia currently, so could be better, but doing not too bad

[@jergutieliau]

@@raketny_hvost no worries, better than Russians today. Any of former Soviet countries in Europe doesn’t seem to wish to be a part of that GREAT country…so maybe it means something 😉

[@raketny_hvost]

@@gintaraspanavas2413 ye ye i herd these naive yells about endless deficits lol. Czechoslovakia was assembling box of USSR becuz of divided spheres of industry. Baltic countries didn't suffer such air polution coming from factories as Siberia, for example. And i bet they didn't build factories in -40°C like it was when KMK was built.

[@livethefuture2492]

The real question i have is, Why? Why didnt the soviets just put down the revolution through military force, why did they just let it happen? Was there some economic reason? Was the occupation just unsustainable and a strain on the economy? was as it fear of civil unrest and civil war? If they really wanted to preserve the union, why did they just 'let' the revolutions happen without interference?

[@bnasc9670]

@@livethefuture2492 There was a nuclear threat from Reagan if they invaded Poland, a double agent Polish Colonel did tell the US there wont be an invasion

[@wildfood1]

Soviet joke: "They pretend to pay us and we pretend to work!"

[@intel386DX]

and naw we work they pretend to pay

[@AK-74K]

@@datbunneh3671 This isn't true. A lot of people work hard, some of the countries are big resource economies, mining and oil production require a lot of physical labour. But having hard working people doesn't make for a rich and wealthy country

[@AK-74K]

@Ornate Orator I didn't mean it like that. You can have people working hard, but if the labour is badly organised or the levels of corruption within the country are extremely high - that country will still be poor. That's what I wanted to say.

[@humboldthammer]

In America, we no longer pretend to be stupid.

[@jesse0878]

Thick Russian accent - "In capitalist America, Bank robs you!"

[@user-yj1dh6zm9g]

Thank you for such clarity for my first attempt to understand what i were living back when i had only 8-9 years. Keep up the good work! :)

[@leannmcgee8535]

Thank you. very much for making this video. I learned so much from it! You did a great job. You have the perfect voice for this.

[@Mori-Chan-wn3od]

I started with "I want to understand more the conflict between Russia and Ukraine" then I realized I need to include the history of USSR and why it collapsed. This is a good find. Thank you!

[@greninjafw]

it also goes way back before the USSR, with the Russian Empire

[@kyorin6526]

Same here.

[@dntwachmewachtv4644]

@@DubbX767 the best video I’ve come across on current events

[@invertedaura1986]

Nice job coming up with a topical comment.

[@crystalwright9655]

I couldnt have said it better myself! I dont know the history at all pre Russia...

[@chrispy1398]

"So to avoid controversy, I'll just remove Finland from this map" I've never subscribed to anyone faster.

[@Axc.0695]

Period. 😂😂😂

[@DougFrantz]

Yeah... same motivation for me. Props!

[@Pants4096]

I laughed loud enough that it startled my cat. So perfect!

[@SHADOOjoey]

Finland residents never sounded softer

[@majorkramer]

They loved the Nazi's until it wasn't working in their favour nationwide

[@lynt.4493]

Excellent presentation. I learned so much from this and I hope you can add more. Maybe do individual countries and their histories. Thanks!

[@savagepanda8458]

5:41 I thought it was just things referencing Stalin that got changed? Lenin still had a cult of personality, giant banners with his face continued to appear at rallies, and he was even more prominently mentioned in the Soviet anthem.

[@HistoryScope]

This video has more complicated animations than any of my previous videos. I spent A LOT of effort to make this video the best video I have made so far: better animations, music, and more attention on my own voice. But this has also been the most time-consuming video I've ever made. So hopefully this video is the beginning of a new History Scope 'era' and I can keep this up this quality in the future. I hope you guys like this video and if you have any feedback then please let me know by replying to this comment. I do actually read all of them thanks to the KZbin Creator app.

[@penumbra0182]

These videos are excellent. I can't even imagine being able to put together a video this long and this high-quality (or, admittedly, anything even close to what you put out on a regular basis!). Thanks.

[@HazyFelix]

Dude, as a russian, I must say, that this is probably the best English history video on the matter I have ever seen! Good job, eh

[@jvcolddayinhell2761]

Love seeing what you're doing with the channel and where you're taking it. The gradual steps are definitely paying off!

[@sisyphusvasilias3943]

Shame you shat on the high standards you set for your scripts in your previous videos to make this personal vent. A real step backwards for the channel.

