Why Yeltsin was a pretty cool guy
By Jess Jacobsen and Ryan Kline
Early Political Career
Yeltsin was personally chosen by Gorbachev to be a reformer and bring about liberal change to the soviet union. He quit the communist party in 1999 after a falling out with Gorbachev about pace of change withing the soviet union.
Rise to Power
In August 1991, several party hardliners organized a coup against Gorbachev. Yeltsin organized the resistance and turned the vast majority of the rebels against the hardliners. This effectively pushed him into becoming a national hero over night. Later that year in December, Yeltsin made a decree dismembering the Communist Party inside USSR. Later that December after Ukraine voted for independence, Yeltsin held a secret meeting in a forest. At this meeting, the Belavezha Accords officially dismantled the Soviet Union. Shortly thereafter, the first democratic election took place in which Yeltsin was elected president.
Presidency
During his presidency, Yeltsin greatly democratized Russia. He also created the Russian federation. He was supported throughout Russia by the people. He was eventually succeeded by Vladimir Putin in 1995