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Gorbachev is born
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Period: to
Mikhail Gorbachev
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Mikhails father is drafted into the Russian army when Germany invades the USSR
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becomes full member of communist party
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appointed first secretary
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Appointed Central Committee secretary in charge of agriculture; moves to Moscow.
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Named general secretary of the Communist Party following the death of Konstantin Chernenko.
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Meets with President Ronald Reagan for the first time in Geneva. Over next five years, the leaders hold four summits.
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Launches his reform program
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Travels to Washington to meet with Reagan and signs a treaty to eliminate both sides' medium-range nuclear missiles.
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Gorbachev resigns thus bringing an end the the Soviet Union