The collapse of communism

Mikhail Gorbachev, paved the way for political and economic reforms in east central Europe. Gorbachev abandoned the "Brezhnev Doctrine"--the Soviet Union's policy of intervening with military force, if necessary, to preserve communist rule in the region. Instead, he encouraged the local communist leaders to seek new ways of gaining popular support for their rule.

The revolutions of communism in Europe. spread to the Soviet Union itself. Gorbachev was forced to cede power in Russia to Boris Yeltsin, who oversaw the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

East Germany’s 77-year-old party boss Erich Honecker dismissed reforms as unnecessary.

Hungary allowed vacationing East German tourists to cross the border into Austria. From which they could travel to West Germany. In October 1989, huge demonstrations had broken out in cities across East Germany. The protesters demanded the right to travel freely—and later demanded for free elections. Honecker tried to regain control by ordering the police to break up a demonstration in Leipzig. The police refused Honecker lost his authority and resigned on October 18. Egon Krenz, new German leader boldly gambled that he could restore stability by allowing people to leave East Germany.