ABSTRACT
The early 1990s’ most dramatic event was the break-up of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. It had been the world’s largest country, with its third largest population – an acknowledged ‘superpower’, with huge armed forces and a nuclear arsenal matched only by the United States. From 1945 to 1989 it had dominated
half of Europe. In 1991 it vanished from the map – and was replaced by 15 sovereign states, one being Russia.
