Boris Yeltsin 1931 - 2007 (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianchenko)
Moment of History: Boris Yeltsin stands on a tank to defy coup. ~APFormer president Boris Yeltsin, the first Russian President after the fall of the Soviet Union, died on Monday at the age of 76 according to a statement from the Kremlin.
Russian politicians have remained for young adults, names from history text books which have an aura and awe from the mention of their names and ideologies. Yet most of the younger adult generation would only remember the era of the fall of the mighty USSR under the leadership of Michael Gorbachev to a new Russian Federation under the new president Boris Yeltsin.
For most young adults as myself remember the live coverage from Parliament headquarters in Russia on BBC and CNN in 1991 of Boris Yeltsin on a tank. The importance or impact of those images did not seem of much importance in those years. But reflecting back to those years, one cannot help thinking how inadvertently television gave us a ring side view of events which stand out as landmarks in 20th century politics.
Boris Yeltsin became a household name worldwide overnight in August 1991, when he mobilized the people of Russia from the top of a tank turret to protest and successfully thwart the attempted coup against Micheal Gorbachev. On 6 November, 1991 Yeltsin decreed the dissolution of the Communist party on Russian territory. Then on 8th December, Yeltsin and the presidents of Ukraine and Belarus proclaimed the dissolution of the Soviet Union. It was the death of a superpower. One of the two powers which had the world on the edge with the threat of nuclear annihilation in the height of the Cold War with the other existing super power USA.
Yeltsin's death may not have the relevance or even a tinge of importance to the present college going generation, who can claim he was from of a time before they can remember. Yet, today with his passing it should be noted with a tinge of nostalgia rather than that one of sorrow that the world is silently witnessing the passing of statesmen who changed irrevocably the world we live in today. They were the men, when at the height of their power held the world's destiny in their hands. The men who shaped the world we live in after the shadows of the world wars and cold war. Boris Yeltsin with Michael Gorbachev will be remembered as the last of the Old Guard of a Russia, once under the red legacy of the Communist USSR.
Boris Yeltsin (R) talks to Communist Party General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev in Moscow in this 1991 file photo. (Alexander Natrus/Reuters)
Former President Bill Clinton (R) wipes away tears of laughter as he leans on former Russian President Boris Yeltsin in New York in this October 23, 1995 file photo.(Rick Wilking/Reuters)
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat kisses Russian President Boris Yeltsin during their meeting in Moscow's Kremlin in this Feb. 18, 1997 file photo. Associated Press
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Collapse of the USSR - 10 years on - BBC News
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Russian politicians have remained for young adults, names from history text books which have an aura and awe from the mention of their names and ideologies. Yet most of the younger adult generation would only remember the era of the fall of the mighty USSR under the leadership of Michael Gorbachev to a new Russian Federation under the new president Boris Yeltsin.
For most young adults as myself remember the live coverage from Parliament headquarters in Russia on BBC and CNN in 1991 of Boris Yeltsin on a tank. The importance or impact of those images did not seem of much importance in those years. But reflecting back to those years, one cannot help thinking how inadvertently television gave us a ring side view of events which stand out as landmarks in 20th century politics.
Boris Yeltsin became a household name worldwide overnight in August 1991, when he mobilized the people of Russia from the top of a tank turret to protest and successfully thwart the attempted coup against Micheal Gorbachev. On 6 November, 1991 Yeltsin decreed the dissolution of the Communist party on Russian territory. Then on 8th December, Yeltsin and the presidents of Ukraine and Belarus proclaimed the dissolution of the Soviet Union. It was the death of a superpower. One of the two powers which had the world on the edge with the threat of nuclear annihilation in the height of the Cold War with the other existing super power USA.
Yeltsin's death may not have the relevance or even a tinge of importance to the present college going generation, who can claim he was from of a time before they can remember. Yet, today with his passing it should be noted with a tinge of nostalgia rather than that one of sorrow that the world is silently witnessing the passing of statesmen who changed irrevocably the world we live in today. They were the men, when at the height of their power held the world's destiny in their hands. The men who shaped the world we live in after the shadows of the world wars and cold war. Boris Yeltsin with Michael Gorbachev will be remembered as the last of the Old Guard of a Russia, once under the red legacy of the Communist USSR.
"A man must live like a great, bright flame and burn as brightly as he can. In the end he burns out. But this is better than a mean, little flame.'' ~ Boris Yeltsin
"Russia must enter the new millennium with new politicians, with new faces, with new, smart, strong, energetic people. And we who have been in power for many years already, we must go."~ Boris Yeltsin (Farewell Speech on 1999 New Year Eve)
Boris Yeltsin (R) talks to Communist Party General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev in Moscow in this 1991 file photo. (Alexander Natrus/Reuters)Former President Bill Clinton (R) wipes away tears of laughter as he leans on former Russian President Boris Yeltsin in New York in this October 23, 1995 file photo.(Rick Wilking/Reuters)Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat kisses Russian President Boris Yeltsin during their meeting in Moscow's Kremlin in this Feb. 18, 1997 file photo. Associated PressRussia plans day of mourning for Yeltsin - Associated Press
Key dates in Boris Yeltsin's turbulent career - Times of India
Boris Yeltsin 1931-2007 - Google News Links
World Leader's Tribute to Boris Yeltsin - Guardian Unlimited
Boris Yeltsin - A picture tribute - Yahoo.com
Collapse of the USSR - 10 years on - BBC News
Eyewitness: Inside Yeltsin's bunker - BBC News
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