Answer:
Mikhail Gorbachev, Boris Yeltsin, The Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, The other republics of the Soviet Union, The United States and other Western countries
Step-by-step explanation:
If you think breaking up with your ex was hard, imagine breaking up with 14 other exes at the same time. That's what happened to the Soviet Union in 1991, when it collapsed after decades of trying to keep its dysfunctional relationship together. Here are some of the main characters in this tragicomic drama.
- Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union, who tried to spice things up with reforms like glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring), but ended up losing his grip and his popularity. He was also betrayed by his own vice president, who led a coup attempt against him while he was on vacation. Talk about a bad trip!
- Boris Yeltsin, the first president of Russia, who was the rebel of the group and the leader of the opposition to the Soviet regime. He famously stood on a tank and rallied the people to resist the coup. He also wanted to break free from the Soviet Union and form a new club with other republics, called the Commonwealth of Independent States. He was known for his charisma, his drinking habits, and his dancing skills.
- The Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, who were the first to dump the Soviet Union and declare their independence in 1990-1991. They had to deal with some unwanted attention from Soviet troops, who tried to stop them from leaving. They were like the cool kids who everyone wanted to be friends with.
- The other republics of the Soviet Union, who followed the Baltic states in saying goodbye to the Soviet Union in 1991, especially after the coup failed. Some of them joined Yeltsin's club, while others stayed single. They had various problems such as ethnic conflicts, economic crises, and political instability in their transition to democracy and market economy. They were like the awkward teens who had to find their own identity and place in the world.
- The United States and other Western countries, who supported Gorbachev's reforms and opposed the coup attempt, but also celebrated the end of the Cold War and the collapse of communism. They offered some help and recognition to the new states, but also faced new challenges and opportunities in the post-Soviet world. They were like the neighbors who watched the drama unfold from their windows and occasionally intervened.
The fall of the Soviet Union was a complex and dramatic process that involved many people and events, but some of them were more prominent than others. It was a historical moment that changed the world forever, but also had its funny moments and ironies, and people think their love life was complicated !