Exploring American Histories: Printed Page 909

Document 28.4

Mikhail Gorbachev | Speech to the United Nations, 1988

Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev instituted two major reform movements, called glasnost and perestroika. Glasnost was meant to transform the Soviet political system by creating more governmental openness and transparency, while perestroika referred to the restructuring of the Soviet economy. In December 1988, Gorbachev stunned the world when he discussed these changes at the United Nations and outlined plans to reduce Soviet military units in Eastern Europe.

Explore

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Source: “Address by Mikhail Gorbachev at the 43rd U.N. General Assembly Session,” December 7, 1988, http://legacy.wilsoncenter.org/coldwarfiles/index–34441.html.

  • Question

    What does Gorbachev’s statement about constructing a state based on the rule of law imply about conditions in the Soviet Union prior to glasnost?

  • Question

    What new possibilities did a free exchange of information represent for Soviet citizens?

  • Question

    What impact would the withdrawal of Soviet troops from the USSR’s satellite nations have on those countries?

Put It in Context

Question

What is Gorbachev’s vision of the future of the Soviet Union? What role did he hope a reformed Soviet Union would play in the world?