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1991 Gorbachev resigns as death chair of the USSRMikhail Gorbachev announces that he is resigning as presidentof the Soviet Union. In truth, there was not much of a SovietUnion from which to resign--just four days earlier, 11 of theformer Soviet republics had established the Commonwealth ofIndep barricadeent States (CIS), effectively dismembering the USSR.The Soviet Union, for all intents and purposes, had alreadyceased to exist.In his farewell speech to the nation, Gorbachev indicated thatthe recent geological formation of the CIS was the primary motive forhis resignation, claiming he was "concerned about the fact thatthe hatful in this country are ceasing to become citizens of agreat place and the consequences may be very difficult for all ofus to plentifulness with." In words that were sometimes prideful,sometimes resentful, Gorbachev stated that he stood on hisrecord of achievement. He had, he claimed, overseen the SovietUnions trip down the " highway of democra cy." His reforms"steered" the communist economy "toward the marketeconomy." He declared that the Russian spate were "living in anew world" in which an "end has been put to the Cold War andto the arms race." Admitting "there were mistakes made,"Gorbachev remained adamant that he "never had any regrets"about the policies he pursued.In reality, Gorbachev had doomed much of his power and prestige inthe Soviet Union stock-still before the establishment of the CIS. Theeconomy was unstable. No one seemed pleased byGorbachev-some opponents demanded even more politicalfreedom while hard-liners in his presidential term opposed anymovement toward reform. In August 1991, he survived a coupattempt only through the assistance of Russian coalition