GYUMRI
Aftershock:
The Political Consequences of the 1988 Armenian Earthquake
The earthquake of December 7th, 1988 claimed thousands of lives and destroyed thousands of homes. It also had far-reaching political consequences. The relief effort that followed became a symbol of the end of the Cold War, as Western countries rushed to help their former enemy, the Soviet Union. Yet, the wide scale of damage from the earthquake and the disorganized nature of the relief effort also showed the world the degree to which the Soviet system had been plagued by corruption and inefficiency. Finally, the earthquake was followed by a crackdown on the national-democratic movement in Armenia, further eroding the trust in the Soviet system.
07.12.2021