ABSTRACT

The last decade of the second millennium was characterized by aseries of events symbolizing the end of the cold war. Following the unification of West Germany and East Germany on October 3, 1990, the Warsaw Treaty Organization (called the Warsaw Pact), with the Soviet Union as the leader, was dissolved on July 1, 1991 (Ministry of Foreign Affairs 1991: 314). The dissolution of this organization drastically weakened the international position and influence of the Soviet Union. It no longer could rival the United States, which became the only superpower. The Soviet Communist Party had to terminate its existence on August 22, after an unsuccessful coup d' etat by conservative communists (Ministry of Foreign Affairs 1992: 276-77).