Collapse of the Soviet Union The End of an Empire

At midnight on December 31, 1991, the flag of the Soviet Union came down for the last time, signaling the end of Soviet power and the end of the communist dream. After the Russian Revolution of 1917, Soviet leaders had aimed to establish communism throughout the world. But early idealism turned to dictatorship, fueling the long, terrifying stalemate of the Cold War. By 1989, the Soviet Union was tottering, unable to control its own inhabitants or compete with the West. Its collapse changed global politics forever.Langley, Andrew is the author of 'Collapse of the Soviet Union The End of an Empire', published 2006 under ISBN 9780756520090 and ISBN 0756520096.