[Mohoender]

This year could have marked the beginning of the end for the Soviet Union and the Cold War but History took another turn. For most of the year, the Eastern block had remained controlled by Mikhael Gorbachev who had initiated a number of reforms at both political and economic levels. This had resulted in an increasing freedom of speach under “Glasnost” and revealed numerous disfunctionments (including widespread corruption) that had reduced the people confidence in the regime. Slowly, the lack of popular confidence has led to an increasing opposition within the Warsaw Pact but also within USSR itself. In Poland Solidarnosç becomes increasingly influencial while, on March 25, the candle demonstration, in Bratislava, is the first mass demonstration against a communist regime. At home, contestation is initiated by Estonia where 300.000 people demonstrate for independence on September 11. This is followed by the adoption of the Estonian Sovereignty Declaration on November 16. Soviet leadership basically let do while, meanwhile, Soviet troops withdraw from Afghanistan. In May, Gorbachev was still granted support when the Law on Cooperatives is adopted (permitting private ownership of businesses in the services, manufacturing, and foreign-trade sectors) but things started to change in June. At that time, during the CPSU's Nineteenth Party Conference, Gorbachev had launched radical reforms meant to reduce party control of the government apparatus and these lead to his first failure on October 1. On that day, Andrey Gromyko resigns from his position as chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of USSR and, to most surprise, is succeeded by Yegor Ligachev (Ligachev who had been a protege of Gorbachev had become his challenger). Still, Gorbachev remains powerful and in power until December 1 when the Supreme Soviet rejects its proposal to establish a Congress of People's Deputies. On the next day a majority votes to dismiss him and he is put under house arrest in his Dacha on the Black Sea. Three days later, in a widely broadcasted speech, he declares that he goes into retirement. Anatoly Lukyanov succeeds him as the 7th General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Concerns are expressed throughout the Western World while officials protests among most states in the Warsaw Pact.

In western Europe, the year is almost uneventful except for a series of attacks in Northern Ireland, culminating in the Milltown Cemetery Attack where Ulster Defence Association (UDA) member Michael Stone attacks the crowd with grenades and pistols, killing three and wounding over sixty (because they were likely to be Catholic). Except this, the only thing to note resides in the founding of Nazi document implicating Kurt Waldheim (Then, Austrian President) in World War II deportations.

US, however, is facing limited turmoil because of the Iran-Contra Scandal. Then, on January 25, U.S. Vice President George H.W. Bush and CBS News anchor Dan Rather clash over Bush's role in this during a contentious television interview. Nevertheless, this affair ends when Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North and Vice Admiral John Poindexter are indicted on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States. Despite, the possible implication, that doesn’t slow Bush’s rise to the presidency and, on November 8, George H. W. Bush is elected over Michael Dukakis.

More events are taking place in the Middle East where Palestinians increasingly attempt to move troward the establishment of a sovereign state. On January 15, Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli police in Jerusalem. Then, on April 16, Israeli commandos kill the PLO's leader Abu Jihad in Tunisia but this doesn’t prevent the Palestinian Declaration of Independence approval by the Palestinian National Council (PNC) in Algiers on November 15, 1988, by a vote of 253 in favour 46 against and 10 abstentions. The region is also the theater of naval clash between the US Navy and the Iranian fleet. After damaged being sustained by the destroyer Samuel B. Roberts, a naval operation is launched by the US Navy, ending in the destruction of several Iranian ships. This occured only a few weeks before the end on the Iraq-Iran war on August 20.

In Africa, the Soviets had initiated several move toward disengagement as in Angola and Ethiopia. As a result, the government they previously supported are facing increasing difficulties in their military struggles as well illustrated in Ethiopia. There, on March 20, the EPLF enters the town of Afabet, victoriously concluding the Battle of Afabet.

In Asia, several political crisis are plaguing the different regime as it is the case in Myanmar, Malaysia and South Korea. This brought up several major political changes. Finally, in Latin America, a major political change is also initiated when Chilean president Augusto Pinochet is defeated in a national plebiscite which sought to renew his mandate.