What Gorbachev’s actions resulted in the fall of the USSR?

Question by John: What were the actions of Mikhail Gorbachev that resulted in the fall of the USSR?
What were the actions/policies that Mikhail Gorbachev did that resulted in and end of communism in Russia and the fall of the USSR?
I know his reforms “perestroika” and “glasnost” helped bring about an end to the USSR but what other actions by Gorbachev brought about an end to the USSR, the Cold War, and Communism in Russia?

Answers and Views:

Answer by Warren
He allowed elections and allowed the result to be truly tallied, i.e. not rigged. Yeltsin won election to the Presidency and the day he took office hauled down the flag of the U.S.S.R., effectively ending that State. The flag rased in its place was the flag of Russia.

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