[@cynicaltheastrocreep4504]

@History Scope what is your country of origin? I'd be very interested to know? Also, what is your personal knowledge of and experience of USSR style communism? Are you from a former USSR state?

[@juriskrumgolds5810]

Also as a Latvian I'm truly disappointed you didn't mention the Baltic Way. It was a peaceful protest in Baltic countries in 1989 when people of all three Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia made a 675 km long human chain of over a two million people holding hands. A truly spectacular event!

[@tyler2212]

same

[@kosher333]

Wow, didnt know that

[@tyler2212]

@@MrRuski37 all of that because i wrote same

[@riverfreddy]

Thank-you, Your Countrymen helped bring the USSR down.

[@haanjamiis]

@ivan It's so wrong it almost funny! Ofc we should be grateful. Grateful for occupying our land for 50 years. 10% of Estonia is still occupied. Grateful that soviets killed or deported about 1/5 of Estonian population. Grateful for destroying our economy. (Before occupation Estonia was about the same level with Finland). Grateful trying to destroy our culture (about 30% of forced russian speaking immigration; russian schools; in many cities you could not speak our native language). Grateful of destroying Estonian nature with superwasteful mining industries. So many things to be grateful of! Now tell the people from Georgia and Ukraine, how has Russia changed and how we should not be careful with Russia. Thank you very much, but we all know what Russian "protection" means. We all do!

[@grigorescuadrian3829]

One of the best documentaries on this topic, clearly explaining what happened. Congratulations !

[@jakeholder1]

GREAT production with extremely accurate historical summary. Now we just need history form 1992 to now. 🙏 I will donate to that cause. Thank you, Sir.

[@shononoyeetus8866]

"the most important thing the Soviet Union did during the Polish revolution..........was nothing"

[@mikefay5698]

Stupidest uprising that ever there was!

[@k0mentator507]

Mike Fay especially that communist government was replaced with a fascist one :D

[@mikefay5698]

Stupidest uprising ever to form a Landlord Government with the Red Army a few miles away. Poland is now a happy? Cappie paradise for privatisation and misery for the Workers like everywhere else! Covid 19 anyone!

[@mikefay5698]

@@k0mentator507 Putin might well be a looter Capitalist and inspired to be Tsar and Sainthood. But he is not a Fascist the old Stalinist Communist Party is still around. As Putin would say without Stalin I would never would be President for life!

[@k0mentator507]

Mike Fay I mean government in poland tho

[@ianletbey]

I loved that you put music by composers of the country you were talking about! Hungarian dances when talking about hungary, bach when talking about germany, Dvorak when talking about Czechoslovakia ❤️

[@zaibalo]

Except, Hungarian dances were written by Brahms (a German).

[@ianletbey]

@@zaibalo you're right. I would've chosen one of Liszt Hungarian Rhapsodies

[@user-um1ph4tz3t]

also for ukraine there was either anthem of USSR or dead silence. What a shame :c

[@slidenapps]

@@ianletbey hahaha

[@gailblissitt4504]

Thank you for this excellent video. you made the complex understandable and the animations were perfect !!! Well done…Thank you .

[@davidmdomingo]

Very well explained. Thank you !

[@PeterKocic]

I actually have a small piece of the Berlin Wall somewhere at home in a box, we got there as tourists in the summer of -90 (by car from Sweden down to Jugoslavia). There were guys there who rented out hammers and chisel, so you could help tear down the wall. I was 11 yo at that time, remember it as if it was yesterday. Visiting Check Point Charlie etc. It was an amazing period, and the STARK contrast as you crossed from west to east I will never forget. Was like going into a different city, in terms of architecture and just general polish of the city.

[@Charmly7035]

That’s actually really cool! Hope you can find the stones!

[@Tyler-ll2ic]

same here.

[@alex-qp1tg]

Причину контраста знаешь? Почему так много денег вложили в западный Берлин? Результат это ваше впечатление

[@4Deadserious]

@@alex-qp1tg Uhhh to show the prosperity of capitalism and prove its superiority? Which it did.

[@alex-qp1tg]

@@4Deadserious превосходство? Кризис 80х не пережил бы капитализм, если бы не развал. Жить за счёт других, вот в чем смысл.

[@simonmay1671]

3:41 Finland is finally displayed correctly on a map

[@FDNY101202]

OOF

[@jameslegrand848]

What's a Finland? Is that where all the fishes are ?

