-
Suez Canal/Nasser
It allowed transportation by water between Europe and Asia without navigation around Africa. Egyptian President Nasser nationalized the canal in 1956. Now it may be used "in time of war as in time of peace, by every vessel of commerve of war, without distinction of flag". -
Stalin
He managed the consolidate power and expanded his own role. He established and took the role of PRemier of the Soviet Union. The concept of "socialism in one country" became a central tenet of Soviet society. -
United Nations
The world's largest, foremost, and most prominent international organization. Its purpose is to stop war between countries and to provide a platform for dialogue. -
Iron Curtain
The Iron Curtain divided Europe into two separate areas from during World War II. It symbolized efforts by the Soviet Union to block itself from noncommunist areas. Both sides of the Iron Curtain developed their i=own economic and military alliances. -
Vietnam
Conflict between North and South Korea after the First Indonesia War resulted in the Vietnam War. By 2000 it had established diplomatic relations with most nations. -
Truman Doctrine
It was an international relations policy set for by Harry Truman. IT is considered to be the start of the Cold War and the containment policy. -
European Economic Cooperation
It came into being because of the Marshall plan and the Conference of Sixteen. It's goal was to promote cooperation between participating coutries in order to reconstruct Europe. It had expanded from the original 18 countries, to 34 today. -
The Marshall Plan
This was the American program to aid Europe. Its goal was to help rebuild European economies. After the funding ended, the economy of every participant state surpassed pre-war levels. -
Berlin Airlift
The Berlin Airlift was used to carry supplies to the people of West Berlin. There were over 200,000 flights in one year that provided at least 4,700 tons of supplies. When the blockade was lifted in 1949, Germany waws split into two states: the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic. -
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
This was an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty. The Organization sought better relations with former Cold War rivals. -
Peoples Republic of China
It is a single party state governed by the Communist Party. It is now the world's second largest country by land area. -
Korean War
The Korean War was a war between North and South Korea. It was primarily the result of the political division of Korea. It combined strategies and tactics of World War I and II. -
Ho Chi Minh
Ho Chi Minh was a Vietnamese communist revolutionary leader who was also prime minister and president of North Vietnam. He was an important figure in the foundation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945, -
Explosion of the First Hydrogen Bomb
The codename for this explosion was "Ivy Mike". It took place on Enewetak in the Pacific Ocean by the United States as part of Operation Ivy. Ivy Mike was the first full test of the Teller-Ulam design and the first successful test of the hydrogen bomb. -
Khrushchev
Khrushchev led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. He was First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. His rule saw the tensest years of the Cold War, culminating in the Cuban Missile Crisis. -
KGB
The KGB was the main security agency for the Soviet Union until 1991. The Republic of South Ossetia established its own KGB with Russian help in the 1990s. -
Geneva Accords
This was a conference that took place in Geneva, Switzerland whose goal was to unify Vietnam. Three different accords, covering Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, were signed at the conference in contrast of the "Conference Final Declaration". -
Warsaw Pact
This was a mutual defense treaty between 8 communist states during the Cold War. The USSR dominated the Warsaw Treaty armed forces. -
Sputnik
This was the first artificial Earth satellite. It began the Space Age and triggered the Space Race. -
Berlin Wall is Erected
The Berlin Wall cut West Berlin from East Berlin. It was constructed to protect it's population from "facist elements". A series of political changes in the Eastern bloc involving liberalization and political power. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
A confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union with Cuba, that lasted 13 days. It was the first instance in which the Cold War was close to turning into a nuclear war. During the negotiations after the crisis, nuclear weapons were not ruled out. -
Brezhnev
He caused a big increase in the Soviet Union military. This also led to a decreasing GNP compared to Western nations. Under his rule, there was a national decline called the Era of Stagnation. -
Tet Offensive
The Tet Offensive was a military campaign during the Vietnam War. It consisted of surprise attacks against military and civilian commands and control centers. The United States and South Vietnamese recieved a tactical victory. -
Helsinkin Accords
The Helsinki Accords were the final act of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe that took place Helsinki, Finland. 33 states signed the declaration in an attempt to improve relations with the Communists. -
Iranian Hostage Crisis
This was a diplomatic crisis between Iran and the United States. 52 Americans were held hostage for 444 days. This event led the Iranian government to enter negotiations with the US, with Algeria is the mediator. -
Russian Invasion of Afghanistan
This war lasted 9 years as part of the Cold War. It resulted in millions of Afghans fleeing their country. -
Moscow Olympics
65 countries boycotted these games, led by the United States. These games led to the Soviet-led boycott of the 1984 Summer games. -
Los Angeles Olympics
14 Eastern Bloc countries boycotted the games. This influenced a large number events that were normally won by the absent countries. They are often considered the most financially successful Olympics. -
Chernobyl
This was a nuclear accident that took place at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine, which was under the jurisdiction of the Soviet Union at the time. It is still widely considered to be one of the worst nuclear accidents in history. -
Perestroika and Glasnost
This was a meeting of the central committee members. Gorbachev believed that his policies were the only solution to the problems of the Soviet Union. Economic, social, and political aspects of the Soviet Union have been partlyimplemented due to these two elements. -
Tiananmen Square
It is a large city square in the center of Beijing. IT is the focal point of the Tiananment Square protests of 1989. -
The Berlin Wall is Torn Down
When the German government announced that all citizens could visit both sides of the wall, people from both sides began climbing and celebrating. Over the next few weeks, they chipped away at the wall until the government tore it down completely. The destruction of the Berlin Wall was the beginning of the reunification of Germany, which was official on October 3rd, 1990. -
Gorbachv
He was the first and last president of the Soviet Union before it ended. He was also the only general secretary that was born during communist rule. Gorbachev's attempts to reform conferences with United States President Ronald Reagan and his reorientation of the Soviet Union helped end of the Cold War. -
Lech Walesa and the Solidarity Movement in Poland
Walesa co-founded Solidarity. The SOlidarity Movement was the Soviet bloc's first independent trade union. He persuaded former communist parties to form a non-communist party. -
Yeltsin
He was the first president of the Russian Federation. He emerged under perestroika reforms. Much of his era was marked by corruption, inflation, economic collapse, and political and social problems. -
End of the USSR
Declaration N 142-H acknowledged the independence of the 12 republics of the Soviet Union and the Commonwealth of Independent States. This end to the world's largest communist party also marked the end of the Cold War. -
Putin
He is currently the president of Russia. Previously, he was the Prime Minister of Russia until 2000. He has been credited for overseeing a return of political stability and economic progress to Russia.
