Adopting principles of glasnost and perestroika, he weighed the legacy of seven decades of Communist rule and set a new course, presiding over the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the U.S.S.R.
Tag: Deaths (Obituaries)
Tim Page, Gonzo Photographer of the Vietnam War, Is Dead at 78
Fearless and free-spirited, he pushed the boundaries of life and photography, recording intimate images of combat that helped shift the course of the war.
Vadim V. Bakatin, the Last Chairman of the K.G.B., Dies at 84
He led the spy agency for only a few months, promising to reduce its size and rein in its excesses. After he left, it bounced back under a new name.
Dmitri Vrubel, Who Planted a Kiss on the Berlin Wall, Dies at 62
A Russian-born painter, he created a mural of the Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev smooching the East German leader Erich Honecker — and with it a tourist attraction.
Nafis Sadik, U.N. Official and ‘Proud Champion of Choice,’ Dies at 92
An obstetrician, she led a groundbreaking effort to put women’s rights to control all aspects of their lives at the heart of the global population debate.
Zofia Posmysz, Who Wrote of Life in Concentration Camps, Dies at 98
Her radio play, “The Passenger in Cabin 45,” became a novel that was translated into 15 languages, a movie and an acclaimed opera.
Gary Schroen, Who Led the C.I.A. Into Afghanistan, Dies at 80
Weeks before the troops arrived, he took a small team into the country to prepare for an invasion and begin the hunt for Osama bin Laden.
Issey Miyake, Who Opened a Door for Japanese Fashion, Dies at 84
The first Japanese designer to show in Paris, he was known for his origami-like designs, creating pleated skirts, dresses and trousers that afforded freedom.
Issey Miyake, Japanese Fashion Designer, Dies at 84
He was known for his innovative origami-like designs, creating skirts, dresses and trousers with prisms of unfolding shapes.
Christopher Meyer, Vocal British Envoy to the U.S., Dies at 78
He served loyally during the 9/11 attacks and Iraq invasion. But in a 2005 memoir, he faulted the “conception and execution” of the Iraq war.