Changes

Following the death of Communist leader [[Konstantin Chernenko]] in 1985, Gorbachev was elected General Secretary.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9037405/Mikhail-Gorbachev</ref> As General Secretary, Gorbachev improved relations with the [[United States]] and embarked on an extensive mission of attempying to reform the Communist Soviet Union under policies known as ''[[glasnost]]'' ("openness") and ''[[perestroika]]'' ("restructuring"). It is questioned to what extent he intended to bring about the wholesale changes that swept the Soviet Union and its satellites and how much events moved out of control.

Following the death of Communist leader [[Konstantin Chernenko]] in 1985, Gorbachev was elected General Secretary.<ref>https://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9037405/Mikhail-Gorbachev</ref> As General Secretary, Gorbachev improved relations with the [[United States]] and embarked on an extensive mission of attempying to reform the Communist Soviet Union under policies known as ''[[glasnost]]'' ("openness") and ''[[perestroika]]'' ("restructuring"). It is questioned to what extent he intended to bring about the wholesale changes that swept the Soviet Union and its satellites and how much events moved out of control.

In 1989, after [[Soviet]] troops moved into [[Tbilisi]] to crack down on protests and killed at least 20 people,<ref>https://www.rferl.org/a/georgia-soviet-demonstrations/25324233.html</ref> Gorbachev was awarded the [[Nobel Peace Prize]] for his efforts to preserve [[communism]] in what was then an [[slavery|enslaved]] Republic of the [[Soviet Union]].

In 1989, after [[Soviet]] troops moved into [[Tbilisi]] to crack down on protests and killed at least 20 people,<ref>https://www.rferl.org/a/georgia-soviet-demonstrations/25324233.html</ref> Gorbachev was awarded the [[Nobel Peace Prize]] for his efforts to preserve [[communism]] in what was then an [[slavery|enslaved]] Republic of the [[Soviet Union]].<ref>[http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/ Nobel Peace Prize]</ref>

[[Image:Bush and Gorbachev sign agreements.jpg|thumb|300px|Left|Gorbachev (left) signs agreement with President G.H.W. Bush]]

[[Image:Bush and Gorbachev sign agreements.jpg|thumb|300px|Left|Gorbachev (left) signs agreement with President G.H.W. Bush]]

After surviving the unsuccessful August Coup of 1991, and following subsequent referendums in the constituent Soviet republics seeking independence, Gorbachev was forced to resign office on December 25, 1991. The Soviet Union was dissolved the following day. Although still thought of fondly in the West, Gorbachev did not maintain his popularity at home.  After his "retirement" he was forced to live on a pension that deteriorated quickly in value as the Russian currency collapsed in the post-Communist era.  Gorbachev was awarded the 1990 [[Nobel Peace Prize]].<ref>[http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/ Nobel Peace Prize]</ref>

After surviving the unsuccessful August Coup of 1991, and following subsequent referendums in the constituent Soviet republics seeking independence, Gorbachev was forced to resign office on December 25, 1991. The Soviet Union was dissolved the following day. Although still thought of fondly in the West, Gorbachev did not maintain his popularity at home.  After his "retirement" he was forced to live on a pension that deteriorated quickly in value as the Russian currency collapsed in the post-Communist era.   

In 1992 Gorbachev founded The International Foundation for Socio-Economic and Political Studies (The Gorbachev Foundation), an independent think tank committed to "democratic values and moral, humanistic principles in the life of society".<ref>http://www.gorby.ru/en/rubrs.asp?rubr_id=302</ref>  He is also the founding president and a board member of the environmental group [[Green Cross International]].<ref>http://dev.gci.creativ-conseil.ch/joomy/</ref> An advocate of [[population control]], Gorbachev is also a member of Club of Madrid.

In 1992 Gorbachev founded The International Foundation for Socio-Economic and Political Studies (The Gorbachev Foundation), an independent think tank committed to "democratic values and moral, humanistic principles in the life of society".<ref>http://www.gorby.ru/en/rubrs.asp?rubr_id=302</ref>  He is also the founding president and a board member of the environmental group [[Green Cross International]].<ref>http://dev.gci.creativ-conseil.ch/joomy/</ref> An advocate of [[population control]], Gorbachev is also a member of Club of Madrid.