What led to the decline of the Soviet Union by the end of the Cold War?

The Collapse of the Soviet Union. ... Gorbachev's decision to loosen the Soviet yoke on the countries of Eastern Europe created an independent, democratic momentum that led to the collapse of the Berlin Wall in November 1989, and then the overthrow of Communist rule throughout Eastern European

they believed democracy was worth the fight

c) troops march forward in close formation against newer, more accurate weapons