Part 8/10:
Gorbachev's Reforms and the Dissolution of the Soviet Union
In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev took the helm of the Soviet Union, implementing a series of reforms aimed at addressing deep economic and social crises known as Perestroika (restructuring) and Glasnost (openness). These reforms sought to augment freedom of expression and restructure the economy, significantly impacting Soviet society.
However, as Gorbachev's reforms took hold, they began to threaten the traditional Soviet structure. The call for greater freedoms accelerated, leading to burgeoning independence movements across various Soviet republics. By the late 1980s, economic difficulties mounted, placing the future of the Soviet Union in jeopardy.