The anti-Soviet protests in Poland in the 1980s were a major factor in the eventual breakup of the Soviet Union. The protests, which began in the city of Gdańsk in 1980, were a direct challenge to the Soviet Union's control over the country. The protests spread throughout the country and eventually led to the formation of the Solidarity movement, which was a major force in the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union. The protests also helped to inspire similar movements in other Soviet-controlled countries, which further weakened the Soviet Union's grip on the region.