Anonymous
Post 08/31/2022 10:01     Subject: Gorbachev dies at age 92.

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:He swallowed his pride and helped dismantle the Soviet Union. I thought he was a great man for this reason.

RIP.


Gorbachev sought to reform the USSR through perestroika and other means in the hope of salvaging the crippled economy. He wasn’t seeking to dismantle the Communist Party of the USSR itself.


Exactly. Gorbachev never wanted to abolish either the Soviet Union or the Communist Party. He merely meant to reform them. But the failed coup in 1991 left Gorbachev badly weakened and Yeltsin, originally loyal to Gorbachev but by then his enemy, greatly strengthened. Later that year, without informing Gorbachev, Yeltsin, along with the Presidents of Ukraine and Belarus, declared the Soviet Union abolished and pulled the Soviet Flag down from the Kremlin. Gorbachev never forgave Yeltsin. Gorbachev was internationally popular but was unpopular in Russia. When Gorbachev ran for President of the Russian Federation in 1996, he received only 0.51% of the vote.

The Chernobyl nuclear disaster was a death blow to the economy and the whole of USSR
Vast expanses of farm land became so contaminated that they will be unusable for several centuries.
He once said that the country was in danger of a civil war.
I was surprised when I heard that. I would have liked to know his thoughts on Ukraine now
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2022 20:18     Subject: Gorbachev dies at age 92.

Anonymous wrote:It’s so strange to me how young he was when the USSR ended. I’m 49 and he seemed just as old as Reagan at the time.

+1 except I’m 47. I always thought he was close to Reagan’s age as well. I didn’t realize he was still alive. RIP
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2022 19:48     Subject: Gorbachev dies at age 92.

Anonymous wrote:The iconic Puzza Hut nicely encapsulated the Gorbachev reforms. Private enterprise, chaos and freedom to speak out in criticism of Soviet leadership.

Worth posting. Similar old/young divide as everywhere at any time.
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2022 19:10     Subject: Gorbachev dies at age 92.

Anonymous wrote:The iconic Puzza Hut nicely encapsulated the Gorbachev reforms. Private enterprise, chaos and freedom to speak out in criticism of Soviet leadership.

As they say, capitalism is the worst system except for all the others.
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2022 19:06     Subject: Gorbachev dies at age 92.

The iconic Puzza Hut nicely encapsulated the Gorbachev reforms. Private enterprise, chaos and freedom to speak out in criticism of Soviet leadership.
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2022 18:50     Subject: Gorbachev dies at age 92.

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:He swallowed his pride and helped dismantle the Soviet Union. I thought he was a great man for this reason.

RIP.


Gorbachev sought to reform the USSR through perestroika and other means in the hope of salvaging the crippled economy. He wasn’t seeking to dismantle the Communist Party of the USSR itself.


Exactly. Gorbachev never wanted to abolish either the Soviet Union or the Communist Party. He merely meant to reform them. But the failed coup in 1991 left Gorbachev badly weakened and Yeltsin, originally loyal to Gorbachev but by then his enemy, greatly strengthened. Later that year, without informing Gorbachev, Yeltsin, along with the Presidents of Ukraine and Belarus, declared the Soviet Union abolished and pulled the Soviet Flag down from the Kremlin. Gorbachev never forgave Yeltsin. Gorbachev was internationally popular but was unpopular in Russia. When Gorbachev ran for President of the Russian Federation in 1996, he received only 0.51% of the vote.
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2022 18:09     Subject: Gorbachev dies at age 92.

“Mr. Gorbachev tear down this wall”
President Reagan
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2022 18:05     Subject: Re:Gorbachev dies at age 92.

Brave man.
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2022 17:32     Subject: Gorbachev dies at age 92.

Anonymous wrote:He swallowed his pride and helped dismantle the Soviet Union. I thought he was a great man for this reason.

RIP.


Gorbachev sought to reform the USSR through perestroika and other means in the hope of salvaging the crippled economy. He wasn’t seeking to dismantle the Communist Party of the USSR itself.
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2022 17:28     Subject: Gorbachev dies at age 92.

He swallowed his pride and helped dismantle the Soviet Union. I thought he was a great man for this reason.

RIP.
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2022 17:21     Subject: Gorbachev dies at age 92.

As far as Russian leaders go in the last 100 years, I liked him.
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2022 17:19     Subject: Gorbachev dies at age 92.

Here's someone who rocked the trend of Russian men life expectancy!
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2022 17:03     Subject: Gorbachev dies at age 92.

I thought he was already dead.
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2022 17:01     Subject: Gorbachev dies at age 92.

It’s so strange to me how young he was when the USSR ended. I’m 49 and he seemed just as old as Reagan at the time.
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2022 16:50     Subject: Gorbachev dies at age 92.

Reuters.