[@odinswolf4301]

@@jameslegrand848 r/wooosh

[@razzy113]

Sugar Bear Uh that's sarcasm mate

[@annoyed707]

Don't kid yourself. Finland has it all (except for ice parrots, but I digress.)

[@jimmylam1486]

Very informative and well-organised documentary. I learnt a lot in just half an hour. Thank you Sir.

[@badad0166]

I'll have to watch it a few times to absorb it all. Very impressive work.

[@illiteratethug3305]

40:00 Russia: Declares independence from USSR Kazakhstan: "We'll give it a day or two, see how it pans out"

[@effexon]

wasnt Kiriljakov (the last soviet astronaut) landing in Kazakhstan after his space flight?

[@Jart988]

lmao yeah, how the hell was that even possible? Like declaring independence from itself

[@AyUniz]

Jart988 Yeltsin was a traitor

[@allenpasquale8729]

Glad thats "Finnished"...ill see myself out...

[@ztoob8898]

Aww, don't go. We forgive you.

[@Sparklegoat11]

Thank you, this was a spectacular video! Bravo

[@RayyMusik]

What a brilliant video! Thanks for your research and visualization efforts. One minor detail: West and East Germany were not only divided by the Berlin wall; there were GDR fortifications and a death strip along the entire length of the ca. 1,400 km border.

[@latkagravas986]

👍, There was a Wall or Barb Fence on the GDR and Russia side - right? (We both know the Wall on the east side of GDR and Europe)

[@oceanweatherandmapping9414]

"Convincing Message" that is the most convincing message I ever seen

[@rikulappi9664]

"To avoid any controversy, I decided to remove Finland". Such an insightful and diplomatically tactful move! As a Finn I can assure you that controversy over how Axis a power Finland fighting alongside Axis powers really was started 1941 and still goes on strong.

[@alexv3357]

Among the Axis, but not truly _of_ the Axis, as it were

[@ohadish]

Wdym Finland doesn't exist he removed it from the world 🤣 it's not a thing anymore and never was.

[@milascave2]

Japan, Germany, and Italy. That was the axis. So I have been taught. So don't confuse me with new information.

[@6ick6ick6ity5]

Finland isnt real nice try

[@blakethegreatone2058]

@@ohadish more real than many middle eastern countries

[@_thacieng]

Understanding what you’re saying over that anthem is so hard 😢. It’s so beautiful to listen 🎧 to ❤

[@kurthealey6936]

I want to thank you for this accurate, concise and much needed perspective on the dismantling of the U.S.S.R.. For me it not only provided a trip down memory lane. But also included tid bits of forgotten IMPORTANT detail. Huge thumbs up!

[@prevaloir5362]

This isn't accurate

[@memeoverlord-pz5ns]

It's not accurate at all. Bolsheviks didn't overthrow Nicholas 2.

[@latkagravas986]

👍, and great hear on the validity of this video further. I grew up in the States in the late 80s and early 90s and the dam tv or newspapers did not make it easy to understand in simple terms of it. From it's history and meaning to what it meant.

[@Prubkoopa]

Its like there is a little Prussian map in Gorbachev's head

[@SavageFroot]

r/TIHI

[@reshpeck]

It's Finland.

[@domingoiocco8183]

God its even worse now xD

[@markarca6360]

That's a birthmark.

[@n.y.a.k.a.n.g6630]

@@markarca6360 oh naw, I thought it was a pimple

[@britishenough7690]

Correction: The Tsar was overthrown by a liberal faction, who created a provisional government. A few months in, the Bolsheviks overthrew this provisional government, removing a lot of their legitimacy. They weren’t even the only communist party in Russia at the time. The Mensheviks believed in a gradual transition to communism. Edit: I forgot that the Socialist Revolutionary Party was another far-left socialist party that rivaled the Bolsheviks.

[@barrontrump3179]

so your saying the liberals ruined russia and everything bad in russia can be blamed on the liberals?

[@jangrosek4334]

You forgot to mention the Socialist Revolutionary Party, which was more popular than the Bolsheviks and was one of their main opponents. They were agrarian socialism / democratic socialism.

[@altairibnlaahad6593]

Yea the October Revolution was the Bolsheviks

[@britishenough7690]

Barron Trump no. Liberals only held power for like, 8 months? The Bolsheviks did way more damage later on with famines, WW2, and purges of “traitors”.

