Mikhail Gorbachev
- After Brezhnev there were two short term leaders in Russia:
- Yuri Andropov 1982-84 (died)
- Konstantin Chernenko 1984-1985 (temporary replacement)
- Gorbachev took over in 1985
- Began "developed socialism" where he wanted to rid the USSR of corruption
- Gorbachev was forced to change his ways after the 1986 Chernobyl disaster
- Parallel to Lenin and Kronstadt mutiny
Summary
Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev was born on March 2, 1931, to a Russian-Ukrainian family in the village of Privolnoye, in the Krasnogvardeisky District near the Stavropol Territory of southern Russia.Gorbachev’s parents were peasants. His father, Sergei, operated a combine harvester for a living. Sergei was drafted into the Russian Army when the Nazis invaded the USSR in 1941. Three years later, he was wounded in action and returned home to resume operating farm machinery. Sergei passed on his experience with a combine harvester to his young son, Mikhail. Mikhail Gorbachev was a quick learner and showed an aptitude for mechanics.