European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 23, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A photos russian president Boris Yeltsin left acknowledges the crowd at a massive rally in Moscow on thursday. Soviet Leader Mikhail s. Gorbachev right answers questions at a televised news conference thursday night in his first Public appearance since the attempted coup. Fireworks of Freedom illuminate the sky Over Central Moscow on thursday night. Moscow a president Mikhail s. Gorbachev on thursday furiously condemned the a crude and Crafty Quot plotters who briefly overthrew him but said the failed Power grab by hard liners could prove to be an a enormous Opportunity Quot to further his democratic reforms. Gorbachev moving to tighten his newly regained grip on Power and punish the coup leaders declared at a news conference that the soviet Union had survived a the most difficult trial Quot of his 6-Ycar-old Reform movement. Meanwhile Boris n. Yeltsin emerging More powerful than Ever after leading tire resistance to the coup triumphantly rallied 100,000 jubilant supporters to Mark the end of a three dark Days of the hard line communist takeover. Thousands of russians cheered wildly thursday night As five giant cranes pulled Down a 14-ton statue of the founder of the soviet Security forces Felix Dze Rohinsky in front of Kab Headquarters. In what was sure to be one of the enduring images of the Defeated hard line coup against Mikhail a Gorbachev fireworks burst in the night sky As about 10,000 people shouted a Down with the Kab Down with the Kab a at the news conference a Gorbachev a first since the coup against him collapsed wednesday a the 60-Ycar-old Leader condemned the takeover As being against a the people against  Gorbachev detailed his purge of coup leaders including defense minister Dmitri Yazoo. He named a new acting Kab chief Interior minister and defense minister and said lie would do everything to a drive out the reactionary forces from the communist  looking and sounding angry he described the plotters As a primitive and crude and Crafty Quot and scoffed at their announcement that he had stepped aside because he was her a their hands were shaking the whole time Quot he said derisively. Despite his display of anger he soviet president said the failure of the coup could ultimately help ensure the continuation of his reforms. A we have to see lids us an enormous Opportunity Quot he said. He defended the communist parly see Gorbachev on Page 2gorbachev says captors threatened his family Moscow apr an exhausted and angry president Mikhail s. Gorbachev said thursday that his captors tried to Force him to give up Power by threatening his family. A the entire world must know what they plotted and what they wanted to do to me a Gorbachev told soviet television As he returned to Moscow at 2 15 . He was shown on television getting off the plane with his family. Gorbachev looked weary with deep new lines around his eyes and Mouth. He was held captive by his own troops isolated and ignorant of the huge nation wide struggle to free him. His wife Raisa hugged their 11-year-old granddaughter Oksana As they left the plane. Their Daugul Ter Irina was carrying 4-year-old Anastasia. Irina typically impeccably turned out on her rare Public appearances had shoved her hair carelessly into a knot and her face was drawn. Irina a husband also was held captive with Gorbachev in the government owned Retreat on the Black sea near Foros said Leningrad journalist Georgy uru Shade who interviewed the president earlier. The Gorbachev arrived at Vnuk ovo Airport near Moscow under tight Security. A what they tried to do to the president and to his family  him for 72 hours with troops on land and sea Quot Gorbachov said biting off his words. A they wanted to break him morally and use his family to do it. A none of it worked a he added grimly. Thursday on his first full Day Back in Power the 60-year-old Gorbachev said he would have killed himself Rathet than submit to any forced arrangement with the see captors on Page 2