Who is the man who changed world history?
Born on March 2, 1931 in a poor family in the village of Privolnoye, Mikhail didn’t go to school, because his family couldn’t afford shoes. While he was still very young he was made to do chores, for instance drive the combine and work in the fields. In 1949 Mikhail was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labour, which was a big deal for an 18-year-old. Gorbachev, unknown at the time as of 1985, was very different from all his communist brethren being a rare Idealist in a sea of Guardians. In addition, he was much younger and energetic than his comrades in the higher echelons of the Communist elite. Only a few young people growing up in the post-Stalin era would enter politics that would have a true belief in socialism and a sense of idealism. An intelligent and idealist personality with the strength of a hardworking peasant background might be able to survive and with luck could rise in the party. Such a person was Gorbachev. A gifted politician who became General Secretary of the
