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Chinese Civil War
In 1949, communist forces had controll of northern China. After the defeat of Japan, communist forces led by Mao Zedong swept through and conqured southern China. They set up the People's Republic of China. -
NATO is Formed
NATO stands for the North Atlantic Trade Organization. This was formed in western europe to help protect western europe from destruction by other countries. -
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Nucular Arms Race and D`entente
The US and the USSR were going back and forth; each trying to get ahead of the other in the number of nucular weapons they had. There was great tention between the two sides during this period. D`entente followed this by limiting the amount of nucular weapons each side could have. But that was not the end of tention... -
Berlin Wall
Divided East and West Berlin. East Berlin- low paid, unhappy communists. West Berlin- Prosperous, well paid people living in a democratic city. -
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Eastern Europe Independance
Major changes occured in Europe for the next four decades. More countries were demanding freedom and moving towrds democracy. Hungary reformed in all the chaos of Czechslovakia's defiance of the Soviets, and Poland led the way in destroying the Soviets satilite empire. The Germans ended communism and tore down the Berlin wall and set up a democratic government. In 1992 the communist Czechs and the democratic Slovaks peacfully split into Slovakia and the Czech Republic. -
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Korean Conflict
In 1950, North Korean leader Kim II Sung wanted to unite Korea under communism. North Korean troops attacked in June and soon controled most of the south. Then the UN got involved. They, along with the Americans, backed the south koreans and pushed all the way ack up to the Korean-Chineese border. China felt threatened by this and then started backing the North Koreans. The conflict ended in a stalemate, in 1953. -
Warsaw Pact Formed
The Warsaw Pact was formed after NATO was formed. They formed for the same reason as NATO; so they would have allies in case of war -
Communist Cuba and Missile Crisis
Fidel Castro and his guerillas took controll of the government in '59. They went to the USSR for help. The Soviets ended up setting up a missile base there, which scared the Americans. President Kennnedy set up a naval blockade around Cuba to prevent the Soviets from putting more missiles on the island. Finally, after almost starting a nucular war, USSR Premier Nikita Khrushev removed the missiles from the island. -
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Vietnam War
When NVA troops attacked the USS Maddox, American President Johnson wanted justice. The communist NVA or North Vietnameese Army had been attacking the south for a few years already. Eventually, over 500 000 troops were committed to the Vietnam Conflict. The fighting was called guerilla warfare. This is a type of hit and run war amoung villages and the thick jungle in the case of Vietnam. The communist forces prevailled in this struggle and the US pulled out of the war in 1973. -
Vietnam pt 2
The two countries are still divided today. -
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Soviets in Afganistan
In 1979, Soviet troops had there own type of "Vietnam". They went to war with the non communist rebels of Afganistan. The communist and Soviet- supported government tried to modernize the nation; which essentially was moving to communism. Religios poeple and landowners took up arms against the government in protest to the communist reforms. The mujahedin fighters, or religious warriors, proved more difficult then the Soviets thought. They sustained heavy casualties and pulled out in... -
Soviest in Afganistan pt 2
...1985 under Mikhail Gorbachev. -
Soviet Union Falls
Mikhail Gorbachev's reforms, though going in the right direction, brought economic turmoil to the country. High prices and jobless rates were common throughout the struggling country. With countries like Poland and Bulgaria breaking out of the satilite empire, the unoin grew weaker each day. There was an attempt to overthrow Gorbachev, but it only weakened him further. In 1991, the remaining republics seperated to form twelve independant nations. The time of the Soviet Union was over.