[@SlavicBoi]

the Menshevicks

[@rogerward6242]

This video has filled in so many knowledge gaps for me. Thank you!!

[@Wasabitheband1]

Thanks. Excellent work!

[@Miksha]

Romania actually has a lot of info about the fall of the USSR told in school, I think it varies on a teacher by teacher basis tho if they decide to have it by its own or combine it with relevant lessons about the Communist era in Romania

[@HistoryScope]

I generalised, but you're right, I'm sure there are a lot of good teachers, schools, and programmes that teach it well to their students :)

[@termenu]

They actually teach us about it. I started school in 91, by 98 we had all the story being taught to us.

[@ilyal5712]

As far as I know, life after killing of Chaushesku was even worse. Even now youth relocate to European countries, leaving economy in hard condition. Romanians, correct me if I am wrong. How your life is after fall of USSR and how is life for now?

[@wembleyyy]

@@ilyal5712 The communist regime is not compared to democracy. In Romania it is much better now than before

[@supermash1]

As a young person I remember when Ceaușescu was hung in the streets. He was depicted as a greedy dictator in Canada, with a palace of marble built for himself while his people starved. I had no sympathy for him.

[@thechickenskull]

Particularly with the strife (war) going on recently, I wanted to fill the massive gap in my knowledge of this history. I could have found no better video, and one whose 40 minutes melted away like seconds. Clear, detailed yet concise and incredibly informative. Thank you so much for creating this. Fabulous job.

[@vadimuha]

Isn't it fascinating how Russia managed to basically hide the Ukraine from the world map? It was there, it was screaming, but everyone just pretended like it doesn't exist

[@mariomirabal4288]

that's on purpose. it is easier to lie, specially about who is responsible for what, when that knowledge is opaque. the west viewed it as the fall of communism and didn't care for the details, Russia viewed it as a humiliation since they only got to keep their autonomous republics (oh the horror), and everyone else pushed it under the rug hoping they weren't next on the block.

[@latkagravas986]

👍, Indeed. Since the invention of he internet - this clip video helped so much of what I grew up with 'not knowing' and understanding these details. Now I can see why Putin is a lil bitch too.

[@StewartCoad]

Very interesting Video. Thank you for making it, I really enjoyed it. You are a very good voice over man, you do not "um" or "err" like so many other KZbinrs do.

[@patriciadias5237]

Loved it, thank you!!! 🎉

[@SubduedRadical]

"At the start of 1989, the Eastern European countries were all considered stable socialist countries. By the beginning of 1990, all Warsaw Pact nations had experienced a political revolution..." It's shocking HOW FAST things went from "everything is fine" to "the face of the world is now completely different". Makes you wonder how wrong those "it can never happen here" people likely are...

[@arthas640]

To be fair the Soviet union was horribly inefficient from the start but slowly got worse, they mostly stopped growing economically in the 70s, and went from being a global leader in scientific advancement to mostly just stealing tech by the 70s. By 1985 Japan, a country with less than half their population and virtually zero natural resources, almost no business or major diplomatic ties with anyone but the US, and not even enough farmland to feed more then about half of their own population, had an economy roughly 3/4 that of the USSR. The soviet union covered up alot of their problems but they had a pretty steady decline internationally from the 70s until they imploded but even before that they were showing cracks from the beginning with all the ethnic groups that hated the russians and each other, all the religions that hated each other and the atheistic Soviets, and all the political groups that hated the single party soviets. The soviet union was pretty much just held together through threat of violence from the start so as soon as they showed any weakness they fell to pieces where most other countries could survive through appealing to the publc in some way

[@ankurgaikwad7252]

I'm here to cook up ideas to tackle chinese communism lol

[@rrice1705]

@@arthas640 So in a way, its decline was like a runaway train that built up speed slowly at first, over the course of about 30 years or so, then went over a cliff.

[@arthas640]

@@rrice1705 yes, and to extend the metaphor the crash happened because the engineer wasn't qualified, was paid minimum wage, got drunk on mouthwash, and passed out at the controls. Also the train was made out of cardboard painted to look like metal. The cargo was mainly turnips.

[@MattafixTm]

Nothing was stable after the revolution, people literally did not know what to do.

[@GarrettMerkin]

As a US citizen, we really only cover in depth the Revolution, Stalin era/ WWII, and Glasnost and Gorbs. Looking forward to this one.

