Like most folks in the West, it felt like an inevitability.

It wasn't until about 20 years ago that read an article about it. The writer reminded readers that the Soviet Union had complete authoritarian control over the social, private, economic, philosophical, religious, educational, and civic lives of every person under its rule. And it all fell apart in a few short years.

I was intrigued so I started reading about it. I read McCauley's "The Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union". I read Remnick's "Lenin's Tomb: The Last Days of the Soviet Empire". I read Zubock's "Collapse: The Fall of the Soviet Union".

I also read a bunch of books about the breakup of Yugoslavia. I learned a lot.