Gorbachov

Mikhail Gorbachev

Seminar: Gorbachev’s Reform Program, Perestroika, Glasnost, 1989 Revolution.

Historical Importance of Mikhail Gorbachev:
Mikhail Gorbachev was the last General Secretary of the Soviet Union. He brought about massive economic, social, and political changes and helped bring an end to both the Soviet Union and the Cold War.
Also Known As: Gorby, Mikhail Sergeevich GorbachevGorbachev's Childhood
Mikhail Gorbachev was born in the small village of Privolnoye (in the Stavropol Territory) to Sergei and Maria Panteleyvna Gorbachev. His parents and his grandparents had all been peasant farmers before Stalin's collectivization program. With all farms owned by the government, Gorbachev's father went to work as a driver of a combine-harvester.
Gorbachev was ten years oldwhen the Nazis invaded the Soviet Union in 1941. His father was drafted into the Soviet military and Gorbachev spent four years living in a war-torn country. (Gorbachev's father survived the war.)
Gorbachev was an excellent student in school and worked hard helping his father with the combine after school and during the summers. At age 14, Gorbachev joined the Komsomol (the Communist League ofYouth) and became an active member.

College, Marriage, and the Communist Party
Rather than attend a local university, Gorbachev applied to the prestigious Moscow State University and was accepted. In 1950, Gorbachev traveled to Moscow to study law. It was at college where Gorbachev perfected his speaking and debating skills, which became a major asset to his political career.
While at college,Gorbachev became a full member of the Communist Party in 1952. Also at college, Gorbachev met and fell in love with Raisa Titorenko, who was another student at the university. In 1953, the two married and in 1957 their only child was born, a daughter named Irina.
The Beginning of Gorbachev's Political Career
After Gorbachev graduated, he and Raisa moved back to the Stavropol Territory whereGorbachev got a job with the Komsomol in 1955.
In Stavropol, Gorbachev quickly rose up in the ranks of the Komsomol and then obtained a position in the Communist Party. Gorbachev received promotion after promotion until in 1970 he reached the highest position in the territory, first secretary.
Gorbachev in National Politics
In 1978, Gorbachev, age 47, was appointed as the secretary of agricultureon the Central Committee. This new position brought Gorbachev and Raisa back to Moscow and thrust Gorbachev into national politics.
Once again, Gorbachev quickly rose up in the ranks and by 1980, he had become the youngest member of the Politburo (the executive committee of the Communist Party in the Soviet Union).
Having worked closely with General Secretary Yuri Andropov, Gorbachev felt that hewas ready to become General Secretary. When Andropov died in office, Gorbachev lost the bid for office to Konstantin Chernenko. But when Chernenko died in office just 13 months later, Gorbachev, only 54 years old, became the leader of the Soviet Union.

General Secretary Gorbachev Presents Reforms
On March 11, 1985, Gorbachev became the General Secretary of the Central Committee of theCommunist Party of the Soviet Union. Strongly believing that the Soviet Union needed massive liberalization in order to revitalize both the Soviet economy and society, Gorbachev immediately began implementing reforms.
He shocked many Soviet citizens when he announced the ability for citizens to freely voice their opinions (glasnost) and the need to entirely restructure the Soviet Union's economy(perestroika). Gorbachev also opened the door to allow Soviet citizens to travel, cracked down on alcohol abuse, and pushed for the use of computers and technology. He also released many political prisoners.

Gorbachev Ends Arms Race
For decades, the United States and the Soviet Union and been competing with each other over who could amass the largest, most lethal cache of nuclear weapons. As the...