German reunification and the Baltic independence movement

Following the fall of the Wall, East Germany's political transformation accelerated dramatically. The first free elections in East Germany were held in March 1990, resulting in victory for parties favoring rapid reunification, and West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl actively pushed for an accelerated process toward full unification. The diplomatic mechanism known as "Two Plus Four" was negotiated, involving both Germanys alongside the four occupying powers of the postwar period, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and the Soviet Union. Gorbachev ultimately accepted German reunification in exchange for economic guarantees and commitments regarding the country's future military orientation.