Collapse of the Soviet Union By Eli Martin Mar 11, 1985 Gorbachev becomes Secretary General of the USSR 1988 Gorbachev implements Glasnost and perestroika 1989 Gorbachev stops intervening in Foreign country's hastening the end of he cold war. Aug 23, 1989 Singing Revolution In the Baltics as people make a human chain and protest Soviet Rule. This ends in their Independence Nov 9, 1989 The Berlin wall falls and reunites Germany and Berlin 1991 Yeltsin Become President of the Russian Federation. 1991 Soviet Troops kill 14 civilians and injure hundreds more in Latvia and Lithuania Aug 19, 1991 A coup Detat against Gorbachev happens in Moscow headed by other communists. Aug 21, 1991 The Coup is broken Dec 25, 1991 Gorbachev gives a farewell speech about the Soviet Unions Collapse and resigns as leader of the USSR and brings the empire to a close.