Film: Gorbachev - Downfall
Film Series: Power and authority in Russia and the USSR
By Emeritus Professor Archie Brown, published 19th January 2024
![MOSCOW. A meeting was held at noon on 22 August 1991 near the RSFSR House of the Soviets in honour of the victory of Russian democracy over the reaction and was attended by many thousands of people. The tricolour Russian flag flew on the podium and it was on that very day that it acquired the status of a Russian state symbol. Russian President Boris Yeltsin congratulated the crowd on their victory and expressed his most profound thanks to those who had gathered during the preceding days and nights to defend democracy. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Attribution: Kremlin.ru](https://history.org.uk/library/2401/0000/0029/Boris_Yeltsin_22_August_19911_640.jpg)
The end of the Soviet Union
Professor Archie Brown looks at the forces that led to Gorbachev's eventual downfall. He also examines the coup in 1991, the rise of Boris Yeltsin and the subsequent breakup of the Soviet Union.
This film is part of our film series that looks at Russian history through the lens of leadership from Alexander II to Yeltsin. New films will be published throughout 2024.
This resource is FREE for Historian HA Members.
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