Changes

== Role in last days of the Soviet Union ==

== Role in last days of the Soviet Union ==

Since he was seen as the anti-Gorbachev, Boris Yeltsin was popular only at the start, so the [[communists]] were angry and determined to stop Yeltsin's challenge. In August 1991, they ordered the soldiers to kill Yeltsin{{fact}}. As a sign of a system losing control, the soldiers refused the order, even though it is rare for troops refuse orders like this. In a communist country, such refusal was unheard of prior to the fall of the [[Berlin Wall]] in 1989. One example of this is exemplified by Yeltsin's trip to visit a grocery store in Texas.  On September 16, 1989, Yeltsin made a surprise visit to Randall's grocery in Clear Lake, Houston, Texas. Yeltsin was reportedly amazed that all the shelves were stocked, shocked at free samples handed to people in the store, and curious on whether other American stores were also this way.<ref>[https://thefederalist.com/2019/11/13/how-a-russians-grocery-store-trip-in-1989-exposed-the-lie-of-socialism/ How A Russian’s Grocery Store Trip In 1989 Exposed The Lie Of Socialism]</ref>  Coming from a life in a Communist country, he was used to scarcity in grocery stores instead of capitalist abundance.

Since he was seen as the anti-Gorbachev, Boris Yeltsin was popular only at the start, so the [[communists]] were angry and determined to stop Yeltsin's challenge. In August 1991, they ordered the soldiers to kill Yeltsin{{fact}}. As a sign of a failed communist system losing control, the soldiers refused the order, even though it is rare for troops refuse orders like this. In a communist country, such refusal was unheard of prior to the fall of the [[Berlin Wall]] in 1989. One example of this is exemplified by Yeltsin's trip to visit a grocery store in Texas.  On September 16, 1989, Yeltsin made a surprise visit to Randall's grocery in Clear Lake, Houston, Texas. Yeltsin was reportedly amazed that all the shelves were stocked, shocked at free samples handed to people in the store, and curious on whether other American stores were also this way.<ref>[https://thefederalist.com/2019/11/13/how-a-russians-grocery-store-trip-in-1989-exposed-the-lie-of-socialism/ How A Russian’s Grocery Store Trip In 1989 Exposed The Lie Of Socialism]</ref>  Coming from a life in a Communist country, he was used to scarcity in grocery stores instead of capitalist abundance.

Many{{fact}} explain this as occurring because by 1991 almost everyone could see the writing on the wall: the West was winning and Russia had an opportunity to embrace [[capitalism]]. By 1991 ordinary Russians were very cynical about their system of government and envied the material success of their Western neighbors. Blaming Gorbachev for this state of affairs, more traditional Communists confined him in his dacha on the [[Black Sea]] for three days, announcing he had stepped down for health reasons. They probably intended to kill him once things settled down{{fact}}. Because of Yeltsin, who brought tens of thousands of his supporters into [[Red Square]] to protect the [[Russian State Duma]], things never did.

Many{{fact}} explain this as occurring because by 1991 almost everyone could see the writing on the wall: the West was winning and Russia had an opportunity to embrace [[capitalism]]. By 1991 ordinary Russians were very cynical about their system of government and envied the economic success of their Western neighbors. Blaming Gorbachev for this state of affairs, more traditional Communists confined him in his dacha on the [[Black Sea]] for three days, announcing he had stepped down for health reasons. They probably intended to kill him once things settled down{{fact}}. Because of Yeltsin, who brought tens of thousands of his supporters into [[Red Square]] to protect the [[Russian State Duma]], things never did.

Although the attempted [[coup d'état]] failed, Yeltsin's response demonstrated Gorbachev's irrelevance to the future of Russia. He promptly resigned as head of the Communist Party, and then [[Latvia]], [[Estonia]] and other Soviet republics declared their independence as [[Lithuania]] had. On [[Christmas]] Day, 1991, Gorbachev resigned as president of the [[Soviet Union]], which formally ceased to exist on the same day.<ref>http://www.conservapedia.com/World_History_Lecture_Thirteen</ref>

Although the attempted [[coup d'état]] failed, Yeltsin's response demonstrated Gorbachev's irrelevance to the future of Russia. He promptly resigned as head of the Communist Party, and then [[Latvia]], [[Estonia]] and other Soviet republics declared their independence as [[Lithuania]] had. On [[Christmas]] Day, 1991, Gorbachev resigned as president of the [[Soviet Union]], which formally ceased to exist on the same day.<ref>http://www.conservapedia.com/World_History_Lecture_Thirteen</ref>