From James Hershberg in yesterday's Washington Post, an interesting if hurried analysis of how Ronald Reagan didn't singlehandedly bring down the Soviet Union:

Just Who Did Smash Communism?Ronald Reagan's policies surely contributed to the dissolution of the Kremlin's empire, culminating in the 1989 anti-communist revolutions in Eastern Europe and the breakup of the Soviet Union two years later. But for the media and Reagan's hagiographers to give the 40th president all the credit is like saying a late-inning relief pitcher had "won" a baseball game without mentioning the starting pitcher, the closer or the teammates who scored the runs that gave the team its lead.  [full story]

In fact, as I was just opining yesterday to my friend Ron, the article identifies Gorbachev as the most critical figure, though hardly the only factor.

Related question: How long are the damn flags going to stay at half-mast? Is this usual when former presidents die?