Mikhail Gorbachev

S1 E4: His drastic reforms led to the end of his nation as it was known to the world. Yet Mikhail Gorbachev was ultimately undone by his own success. One of the most compelling figures of the twentieth century, the son of a mechanic from the Caucasus, Gorbachev's vision to change his nation was shaped by his childhood experiences under Stalin's rule. In a candid interview, conducted by Biography for this historic program, Gorbachev recounts how he rose through the party ranks without betraying his radical visions for the future. Once in power, however, the changes were swift and sweeping. Extensive footage chronicles the turbulent years of his rule, from the first stirrings of Glasnost to the unsuccessful coup that marked the last gasp of the old, hard-line leadership, while renowned Soviet historians and political experts detail Gorbachev's world-changing legacy.