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Period: to
Chinese Civil War
This was a war to spread Communism. After Japan's defeat communist forces fought a civil war against the Nationalists. Mao Zedong won (communists) he then built a Communist one-party totalitarian state in the People's Republic of China. He then called for Collectivization he did this to try to increase productivity. From 1958 to 1960 he also led a program called the Great Leap Forward. This soon failed and cultural revolution occured which involved th "little red books." -
Korean Conflict
First the Korea's were divided by the 38th parallel of lattitude. But North Korea ruled by Kim II Sung and South Korea's ruler Syngman Rhee didn't agree on this they both wanted full control and power of the entire country.June 1950 North korea invaded the south and soon overran majority of the south.The US then created the UN to help the south.In Sep. US controlled the main railroad cutting off supplies. Then Forces in the south that were from the north surrendered. -
NATO
This is a new military alliance called the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) this treaty pledged to help one another if any one of them were attacked -
Nuclear Arms Race and Detente
Both US and the Soviet Union had created nuclear weapons by 1953 both sides had developed the hydrogen bomb which is more destructive than an atomic bomb.In 1969 they both signed an agreement called SALT which limited the amount of muclear weapons held by each side. These agreements also limited ABM's -
Warsaw Pact
mutual-defense alliance between the Soviet Union and seven satellites in Eastern Europe. -
Berlin Wall
East Germany built a wall that sealed off West Berlin. This was a massive wall that was topped with barbed wire and patrolled by guards.This wall was built to split the two, democratic West Berlin and communist East Berlin. -
Communist Cuba and Missile Crisis
The Soviet Union sent nuclear missiles to Cuba. Kennedy responded by presenting a blockade that prevented further shipments. He then demanded the Soviets to remove their nuclear weapons from Cuba and for a few tense days we faced nuclear war over this issue. -
Vietnam Conflict
American foriegn policy planners developed the domino theory stating that a communist victory in South Vietnam would cause noncommunist governments across Southeast Asia to fall to communism like a row of dominoe, they wanted to prevent this from happening. At first we only sent troops and supplies to South Vietnam to later send thousands of troops turning a small struggle into a major Cold War conflict.Presiden Nixon decided to terminate American involvment. Soon after the war ended. -
Soviets in Afghanistan
The Soviet Union battled mujahedin or muslim religious warriors.A new leader Mikhail Gorbachev came to power in the Soviet Union with bad economy he was determined to bring about reforms these soon spiraled out of control. He called for glasnot in which he ended censorship and peretroika or to restructure the government and economy. -
Eastern European Independence
