How the Soviet Union Became 15 Countries in 20 Minutes

How did the Soviet Union go from one of the world's most powerful countries to *15 independent states* in 1991? And why did a superpower that launched the first human into space disappear so quickly? In this animated history documentary, we take you from the creation of the USSR in 1922 to its dramatic collapse in 1991. Follow the rise of the Soviet state, the Second World War, the Cold War, economic problems, Mikhail Gorbachev's reforms, the Baltic independence movements, Boris Yeltsin and the failed August coup, Ukraine's independence referendum, and the final decisions that ended the Soviet Union. We'll also explain why Russia was not the same thing as the USSR, how the Soviet republics differed from Eastern European satellite states, and why the breakup created a completely new political map across Europe and Asia. One massive map. Fifteen countries. A history far more complicated than a single leader or a single bad decision. #SovietUnion #AnimatedHistory #HistoryExplained