Gorbachev

Gorbachev became the leader of the Soviet Union in 1985 when it was on a crisis and its economy was very weak. Gorbachev seemed to be different to other leaders. Citizens had no longer loyalty to the government or they did not even care. Gorbachev was very worried about alcoholism since life expectancy of Soviet men decreased from 67 in 1964 to 62 in 1980 and it also meant a decline in Soviet industry.

Gorbachev knew that to solve the problems, Communist slogans were not enough. In 1987 his perestroika programme (restructuring programme) allowed markets forced to be introduced into the Soviet economy. For the first time in 60 years it was no longer illegal to buy and sell for profit. He began to cut spend on defense since it was an enormous drain on the Soviet economy. Two years later, the USA and the USSR signed a treaty to remove most of their missiles from Europe. Gorbachev also withdrew Soviet troops from Afghanistan. However all his policies were not successful.

In 1990, Gorbachev visited Lithuania and they were demanding for independence. Gorbachev didn't liked the idea, however Lithuania stopped being part of the USSR. Sometime later, Azerbaijan demanded the same, so he moved troops into Lithuania and Azerbaijan but the crisis got worst.

In May, the Russian Republic elected Yeltsin as his president, he saw no future on the Soviet Union and said that every country  from the USSR should become independent. In July Ukraine declared its independence and other countries followed.

The USSR was falling apart. In August 1991, Communist Party members and leading military officers attempted to take over the USSR. Gorbachev was held prisoner, they sent tanks to the streets of Moscow. Consequently, huge crowds gathered in Moscow to oppose. Yeltsin emerged as the leader of the opposition. The coup collapsed. As that was the last attempt to save the Soviet Union and it had failed, on 25 December 1991 Gorbachev announced the end of the Soviet Union through television.