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North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
The NATO was between the United States, Canada, and 10 other countries, It was a military alliance. If one nation in the alliance was attacked, the other countries in the alliance would help them. -
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Nuclear Arms Race
Nuclear Arms Race Picture
The Nuclear Arms Race was when nations were trying to develop the best nuclear weapons before other nations. The United States were the first to have nuclear power. By 1949, the Soviet Union had also developed Nuclear Weapons. By 1953, both sides had nuclear weapons. This caused a "balance of terror." -
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Chinese Civil War
Chinese Civil War
Chinese communists, led by Mao Zedong, fought Nationalists, led by Jiang Jieshi. These two powers went to war to make China into their power. The goal was to either make China communist or nationalist. -
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Eastern European Independence
Eastern European Independence
Eastern European satelites were controlled by the Soviet Union. When Gorbachev introduced glasnost and perestroika in the Soviet Union, Eastern Europeans began to seek greater freedom in their own countries. As the Soviet Union crumbled, Eastern Europeans demanded an end to Soviet domination. They got it. -
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Communist Cuba
http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2009/01/02/castro_narrowweb__300x412,0.jpg
Fidel Castro organized an armed rebellion against the dictator of Cuba. By 1959, Castro and his guerillia army had gained victory and started transforming Cuba. Fidel had support from the Soviet Union. He nationalized businesses and made most of the land under the control of the government. Critics of the new regime wer jailed or silenced. Many Cubans fled to Florida. -
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Korean Conflict
Korean War Soldier
Korea was independent until Japan conquered it in the early 20th century. After Japan's defeat in World War II, Soviet and American forces agreed to divide Korea temporarily along the 38th parallel of latitude. At the time, Kim II Sung was the dictator of North Korea. He became a communist ally of the Soviet Union. In South Korea, the U.S. backed the dictatorial, non-communist leader, Syngman Rhee. The Korean War turned into a stalemate in 1953 when both sides signed an armistice. -
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact was between the Soviet Union and seven satelites in Eastern Europe. This, like the NATO, was a military alliance. The purpose of this Pact was to have protection from the other countries in your pact if you were attacked by an enemy. -
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Vietnam Conflict
Vietnam Soldier Picture
Ho Chi Minh remained determined to unite Vietnam under communist rule. He continued to aid the National Liberation Front (Viet Cong). At first, the United States only sent supplies and military advisors to South Vietnam. Later, the U.S. sent troops, making a small, local struggle, into a major Cold War conflict. -
Berlin Wall
The Berlin wall was built in 1961 to seperate West and East Germany. West Germany was democratic and East Germany was communist. The wall was topped with barbed wire and patrolled by guards. The purpose of the wall was to stop the unhappy East Germans from fleeing into West Berlin. The wall was built by the East. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
In 1962, the Soviet Union gave missiles to Cuba, which is less than 100 miles off the coast of Florida. President John F. Kennedy imposed a naval blockade to stop the shipments of missiles to Cuba. For one week, the world was on the brink of Nuclear War. It ended with Khrushchev removing the missiles. -
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Detente
[Detente Piture](<a href='http://history.sandiego.edu/gen/20th/RN/USPics5/71564v.jpg)' >Detente Picture</a>
American and Soviet arms control agreements leading to an era of relaxation of tensions, called the detente. The goal of the United States during this time was to restrain the Soviet Union through government and not physical force. It ended in 1979 when the Soviets attacked Afghanistan. -
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Soviets in Afghanistan
http://www.dailyhistory.net/images/soviet-tank-enters-afghanistan.jpg
In 1979, the Soviet Union was at war with Afghanistan. Afghanistan's government was supported by the Soviet Union and Afghanistan tried to modernize the nation. Soviet's policies included social reforms and land redistribution that would reduce the power of regional landlords. Soviets struggled battling Mujahedin, or Muslin religious wrarriors. The Soviets had years of heavy casualties, high costs, and few victories. -
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Soviet Union Declines
In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev came to power. Gorbachev was ready to fix the bad economy. He -
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Soviet Union Declines
End of the Soviet Union
In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev came to power. Gorbachev was ready to fix the bad economy. He called for glasnost, or openness. He ended censorship and encouraged peoplet o discuss the country's problems openly. He also used perestroika, or reconstructing. These brought economic turmoil. European countries started breaking out of the Soviet Union. At the end of 1991, the remaining Soviet republics separated to form 12 independent nations.
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