Probably the collapse of the Soviet Union ranks as one of the greatest events of World History.  As you saw in Module 9, the Soviet Union became one of the great Empires rivaling the power and prestige of the United States.  How could such a superpower fall so quickly?

Go to the following links and read the account of the fall of the Soviet Union

• http://www.interknowledge.com/russia/rushis07.htm
• This is a Timeline so you have to click on the dates for the narrative. http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/in_depth/europe/2001/collapse_of_ussr/default.stm

Assignment 9.09 - The Collapse of the Soviet Union

After reading the two articles tell what role each of the following played in the Collapse of the Soviet Union.

1. Mikhail Gorbachev

2. glasnost

3. perestroika

4. Chernobyl

5. Afghanistan War

6. Boris Yeltsin

7. Freedom of the Press

8. Free elections

9. Soviet Satellite states