Soviet Republics Seek Independence 1991
When Lithuania tried to become the first Soviet republic to gain independence Soviet forces unsuccessfully tried to suppress this secession. On January 13th 1991 the Red Army attacked the Vilnius TV Tower killing 13 Lithuanians. Lithuania joined the United Nations on September 17th 1991.
 Meanwhile in Moscow Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev spoke out against growing independent movements within the Soviet Republics but he also had to contend with growing support within Russia for Boris Yeltsin.
