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Stalin
Leader of the Soviet Union during World War II. Ruled by killing everyone who oposed him, and using fascism to gain support. He set up the Soviet Union to be the country it was during the Cold War (military, technology, economy, etc.) -
Ho Chi Minh
Communist leader of Vietnam. Lead Vietnam into battle against the Japanese and the French in the First Indochina War. His victory at the battle of Dienbienphu in 1954 made French troops retreat. Got rid of French influence in Vietnam -
Iron Curtain
The separation between the Soviet Union and East Germany, and western Europe. Also separated communist beliefs in the Soviet Union and forms of democracy in western Europe. -
Truman Doctrine
Document created by Harry Truman that stated the U.S. would support and aid Greece and Turkey to prevnt them from falling under Soviet/ communist influence. Some historians have stated this could have been the start of the Cold War. -
European Economic Cooperation
Economic alliance that traded without tariffs and was made up of mostly Western European countries. This formed alliances and contributed to the success of Western European countries. -
The Marshall Plan
U.S. plan tohelp the European countries whose economies were damaged during WWII to prevent communism spreading from Russia. Showed the precautions the U.S. needed to take to prevent the outbreak of communism. -
Berlin Airlift
Airlift in Berlin where the U.S. provided supplies to the people of West Berlin when the Soviet Union closed off outside access to Berlin. It helped the U.S.from letting their territory fall to communism. -
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Organization that consists of North American and European nations. States that if an external nation attacks one of the member nations, then it is considered an attack on the organization, and they can send in troops if necessary. -
Peoples Republic of China
Present-day China, which had a communist government and aided the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Were a major factor in the Red Scare that took place in the West. -
Korean War
War started by the division of Korea into North and South Korea. The United Nations aided South Korea. The war resulted in a stalemate between the two powers and caused the 38th parallel to create the boundary between North and Sout Korea. -
Explosion of the first Hydrogen Bomb
The first hydrogen bomb (named Ivy Mike) went off in a bomb test. These bombs were much more destructive than atomic bombs. It showed that the U.S. had dangerous weapons that were more effective than the atomic bomb. -
United Nations
Worldwide international organization devoted to providing international security, development, and freedoms. It was a major factor in keeping stability and the recovery of Europe during the Cold War. -
Nikita Khruschev
Leader of the Soviet Union after Stalin's death. He went through a period of "De-Stalinization" which maintained Communist control, closed prison camps, and called for a "peaceful coexistence" with the West. -
Geneva Accords
Documents that separated Vietnam into North and South Vietnam, instead of unifying the country. This was a major factor in setting up the Vietnam War. -
KGB (Committee for State Security)
Main security agency for the Soviet Union that also acted as a secret police police and a militaryservice during this time. Kept order and gathered information for the Soviet Union. -
Vietnam
Location of the Vietnam War that was between North and South Vietnam. North Vietnam was supported by the Soviet Union and was communist, while South Vietnam was suppported by the U.S. and was capitalist. It resulted in a stalemate between the two forces and an embarrassing withdrawal of the U.S. -
Warsaw Pact
Alliance and defense organization between eight communist countries during the Cold War. It was created by the Soviet Union and consisted mostly of Eastern European countries. They fought against the NATO (which consisted of the U.S. and Western European countries) during the Cold War. -
Suez Canal/ Nasser
Crisis where Egypt somewhat went to war with Britain, France, and Israel. Started over Nasser (Egypt's president) to take control of the Suez Canal after U.S. and Britain decided to stop aiding the building of the Aswan Dam after they found out that Nasser was creating connections to the Soviet Union and China. Showed the West's paranoia of communism and the measures they would go to to stop it. -
Sputnik
Was the first satellite sent from Earth, created by the Soviets. Was a major point in the technology/ arms race between the U.S. ans Soviet Union and somewhat made the U.S. citizens doubt their country during the race. -
Berlin Wall is erected
East Germany/Soviet Union construction of a concrete wall with guards that divides East and West Berlin. It created a barrier between communism and democracy beliefs. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Soviets sent nuclear missiles to be stationed in Cuba to threaten the U.S. John Kennedy set up a blockade to prevent the attack. This showed how we close we were to war at the time. -
Brezhnev
Khushcev's successor, and dictator of the Soviet Union that aressted people and critics who stood out against him. He kept the Soviet Union communist during his reign. -
Tet Offensive
Series of surprise militery/civilian attacks by the Viet Cong against South Vietnam in the Vietnam War. U.S. troops were killed and the attacks shocked the U.S. government and public. -
Helsinki Accords
Documents signed in Helsinki, Finland, that agreed to guarantee basic rights to prisoners of war that have been captured. It limits what countries can do to prisoners and still apllies today. -
Iranian Hostage Crisis
Issue between the U.S. and Iran where Iranian students held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days. This was one of the major attacks of terrorism by a Middle Eastern country. -
Russian Invasion of Afghanistan
During the Cold War, was a side war between Soviet troops in Afghanistan territory, and Afghan troops with major help from bordering countries, the U.S., and other western countries. Was a major factor in the Cold War and is somewhat known as the Soviet's Vietnam War. -
Lech Walesa and the Solidarity Movement in Poland
Leader of the Solidarity movement in Poland, which created an independent labor union. This demanded millions of members along with political and economical change. -
Moscow Olympics
Olympic Games where the U.S. and 65 other countres boycotted the games because the war between Afghanistan and the Soviet Union. This lead to the boycott of the Los Angeles Olympics by the Soviet Union and it showed how far countries would go to avoid communism. -
Los Angeles Olympics
Olympic Games where several Communist Bloc countries (including Cuba, East Germany, and the Soviet Union) all boycotted the games. The showed the hatred between the countries who favored capitalism and the countries who favorited communism. -
Perestroika and Glasnost
Political movement in the Soviet Union during Gorbachev's reign that tried to rebuild the economic system in the Communist Party of the WSoviet Union. Focused on glasnost (which meaned openess) and is thought to be the reason for the downfall of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War. -
Gorbachev
Last leader of the Soviet Union. His reforms brought economic disaster, which caused shortages and unemployment. The Soviet Union fell apart under his rule in 1991. This shaped current-day Russia and influenced it greatly. -
Chernobyl
City in northern Ukraine where a nuclear power plant under Soviet control had a major accident that exposed people to radiation across a large area. It made the Soviets realize the dangers of nuclear technology. -
Tiananmen Square
Civilian protests over the death of a Communist part Secretary in China that were supported by the Chinese people and showed weakness in China's leadership. China was forced to use military to attack civilians. Showed unstability and weak points in China's government. -
Berlin Wall is torn down.
Reunification of Berlin/Germany that put Germany under a democracy. Soviet Union got weaker and so did the spreading of communism became weaker. -
End of the USSR
The Soviet Union returning to the name Russia and becoming a democracy. It set up current-day Russia that we know today. -
Yeltsin
First president of Russia after the dissolving of the Soviet Union. Came to power under the Perestroika movement and turned Russia's communist economy into a market economy. -
Putin
Current president of Russia who served another term from 1999-2008. Known for the returning of stability to the Russian economy.
