Bit strange to have a Reagan biographer write on the day of Gorbachev’s death. He wrote more about Reagan than Gorbachev (and threw in a reference to his own book)
I’m not a fan of the Great Men of History theory but Gorbachev did more to end the Cold War and transform Eastern Europe than anyone. In Russia, he is blamed for the severe social-econmic shock and the reduction of Russia. A friend of mine had a short conversation with him at a history conference. Gorbachev blames the West for providing advisers who were more interested in making money for themselves and/or changing Russia for the benefit of the West. The expansion of NATO without consulting or including Russia added to the disillusionment. Not sure how genuine Gorbachev was but he felt the West not only let him down but missed an opportunity to stretch European peace and security to the Urals and beyond. Neither Yeltsin nor Putin have his idealism and imagination. Reagan definetely did not.
Wandering Views 
Gorbachev certainly influenced my life. https://wng.org/opinions/remembering-mikhail-gorbachev-1661948393
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Bit strange to have a Reagan biographer write on the day of Gorbachev’s death. He wrote more about Reagan than Gorbachev (and threw in a reference to his own book)
I’m not a fan of the Great Men of History theory but Gorbachev did more to end the Cold War and transform Eastern Europe than anyone. In Russia, he is blamed for the severe social-econmic shock and the reduction of Russia. A friend of mine had a short conversation with him at a history conference. Gorbachev blames the West for providing advisers who were more interested in making money for themselves and/or changing Russia for the benefit of the West. The expansion of NATO without consulting or including Russia added to the disillusionment. Not sure how genuine Gorbachev was but he felt the West not only let him down but missed an opportunity to stretch European peace and security to the Urals and beyond. Neither Yeltsin nor Putin have his idealism and imagination. Reagan definetely did not.
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