Question

Who first started the movement for independence in 1988 in the Soviet Union?

• A. Estonia
• B. Latvia
• C. Lithuania
• D. Ukraine

Hint:

Important facts related to the disintegration of the USSR:
• Reforms: \(\boxed{\text{Glasnost and Perestroika}}\)
• Independence movement began strongly in: \(\boxed{\text{Lithuania (1988)}}\)
• Soviet Union dissolved in: \(\boxed{1991}\) Remember: \[ \boxed{\text{Lithuania} \rightarrow \text{First major independence movement}} \]

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Recall the decline of the Soviet Union. During the late 1980s, reforms such as: \[ \text{Glasnost} \] and \[ \text{Perestroika} \] encouraged nationalist movements in several Soviet republics.

Step 2: Identify the first republic to demand independence. Among the Soviet republics, Lithuania emerged as the leading force demanding greater autonomy and independence. In 1988, a strong independence movement began there, which later inspired similar movements in other republics.

Step 3: Determine the correct answer. The first major movement for independence in the Soviet Union is associated with: \[ \boxed{\text{Lithuania}} \] Therefore, \[ \boxed{\text{(C)}} \] is the correct answer.