[@GarrettMerkin]

@@bobthedemolisher9259 definitely. AP Euro was the course that set me on to a history major. We mostly focused on Western Europe and the Enlightenment era. Modern was covered but mostly from a western perspective. I took one course at UMASS in my last year to study the USSR. That was super in depth but we only covered a few decades as a result. Up until Stalin's death. Keep historying, my friend.

[@GarrettMerkin]

@@bobthedemolisher9259 You're one hundred percent right. It is disappointing. Where you living? I grew up in Connecticut, went to school in Boston and have been living in Florida for well over a decade.

[@GarrettMerkin]

@@bobthedemolisher9259 after the whole college thing I wound up getting into the restaurant industry lol. Worked all different positions in a few places for about 12 years and enjoyed every second of it. Since everything has closed I am currently working at a Publix. Lol. It's alright. Had a good time down here. Right now is just a little rough for everyone. Still grateful for what I've got and happy that I am able to spend my free time doing things like this.

[@GarrettMerkin]

@@bobthedemolisher9259 how you holding up up there?

[@HistoryScope]

A nice civil debate. I love my audience.

[@tabithaserieux-burgess7126]

Thank you for this very interesting and informative video.

[@howard1beale]

This is great thank you. I can recommend it to my students

[@buffchic13]

'..... I'll just remove Finland.' Alright then.

[@xeanderman6688]

Outstanding move

[@Crick1952]

That's how you handle drama

[@NevrSilent]

lol...poor Finland and the endless "It was complicated" relationship for historians and Finnish alike when it comes to WWII. The fact that Finland was fighting its own "Northern War" against the Soviets while Germany was invading has been difficult for Finland to sufficiently extricate themselves in the public eye from being seen as "On the Nazi's side." "Look man, we just had the same enemy. It's not like we were Nazis!"

[@Crick1952]

@@NevrSilent Finland: "We weren't Nazis!" World: *points to swastika on Finnish airforce flag* Finland: "It's complicated..."

[@Partajeesus]

@@Crick1952 Well the swastika was adopted as the insignia of the Finnish air force way back in 1918 decades before nazis defamed the entire symbol (seemingly forever). And yes the relationship with Germany was "problematic" (to say the least) in hindsight but at the time the Finns were disappointed in allies bullshitting them during the winter war and the help of Germans was seen as an opportunity to gain back territories lost to Stalin. Finland never signed the Tripartite act and didn't go "full barbarossa" on the soviets despite Hitler's urges because the main objective was to keep whatever was lost in the winter war. For example Finland didn't try to close off the siege of Leningrad which probably was a good idea since Stalin would have never forgiven that. Alignment with Germany was seen as "realpolitik" at the time because of the volatile communist regime right next door and the Germans were the only ones offering any help (granted it was because of their own imperial ambitions but help nonetheless). People may want to throw Finland in the basket of deplorable axis countries but Finland did not persecute jews and was the only mainland European country involved in the war that retained it's democracy before, during and after the war (while most countries devolved in to various forms of autocracy and/or became occupied puppet states).

[@frickitycrackity7986]

21:24 can we talk about the sign that says: convinving message. Also you removing finland is so funny

[@mammuchan8923]

Happy New Year to you too, keep up the good work 👌

[@siulseyer8053]

Well done. Explained in understandable terms. Smooth delivery. Thanks

[@InciteFire]

KZbin, 1:30 AM: Wanna learn about the fall of soviet Russia? Me: hmm yeah, I can cut 40 minutes of sleep.

[@HistoryScope]

Don't lose sleep over my videos please. Your health is more important :)

[@indianshrek4299]

@@HistoryScope No. OUR HEALTH

[@cucumber623]

sleep?

[@JackRabbitSlim]

@@indianshrek4299 Da, Comrade!

[@chandraguptsingh8153]

@@HistoryScope yes, this happened with me too but 3am

[@jvcolddayinhell2761]

History Scope: **uploads video** Me: **happiness noise** History Scope: **removes Finland** Finnish People: "Excuse me what the f***"

[@alexandrub8786]

THEY wanted that.

[@talhabintariq786]

I'm pretty sure if there ever was a Finnish word for Bruh Moment... it would be "Winter War"!

[@hyperteleXii]

I'm Finnish and I burst out laughing :D

[@yousefseed1874]

History Scope removes Finland better than the Commies

[@itsblitz4437]

Finland lands the Ban Hammer on History Scope.

