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'''Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev''' was born on March 2, 1931, in the agricultural region of [[Stavropol]] and became was the last effective leader of the [[Soviet Union]] in 1985. Embarking on a new openness with the outside world not previously seen under Soviet rule, Gorbachev became quite popular in the westWest.
==Early Life==Born in the agricultural region of [[Stavropol]], Gorbachev attended [[Moscow]] University, where he studied law. In 1953 he married Raisa Titorenko, who was another University a fellow student. Then he He returned to [[Stavropol]], and began to move gradually upward in the Communist Party. Following the death of then communist leader [[Konstantin Chernenko]] in 1985, Gorbachev was elected General Secretary.{{fact}} As General Secretary, Gorbachev improved relations with the [[United States]]'s president, [[Ronald Reagan]]. He embarked on an extensive mission of reforming the communist Soviet Union. He succeeded in reforming it politically, economically, and socially under the slogans of "[[Glasnost]]" which means "openness", and "[[Perestroika]]", meaning "restructuring". It is questioned to what extent he intended to bring about the wholesale changes that swept the Soviet Union and its satellites and how much events moved out of control.
He was "relieved" of office in 1991 after successfully bringing down 74 years of feared communist rule and surviving a temporary "coup" by ==General Secretary==Following the old communist guard that didn't take off and quickly fizzled. Although still thought death of fondly Communist leader [[Konstantin Chernenko]] in the west1985, Gorbachev did not maintain his popularity at home. After his "retirement" he was forced to live on a pension that deteriorated quickly in value as the Russian currency collapsed in the post communist era. Gorbachev was awarded the 1990 [[Nobel Peace Prize]]elected General Secretary.<ref>[http://nobelprizewww.britannica.orgcom/nobel_prizeseb/peacearticle-9037405/ Nobel Peace Prize]Mikhail-Gorbachev</ref>As General Secretary, Gorbachev improved relations with the [[United States]] and embarked on an extensive mission of reforming the Communist Soviet Union. He succeeded in reforming it politically, economically, and socially under policies known as ''[[glasnost]]''("openness") and ''[[perestroika]]'' ("restructuring"). It is questioned to what extent he intended to bring about the wholesale changes that swept the Soviet Union and its satellites and how much events moved out of control.
==Religious views==In April 1990, Gorbachev granted a one-on-one meeting to arch anti-Communist [[Sun Myung Moon]]. Father Moon urged him to grant religious freedom to his nation, saying::"Mr. President, you have already achieved much success through perestroika, but that alone will not be sufficient for reform. You need to immediately allow [[freedom of religion]] in the Soviet Union. If you try to reform only the material world, without the involvement of [[God]], perestroika will be doomed to fail. [[Communism]] is about to end. The only way to save this nation is to allow the freedom of religion. The time is now for you to act with the courage that you have shown in reforming the Soviet Union and become a president of the world who works to bring about [[world peace]]."<ref> [http://cheonilguk2013.blogspot.com/2010/12/allow-freedom-of-religion-in-soviet_7230.html “Allow Freedom of Religion in the Soviet Union”]</ref>
* Although baptized He also asked him to revive diplomatic relations with [[South Korea]]. :President Gorbachev met President Roh in the Russian Orthodox church as San Francisco in June that year for a child, Gorbachev publicly professed atheism during his political careerbilateral summit. NonethelessThen, as Soviet presidenton September 30, he campaigned for the establishment of freedom of religion laws in 1990, South Korea and the Soviet Union, viewing signed a historic agreement to open diplomatic relations for the exercise of religious expression as a valuable source of societal cohesion. Finally, first time in March 2008, while visiting the tomb of St. Francis of Assisi, he told the Italian press that he had become a Christian, moved particularly by the life of St. Franciseighty six years. <ref> [http://wwwcheonilguk2013.encyclopediaprojectblogspot.netcom/wiki2010/Mikhail_Gorbachev#Early_life_and_political_career12/allow-freedom-of-religion-in-soviet_8021.html “Allow Freedom of Religion in the Soviet Union”]</ref>
[[Image:Bush and Gorbachev sign agreements.jpg|thumb|300px|Left|Gorbachev (left) signs agreement with President G.H.W. Bush]]
After surviving the unsuccessful August Coup of 1991, and following subsequent referendums in the constituent Soviet republics seeking independence, Gorbachev was forced to resign office on December 25, 1991. The Soviet Union was dissolved the following day. Although still thought of fondly in the West, Gorbachev did not maintain his popularity at home. After his "retirement" he was forced to live on a pension that deteriorated quickly in value as the Russian currency collapsed in the post-Communist era. Gorbachev was awarded the 1990 [[Nobel Peace Prize]].<ref>[http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/ Nobel Peace Prize]</ref>
In 1992 Gorbachev founded The International Foundation for Socio-Economic and Political Studies (The Gorbachev Foundation), an independent think tank committed to "democratic values and moral, humanistic principles in the life of society".<ref>http://www.gorby.ru/en/rubrs.asp?rubr_id=302</ref> He is also the founding president and a board member of the environmental group Green Cross International.<ref>http://dev.gci.creativ-conseil.ch/joomy/</ref>
==Attitude toward religion==
Gorbachev, as Soviet president, campaigned for the establishment of [[freedom of religion]] laws in the Soviet Union, viewing the exercise of religious expression as a valuable source of societal cohesion. However, he remains a lifelong atheist.<ref>http://www.christianpost.com/article/20080324/31660_Gorbachev_Dispels_'Closet_Christian'_Rumors%3B_Says_He_is_Atheist.htm</ref>
==References==
<references/>{{reflist|2}}
{{DEFAULTSORT==External links==*[http://www.mikhailgorbachev.org/ Official website]*[http://www.gorby.ru/en/default.asp The Gorbachev, Mikhail}}Foundation]*[http://dev.gci.creativ-conseil.ch/joomy/ Green Cross International]
[[Category{{DEFAULTSORT:Soviet Leaders]][[Category:Environmentalism]]Gorbachev, Mikhail}}
[[Category:Nobel laureates in Peace]]
[[Category:Russian History]]
[[Category:Soviet Leaders]]
[[Category:Cold War]]
[[Category:Reagan Era]]
[[Category:Atheists]]
