Why Is Mikhail Gorbachev Contribute To The End Of The Cold War?

The Cold War was an unforgettable event between the USA and the USSR, stamped onto our historical timeline. While it is important to figure out who really caused the war, what’s even more significant is who finally put an end to the nuclear nightmare. However, out of so many pivotal key events and people, it’s difficult to choose just one factor that led to the conclusion of the Cold War. With that being said, there is still one critical person that gave great impact to this memorable finale: Mikhail Gorbachev, the last supreme leader of the Soviet Union. Gorbachev had the most contribution to the abrupt end of the Cold War because he decreased the threat of communism and gave hope to the people in eastern Europe for a communist-free life.
When Gorbachev came into power, he was left with the deteriorating economy of the USSR. Throughout the Cold War, there was a competition for superiority in the development and accumulation of weapons known as the Arms Race. The Arms Race was a very controversial part of the war, and neither superpower wanted to admit defeat and drop out of the race. Not only would it be a public shame to lose to the other, but it brings in the risk of having the opponent discover new, dangerous weapons that are even more threatening than the nuclear bombs they currently had at the time. However, it was evident that America’s economy was incredibly larger than the Soviets’. As Reagan poured more and more money into the funds for the Arms Race, it became increasingly difficult for the Soviets to keep up due to their smaller economy. Gorbachev knew
Many are grateful for the freedom he had given his people, helping them break the unjust chains they were bound in. His heartfelt demeanor was awarded all around the world, including the Nobel Peace Prize. His actions and divergent opinions led to the events that caused the finale of the Cold War. However, the drastic Soviet loss brought shame to the USSR, and the hard-line communists blamed Gorbachev for the dissolution of the Soviet communism. Nevertheless, whether you view it as constructively resulting in peace or destructively tearing the Soviet Union apart, he was the most prominent and controversial factor in this conclusion to the war. He failed some while he freed some, and even though he lost this historic event, he disabled this grenade of a war that was just waiting to explode and destroy humanity as we know