Question

Which one of the following statements is incorrect?

a. All foreign radio stations were jammed in the Soviet Union, and Soviet citizens did not have any access to foreign broadcasts.

b. Even though he was a Politburo member in the early 1980s, Gorbachev could not see the state budget.

c. Top Soviet leaders often did not receive briefings on military expenses.

d. No independent media was allowed in the Soviet Union.

Answer 1

The incorrect statement is about the complete jamming of foreign broadcasts in the Soviet Union, as some Soviet citizens did access foreign radio stations, especially during the later years under Gorbachev's glasnost.

Step-by-step explanation:

The incorrect statement among the options provided is: "All foreign radio stations were jammed in the Soviet Union, and Soviet citizens did not have any access to foreign broadcasts." This is not entirely true as while the Soviet Union did jam some foreign broadcasts, it was not universally effective, and some citizens found ways to access them, particularly as controls began to relax under Gorbachev's policy of glasnost. Mikhail Gorbachev's reforms, such as glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring), introduced some elements of freedom and openness including allowing criticism of the government, which was a significant shift from previous Soviet policies.

Despite this, there was still a lack of independent media, and certain high-ranking members like Gorbachev himself initially had limited access to information such as the state budget or military expenses. This era marked a fundamental change as the Soviet Union moved towards political openness, leading to the eventual end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet system.