History of socialism under challenge from Solidarność, or Solidarity, a labor union under the leadership of Lech Wałęsa. The union was sufficiently threatening to the government that on 13 December 1981, the head of state, Wojciech Jaruzelski declared martial law, suspended the union, and imprisoned most of its leaders. Mikhail Gorbachev (born 1931), who took control in 1985, was the first Soviet leader to have been born after the October revolution. He is remembered for three initiatives: "glasnost", "perestroika", and the "Frank Sinatra doctrine". "Glasnost", or "openness", was Gorbachev's term for allowing public debate in the Soviet Union to an unprecedented degree. "Perestroika"
Gorbachev Peace (Fabergé egg) Gorbachev Peace (Fabergé egg) The Gorbachev Peace Egg is a Fabergé egg by Fabergé workmaster Victor Mayer. In 1991 Herbert Mohr-Mayer gave the Gorbachev Peace Egg to Mikhail Gorbachev, president of the former Soviet Union. It was given as a tribute to the way in which Gorbachev had succeeded in reducing tensions between East and West. Mikhail Gorbachev donated this Fabergé egg as an Easter present to the Kremlin Museum in Moscow. The egg is made of 18Kt yellow gold and covered with transparent green vitreous enamel. The upper half of the egg opens up and reveals a golden dove.