2RR:6 End of the Beginning I

In January 1991, cries for independence are stifled when Soviet paratroopers enter the breakaway republic of Lithuania. Eight months later, party and government officials stage a coup attempt in Moscow. 72 hours later, the coup fails, and Yeltsin's path to the top is clear. For a vulnerable Gorbachev, this became the End of the Beginning.

This is part of the award-winning documentary "The Second Russian Revolution", made in 1989-1991, at the same time the Soviet Union was undergoing complete social and political metamorphosis. It details the years following the death of Brezhnev, and rise and fall of Mikhail Gorbachev, up to the coup in 1991. The most amazing thing about it is hearing formerly party line-toeing aparachiks letting loose and speaking their minds.

In an interview, producer Brian Lapping said, "When we first went to Moscow and said we were going to get the members of the Politburo to talk, journalists and heads of institutes in Moscow said that no one in the Politburo ever talks in public about whatever happens in the Politburo. They just don't do that. I still look back with amazement that we got several Politburo members to tell us stories of the inside events of the Gorbachev years. And in the end, the head of the KGB, who came to our launch party, said angrily to us, "Why did you not invite me to be part of your program?" To which I had to reply, "We invited you for 18 months, regularly phoning your office, and you would not talk us. That's why you are not in the program." (WorldScreen.com, 10/01)

This series doesn't seem to be available in any form, unfortunately. It's a documentary masterpiece. Sorry about the poor quality video and missing bits--it's about 15 years old.

Produced by Brian Lapping (Brian Lapping Associates Ltd)

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Gorbachev
• Raisa
• Yeltsin
• Shevardnadze
• coup
• Yazov
• Yakovlev
• Pugo
• Soviet
• Russia
• USSR
• documentary
• Second
• Russian
• Revolution
• fall
• of
• soviet
• union

[cookml]

At 5:55 Eltsin said: but I will not go against sovereignity of Russia and its interests. Translated: but I will not go against interests of Soviet Union. Sounds like it was recorded when he already was president of Russia (or how it was called by that time) and negotiated with Gorbachev as president of Soviet Union. To replace "interests of Russia" with "interests of Soviet Union" here is totally incorrect.

[woodbineRed]

Thank you for providing this translation. It certainly puts a different light on his comment. The advantage of understanding the language!

[WhoaJ30]

more like Soviets knew that it was simply a Communist Russian Empire. hence in their national anthem "Great Russia has wielded forever to stand"

[cookml]

btw it shows how difficult these negotiations were. Imagine you have to negotiate with someone who say "I won't make any compromises".

[albokk]

amazing doc thanks for putting it good job!