It’s possible we could all have been wiped out decades ago if the leaders at the time handled US/USSR tensions differently, or if the Soviet Union had collapsed differently. Gorby was trying to steer a gargantuan steam locomotive, and it’s kind of a wonder and a gift that he led as he did.
Here’s a gifted link to WaPo’s obituary, which has probably been sitting on someone’s hard drive for twenty years. I have been wondering for the last few months what he thought about the Ukraine invasion, but this obit is mum.
How is Gorbachev viewed in Russia? Do they believe he gave the store away? I have to imagine he was not a favorite of Putin.
But as an American I appreciate what he did and am very thankful for the changes he allowed to happen.
George Schultz passed away last year. Are there any Cold Warriors left?
Kissinger?
Oooo… that’s right. Henry is somehow still kicking.
I saw Kissinger deliver a speech on campus my freshman year at college, probably Fall of ‘84. He was fairly old then. At this point I’ll be surprised if I outlive him.
He was 61 in the fall of 84.
Well, he drinks the blood of sacrificed yutes. He’s going to live forever.
Certainly never thought he’d be around in 2022.
I had one of those pictures of Gorbachev with the port wine stain on his head airbrushed out. I got it from an old Russian dude near my house. He would set up a table on the corner and sell stuff. I also bought a few Soviet war medals from him.
That’s how he’s seen, gave away the Empire for nothing.
The BBC report mentioned this today.
Gorbachev was a pivotal figure in the history of our lifetimes, but yet one that’s hard to evaluate. Did he set Russia on a new path, or merely push the reset button on an old one?
Yup, Kissinger is one of those people who acted 60 when he was 35. Hell, he probably acted 60 when he was 16.
I remember seeing pictures of him dating starlets during the 1970s. He wasn’t acting 60 then.
I’m a little, but not entirely surprised at Kasparov, views on Gorbachev. I think there is more than a little right time, and right place to his success and standing. Still, his willingness to make changes in the system and trust the west takes courage.
Nichols’ area of expertise is Russia and the Soviet Union and he worked for the Naval War College.
Williamson’s area of expertise is spiritual self-help books.
Truly a man of vast consequence, even if he wasn’t always in control of the tides of history. The Washington Post obituary was enlightening, especially about what he saw as a young man in the rural parts of Russia under Stalin and how it affected him. He sounds like a man who tried to be honest in a thoroughly corrupt and delusional milieu. I wouldn’t expect such a man to be very successful, but I would respect him anyway. Rest in peace, Mr. Gorbachev.
My father claims he saw someone who looked like Gorbachev (I guess he was wearing a hat) coming out of the San Francisco public library (main branch, I guess) as he was going in, and then saw Gorbachev’s signature on the guest book? ledger? that they used to have in those days. (I guess “those days” must have been in the early or mid 90s, this story makes less and less sense as I type it out.)