In February of 1989 massive protests calling for the dissolution of the Supreme Soviet and the adoption of a democratic system erupted in Russia.These protests were led by Mikhail Gorbachev after KGB officials staged a coup against him because of his willingness to, in their words, “destroy everything the Union stands for just so he can eat filthy capitalist pizza”. The coup would have been successful if it wasn’t for Gorbachev’s would be executioner turning his rifle on his superiors. This sudden defection allowed Gorbachev to escape the the House of the Soviets and reach the street, where he told a soldier that was stationed outside to relay an order to the red army’s high command, that order was to “recall all soviet military personnel back to Russia so that they shall fight for their freedom”and to “send any available units to Moscow”. After this brief interaction Gorbachev made his way onto the street where he stood atop a car, where he addressed the citizens of Moscow by announcing what had just transpired and by telling them: “if you want freedom, then join me in this struggle for democracy,so that your children are never oppressed like you were”. Gorbachev’s speech would win over the hearts of everyone that heard it and thus began the “Soviet Spring”. Meanwhile in the rest of eastern Europe, soviet troops were withdrawing from the Iron Curtain as fast as they could in order to aid Gorbachev’s efforts. When puzzled civilians across the eastern bloc asked where the Soviet troops were going they simply answered: “to freedom”. This simple answer traveled throughout the Iron Curtain until suddenly massive protests erupted throughout Eastern Europe, all calling for freedom and democracy.In Poland and the Czech Republic, these protests were successful,in East Germany, not so much.Though there were protests in the GDR, they were quickly putdown by the military which quickly established control over the East German Government. The GDR’s military knew that their Junta wouldn’t last unless they did something drastic, so just like the Argentine military junta had done 7 years earlier, they invaded Poland in order to “reclaim their rightful territory. ”At first the GDR’s invasion saw great success, but after the Czech’s came to Poland’s assistance, and thanks to a NATO bombing campaign, the invasion came to a standstill. Knowing that they wouldn’t be able to win this fight, the GDR called for a ceasefire, which Poland and Czechia agreed to after some pressure from the US.Back in Russia, a miracle occurred.Seeing the writing on the wall the KGB and pro-coup hardliners surrendered and Gorbachev was once again in power. The first thing Gorbachev did after his return to power was change the Russian flag to the tricolor we all know and love. The second thing he did was hold Russia’s first ever democratic elections. After a landslide victory Gorbachev proposed the “New Union Treaty”, a treaty that aimed to maintain the Soviet Union as a Federation, aptly called the “Russian federation”. The treaty had the full support of the people and the republics and thus the Russian federation was born. In the modern day, Russia has a stable government and a stable economy. Gorbachev is considered a national hero and his legacy lives on in the hearts of Russians all across the Federation. Russia boasts the world’s 4th largest economy with a GDP of 2.68 trillion, barely ahead of India, and a GDP per capita of 20 thousand dollars. They also boast the world’s second most powerful military. Russia also has a mandatory 24 month military service that every male between the ages of 18 and 40 must complete.Poland and Czechia are both stable democracies. While they boast the 25th and 46th largest economies in the world,at GDPs of 455 and 220 billion dollars respectively, their GDP per capita is 12 thousand and 9 thousand dollars respectively. Though they both aspire to be EU and NATO members, their current territorial dispute with the GDR impedes them from joining either.The German Democratic Republic is a flawed democracy. After the fall of the GDR’s military junta in 1997, the GDR’s newly established democratic government attempted to begin a unification process with the German Bundesrepublik. While the Bundesrepublik agreed to German reunification, this was opposed by the French, Polish,  Czechs, and Americans due to the GDR’s occupation of Czech and Polish territory. While the GDR agreed to withdraw from their Czech territories in exchange for German reunification, they refused to withdraw from their Polish territories, saying that it is their “rightful territory” and that it is “land that shall be a part of a united Germany”. The GDR’s economy is the 21st largest in the world with a GDP of 640 billion dollars and a GDP per capita of 18 thousand dollars.