[@abogadocarlosmorthera]

Excellent documentary. Many thanks! Greetings from Cancún, México 🇲🇽

[@frednorman1]

Superb video, brilliant. I am subscribing to your channel and look forward to your other videos…

[@feelda303]

I'm Czech and I remember when Russians left our country. I was 10 and was sitting by bond fire with Russian troops and had no idea what all this was about. I was just a little kiddo who saw cool tanks and guys with AK's. I also remember some of the roads having tank tracks on them for long years after Russians left.

[@Wither5000]

Were you scared?

[@feelda303]

@@Wither5000 no, not really

[@leexingha]

@@Wither5000 lol why?!

[@ems4884]

@@leexingha Xing isn't afraid of tanks. Xing was at Tiananmen Square in 1989.

[@leexingha]

@@ems4884 i was on vietnam when US indiscriminately killing everyone in the village & spraying agent orange on the field

[@MisterTipp]

I mean, Finland wasn't technically an axis power, but they fought with the Germans against the Soviets for obvious reasons. That said, removing Finland altogether from the map is fucking hilarious, I love it

[@K0ukku]

Yeah. Technically Finland was not part of Axis, but in practice Finland was in alliance with Nazi Germany. There was German troops fighting in Finland fighting alongside with Finnish soldiers against the common enemy - the Soviets. Hitler visited Finland in 1942 to greet Mannerheim and other stateheads. Finland received substantial aid from Germany - food and weapons during 1941-1944. If this is not military alliance I do not know what is. And this is coming from a Finnish guy. Yeah - we were between two biggest dictators in the history - we chose the lesser of two evils. But in practice we were in alliance with the Axis. This fact was totally ignored in the Cold war years, because the Soviet influence in Finland was enormous - they wanted to downplay the right wing past of Finland.

[@Tesnopesno]

I think Finland wanted to stay neutral, but was attacked by USSR. During that they kinda leaned towards USA and Britain, but didn't get much help. After Winter War they allied with Germany to fight USSR, but after separate peace with USSR they fought germans out of Northern Finland. Dunno if it's possible to be neutral and on both sides in WW2.

[@K0ukku]

@@Tesnopesno you're right.

[@Philly_Jump_Over_The_Fence]

Finland just retook the territory it had lost in the Russo-Finnish conflict. That's all they had ever intended to do. They had no wish to assist Germany in its conquest. They could have been very useful to Germany in threatening the Soviet supply lines from Murmansk.

[@kingdomofgeorgia1751]

Because they viewed axes as a liberator and protector from the Kremlin. Author did not mentioned that, but Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia were a part of Germany (after the WWII the Soviet Union annexes them) prior to the WWII. Additionally, many Soviet citizens (Ukrainians, Georgians, Chechens, etc. viewed axes as a liberator.

[@Simsimmer2000]

Excellent Video

[@NishantGogna]

Fantastic video. Subscribed! You’re a great story teller.

[@MrPC1121]

The fact that the soviet era ended so peacefully over such a short period of time is a miracle. I feel as though it may have only been delayed.

[@dragosstefan9779]

not in Romania

[@raketny_hvost]

It didn't end peacefully. National conflicts started by nationaliats are keep going

[@livethefuture2492]

Really is quite astonishing it didnt turn into a civil war as might have happened in previous centuries. i think its probably only because of gorbachov's unique willingness to give up power prevented that from happening. A quality not many leaders possessed.

[@RivieraByBuick]

Depends on what you mean by "short" and "peacful". Ex socialist countries experienced a huge economical and crime problems for at least 10 years after USSR collapsed.

[@saccorhytus]

Barely peaceful tbh. Corruption skyrocketed as well and crime

[@aaronmoots2797]

“To avoid controversy in this video I’ll just remove Finland”. Love it!

[@cookiemonster3147]

Just saying i discovered your channel today. It's great!

[@DAVIDGREGORYKERR]

That is disgusting that someone in Authority would stoop so low as to order the execution of a helpless infant child.

[@Sasha-gd8xi]

This can count as a documentary with how long it is

[@kayzeaza]

I had an Uber who was a Russian soldier in 1991. He was in Uzbekistan and when the Union dissolved he was stuck in Uzbekistan. No job, no money, no way of being repatriated. He didn’t even have a pension from the army. He was luckily able to get a job then he was able to immigrate to the US.

[@Tommy2shoe811]

Space Racer26 yep I’ve met several Russians that went through the same thing.

