The Freedom of the USSR was settled on this day as the overnight assault on the Russian Parliament building of President Boris Yeltsin failed. I also talked to Murray White about the Liberal Democrat party conference in Bournemouth in a couple of weeks’ time on a very hot day before I took Diana to the cinema in Bedford, and we saw "Terminator II"
My own affairs of today were somewhat dwarfed by the developments in Russia as the overnight assault on the Russian Parliament building of President Boris Yeltsin failed and, although four defenders were either crushed or shot, the forces of democracy were seen to be in triumph. The coup leaders were divided, and the army proved unwilling to kill hundreds of Muscovites on behalf of the tyrants. as the day wore on, it became apparent that the grip of the "emergency committee" on power was weakening and then the army withdrew from the streets and the media restrictions were lifted.
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Boris Yeltsin was presiding over a televised meeting of the Russian Parliament and told the nation and the world what was happening. Then the coup leaders made for the airport when they were arrested although two of them were allowed to fly with Gorbachev's aides to his southern "holiday home" and the plans were for him to return this evening. All day I was watching this news off and on though I found time to talk at length to the gardener this morning as well as take Daniel to St Neots for us both to get a haircut. This afternoon, I also talked to Murray White about the Liberal Democrat party conference in Bournemouth in a couple of weeks’ time. The weather was very hot - even hotter than of late - and what with this, and the continuance of my holiday mood, I was in no state of mind to do physical work. This evening, I took Diana to the cinema in Bedford, and we saw "Terminator II" which was rather a bloodthirsty film about robotic men fighting things out to the death.