Mikhail Gorbachev's policies and grassroots movements in Eastern Europe were key factors in the fall of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War.
Mikhail Gorbachev, the leader of the Soviet Union during its collapse, played a crucial role in the fall of the Soviet Union. Through policies like glasnost and perestroika, Gorbachev enabled greater political openness and economic restructuring, leading to the eventual dissolution of the Soviet Union. Additionally, the grassroots movements in Eastern Europe and the role of ordinary people in demanding democratic changes were instrumental in shaping the end of the Cold War.