[@rogerhearn7109]

Tommy2shoe811 I saw Russian fishing boats Moored at the docks in the city of Klipeda Lithuania, three abreast and the Russian crews just left to there own devices, no money ( wages that is ) ships not going to sea, no means of earning just left there to get on with things survive if you can, was told some crew members did get back to Russia, but one wonders if they ever got back into work ever again.??........

[@MrRuski37]

Unfair shit happens to people! Especially during a fall of a huge empire! Everywhere! All the time!!! What excuse the "Perfect" US got for dumping their war veterans? Especially the ones that fought in pointless wars and/or wars for oil and someones profit like Vietnam, Iraq, Libya and so on and on and on! It's no reason to hate the whole country, it's past and present, and especially it's people!!! Russian people ARE AWESOME! Visit, you'll love it!!! Check out kzbin.info/www/bejne/o3WrgKCtjLN9qck

[@danhall6922]

America home of the free.... Fucking sing the national anthem or else

[@fuuz642]

You must be pretty desperate to immigrate to an underdeveloped country such as USA where they are unable to educate their young, can not take care of their sick and where race is still an issue. And their presidents...my God

[@alanmacdonald3763]

Brilliant explanation !

[@adrianbelkin]

Thank you for your great review of this periods history.

[@imdabst6505]

Removes finland to not piss of Finnish people. Every Finnish person: *Gets Even More Pissed*

[@arthas640]

All 12 of them

[@anvarbeknazarov7148]

I am from Uzbekistan and I can say that the information provided in this video is mostly correct and accurate. Thanks for creators.

[@biggamer7876]

I am latvian and can also say it is accurate

[@panajotov]

This channel does very detailed and objective analyses. I was born in ex-Yugoslavia, and the video about the breakup was extremely well-done.

[@rameshsingh2480]

very knowledgeable video.

[@Propofol001]

Always wanted to visit the regions formerly in the USSR from the Baltics, all the way to Vladivostok . I will someday 😊 hello from the USA 🇺🇸

[@user-wu8dg7cp1r]

I'm form Russia, and author clearly biased against Soviet Union

[@candelariaflowers3028]

Thank you for informing

[@RichoRosai]

Some of the best (English) grammar on KZbin. He even used the word "comprise" correctly... Very soothing to listen to :)

[@vasilzahariev5741]

It's finally here, grab something to eat and to drink.

[@DuelJ007]

Thats wouldn't be very soviet of you

[@picardythird]

I love how the background music changes to those of the composers from the countries being discussed, i.e. Tchaikovsky/Russia; Bach/Germany; Dvorak/Czechoslovakia; etc.

[@HistoryScope]

Except Bulgaria... I couldn't find a Bulgarian piece of music that was both out of copyright and good. I got some hymns... But they sounded terrible :D

[@philipschloesser]

Except for Brahms/Hungary.... (Yes, I know, it was the 5th *Hungarian* dance)

[@4rtistPeter]

Fun fact: Me and my friends saw the random fact about the Soviet disolution in November 2021. For some reason, we decided to celebrate the day after Xmas the 30 anniversary of the Death of the Soviet Union (we are from Spain BTW) and we decided to invite an Ukranian friend, which accepted. We drank, we had some soviet star costumes, the people who played instruments learnt some Russian and Chinesse music along with the Ukranian anthem (this was before the war) to play... Every weird party I have after that with other friend group I say "This aint nothing compared to this"

[@sujac664]

Excellent, thank you 👍🏼

[@SuperSuperbowl1]

As Stalin himself once said, “Dark humor is like food, not everyone gets it.”

[@danieltsiprun8080]

Did you really think you could get away reusing such an old joke.

[@boitheboi8031]

@@danieltsiprun8080 stalinist malding

[@tonyisthinking7078]

Huge bruh moment

[@chaospilot2142]

@@danieltsiprun8080 To the Gulag with him!

[@tonyisthinking7078]

@@Maverick.D. ok boomer

[@unematrix]

The USSR. Will. Be. Divided. This video is almost 42 minutes long: This isn't just a KZbin video. It's a documentary.

[@UrWifiIsSlow]

Germany Will Be United

[@noob282butreal]

🦀the Soviet Union is gone🦀

[@readyhd8669]

@@noob282butreal but it will rise again

[@itsblitz4437]

@@readyhd8669 but who? PUTIN?

[@itsblitz4437]

A good documentary.

[@brettstadelmann2589]

Brilliant, thank you!!

[@GlennMartinez]

Fantastic explanation!