Mikhail Gorbachev

Mikhail Gorbachev can be credited with ending the Cold War, but also can be blame for the collapse of the Soviet Union. For instance, the Soviet Union had been isolated from the rest of the world since the 1920’s and it was something Gorbachev wanted to end; he dismantled the old philosophies regarding foreign affairs and attempted to revive the stagnant economy of Soviet Union. Mikhail Gorbachev believed that security of the nation would be more beneficial if the USSR would be to hold a minimal

Russia had many complications before Mikhail Gorbachev came into power for the Soviet Union. During 1939 through 1945, Russian took part in World War II heavily and were led by Dictator Joseph Stalin. Following the war, Russia was in a nuclear arms race with America, riding on everyone’s fear of there being a World War III and a nuclear war. Post World War II Russia and the rest of the Soviet Union had very poor living conditions due to the mass of poverty. In 1962, the Cuban Missile Crisis took

examine the circumstances that led up to the Soviet Union’s eventual downfall by mainly focusing Mikhail Gorbachev’s term as leader of the Communist party of the Soviet Union and what changes he brought about through glasnost and perestroika, democratization and the national independence movements that began as a result of it, and lastly failed coup by conservative members of the USSR against Gorbachev that ultimately became the last nail in the coffin for the

included a number of aspects: the economic impact on both sides, the Space Race, the strong military coalitions, the sophisticated weapons development, and the steep financial costs. The Cold War ended in 1991, during Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev’s tenure. Gorbachev introduced Glasnost, the allowing of western goods to be imported, and perestroika, the easing of the government’s control on the economy. The reality set in that the Cold War was over when the Soviet Union dissolved into 15 separate

included a number of aspects: the economic impact on both sides, the Space Race, the strong military coalitions, the sophisticated weapons development, and the steep financial costs. The Cold War ended in 1991, during Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev’s tenure. Gorbachev introduced Glasnost, the allowing of western goods to be imported, and perestroika, the easing of the government’s control on the economy. The reality set in that the Cold War was over when the Soviet Union dissolved into 15 separate

delusional men. It was clear that, as Mikhail Gorbachev himself said the night before being appointed the head of the Communist Party, “We can’t go on living like this” (Gaddis, 229). Mikhail Gorbachev was a relatively young and educated leader, ready to change the USSR for the better. But it is here – attempting to juggle his new social reform policies and his desire to stay in power – that Gorbachev stumbled. By the end of 1991, it was evident that Gorbachev was not a good juggler at all – not only

of political discussions (Valerie Bunce, 223). In 1985 Mikhail Gorbachev took over as leader and

This essay will prove how the end of the cold war was caused by Gorbachev and his policies to a large extent. The end of the Cold war was also due to President Reagan and the collapse of The Soviet Union to a smaller extent. Gorbachevs policies were Glasnost and perestroika. Perestroika translates to “restructuring” and this was the restructuring of the economy from the state, and the social and political restructuring. Glasnost translates to “openness” and this was the freedom of the press. Glasnost

convention known as the “Geneva Summit Meeting” these two men assented to the idea of Gorbachev that the utilization of strategic weapons be terminated. As a result, they met again in 1986 at Reykjavik, Iceland to finalize the reduction agreement but it did not succeed. Although Reagan complemented the plan, he complained because it would require a voluminous amount of money and it would be a failure. Gorbachev wanted to get the USSR back on its foot and he formulated reform known as perestroika

Gorbachev or Traitor From 1947-1991, the looming fear of war between the USSR and the United States was a constant anxiety for citizens and their governments, because of differing ideologies that they believed in. Both sides were fearful of nuclear weapons that had been created by the U.S. and used in Japan. Frightened by its destructive power, the then USSR began to create its own Nuclear weapons to compete with the U.S., instilling fear of nuclear assured destruction. This lead to what we know