<P> In 1988 Gorbachev started to lose control of two small but troublesome regions of the Soviet Union, as the Baltic republics were captured by their popular fronts, and the Caucasus descended into violence and civil war . </P> <P> On July 1, 1988, the fourth and last day of a bruising 19th Party Conference, Gorbachev won the backing of the tired delegates for his last - minute proposal to create a new supreme legislative body called the Congress of People's Deputies . Frustrated by the old guard's resistance, Gorbachev embarked on a set of constitutional changes to try to separate party and state, and thereby isolate his conservative Party opponents . Detailed proposals for the new Congress of People's Deputies were published on October 2, 1988, and to enable the creation of the new legislature . The Supreme Soviet, during its November 29--December 1, 1988, session, implemented amendments to the 1977 Soviet Constitution, enacted a law on electoral reform, and set the date of the election for March 26, 1989 . </P> <P> On November 29, 1988, the Soviet Union ceased to jam all foreign radio stations, allowing Soviet citizens for the first time to have unrestricted access to news sources beyond Communist Party control . </P> <P> In 1986 and 1987 Latvia had been in the vanguard of the Baltic states in pressing for reform . In 1988 Estonia took over the lead role with the foundation of the Soviet Union's first popular front and starting to influence state policy . </P>

What two eastern bloc nations tried to break away from the soviet union