Issues

Gorbachev took on the corruption in the government, the failing USSR economy, the rise of alcoholism in USSR, failing communist support, Soviet-Afghan war, The Cold War, the threat of Nuclear War, Religion, Civil Rights, Berlin Wall, German Reunification, East Europe, Soviet Relationt, and turning the USSR into a democracy.

Influences

Without Gorbachev, Russia could still be part of the USSR, some or all East European countries would still be communist pupets, Afghanastan being a communist state, and the continuation of the Cold War. He influenced a person like Boris Yeltsin, the first president of Russia. Although they hate each other they were good friends and both had the same ideas/policies.