The Polish Crisis in 1980 and 1981
by adam sturdee

1. Causes
1.1. strike of shipyard workers in Gdansk. (Laurie)
1.1.1. Which was because of Poor Working conditions and Poor Wages due to impacts of communism (Ben)
1.2. Food shortages. (Laurie)
1.2.1. 1976:60% rise in prices (Alex)
1.2.1.1. Another rise in 1980's (Alex)
1.3. Catholic church being prosecuted. (Laurie)
1.4. Censorship increased, phone connections in Poland were cut off. (Laurie)
1.5. The rise of the new Polish Pope led to calls for freedom of worship for the Polish catholics. (Jess)
1.6. Polish people hated Soviet rule and resented the USSR and soviet troops that were stationed there (Dave)
1.7. loss of national idenity which the polish were big believers in as before the soviets they had a strong national idenity (Mav)
1.8. Solidarity became a theat to Soviet Control not only in Poland but also countries in the Eastern Bloc. (Laurie)
1.9. whether or not solidarity should become a political movement placed pressure on the Government to reform rather that a traditional trade union working on the rights of the of its workers. (Laurie)
1.10. Genral Jarulzelski was forced by the hard line polish government to take action because they could not accept what was going on in poland. (Mav)
2. Consequences
2.1. Strikes continued, and Solidarity arose 6 years later. Lech Walessa became President of Poland after the collapse of Communism, 1990-95. (Steph)
2.2. Martial law continued for 7 years until 1988. (James and Jess)
2.3. Strong anti-Soviet backlash in West - Reagan began making more weapons and Western aid was increased. (James and Jess)
2.3.1. USA heap military aid on anti communist guerillas in Afgahnistan and Nicaruga (Dave)
2.3.2. Cruise and Pershing missiles stationed in Europe by US (Dave)
2.3.3. US Trying to outspend Soviet Bloc; which would lead to their downfall. (Ben)