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Gorbachev Quotes

Reform and Cold War history

One quote describes perestroika as Gorbachev and his supporters Acting on alternatives to policies they viewed as failing at home and abroad.

On March 11, 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev became leader of the Soviet Union, and within a few weeks the full-scale reformation he attempted to carry out both inside his country and in its cold war relations with the West, particularly the...

Quotes by Stephen Cohen

The essential meaning of perestroika for Gorbachev and his supporters was creating and acting on alternatives to failed and dangerous policies at home and abroad.

Quotes by Stephen Cohen

The opportunities that Gorbachev created for international relations have also been missed, perhaps even lost - here, however, primarily because of the United States.

Quotes by Stephen Cohen

Stalin, of course, never went on trial, but his legacy did. In 1956, three years after his death, he was denounced by Nikita Khrushchev. And his crimes were even more explicitly exposed by Mikhail Gorbachev during the late '80s. Yet...

Quotes by Simon Sebag Montefiore

Acting Quotes

Dad's astute knowledge of foreign policy impressed Gorbachev during the time of the Berlin Wall when Dad refused to gloat during the reunification of Germany.

Quotes by Dorothy Bush Koch

I love art. I used to have a painting of Gorbachev that was given to my family by Gorbachev.

Quotes by Armie Hammer

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Frequently Asked Questions

What was the essential meaning of perestroika, according to these quotes?
One quote describes it as Gorbachev and his supporters creating and Acting on alternatives to policies they saw as failed and dangerous, both domestically and abroad. It frames perestroika as a deliberate reform strategy rather than a vague slogan.
When did Gorbachev become Soviet leader, according to this collection?
One quote gives the specific date, March 11, 1985, noting that within weeks he began a full-scale reformation of both his country and its Cold War relationships. It's one of the more precisely dated entries in the set.
Do these quotes suggest Gorbachev's opportunities were fully realized?
No, one quote argues that opportunities he created for international relations were largely missed or lost, placing much of that responsibility on the United States. It offers a more critical, unresolved view of his legacy.
Is Stalin connected to Gorbachev in any of these quotes?
Yes, one quote notes that Stalin's crimes were exposed by Nikita Khrushchev and later even more explicitly detailed through material tied to Gorbachev's era. It links Gorbachev's period to a broader reckoning with earlier Soviet history.
What overall historical picture of Gorbachev emerges here?
Together these quotes present him as a genuine reformer whose full impact remains debated, especially regarding missed diplomatic opportunities. It's a historically grounded, not celebratory, take on his legacy.

Historians quoted here often make Astute observations about how his reforms reshaped both Soviet leadership and international relations.