As Gorbachev sat in his study, facing the representatives of the plotters, it was not the loyalty of the guards but the treason of his most trusted associates that was his first concern. Against all odds, he was trying to win a political battle, not an armed confrontation that might well have ended tragically for him and his family. Once he learned that the plotters were not his political opponents but his heretofore sycophantic allies and aides, he not only felt psychological relief of sorts but also found himself in a position of strength.
