-
Stalin
Joseph Stalin was the leader of the Soviet Union until 1953.
Historical Significance: Stalin launched the first totalitarian state. -
United Nations
The United Nations main goal was to achieve everlasting peace between nations. The UN consisted of 51 member states, but now consists of 193.
Historical Significance: The United Nations is the world's largest international organization. -
Ho Chi Minh
Ho Chi Minh was a Vietnam communist leader. He was the President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.
Historical Significance: Ho Chi Minh played a huge role in the People's Army of Vietnam. -
Iron Curtain
The Iron Curtain was a line that separated the Warsaw Pact countries from the NATO countries.
Historical Significance: The Iron Curtain symbolized how Europe was viewed and how each side had their own beliefs. -
Truman Doctrine
With the Truman Doctrine, the U.S. agreed to support Greece and Turkey to prevent them from falling to Communism.
Historical Significance: The Truman Doctrine helped fight the spread of Communism. -
The Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was a program where the United States aided Europe to rebuild its economy.
Historical Significance: The Marshall Plan prevented Communism. -
European Economic Cooperation
This group aimed towards adding the nations of Eastern Europe. They soon became the European Union and promoted free flow of capital, labor, and goods in the European nations.
Historical Significance: In the 2000's, many countries had joined the European Union. -
Berlin Airlift
The Soviet Union had placed a blockade on West Berlin, which was the Allied sector. By doing this, the Soviets thought that they would starve the population and make them give into Soviet support. The Allies were able to airlift supplies between the Western German zones and Berlin.
Historical Significance: The Berlin Airlift led to the construction of the Berlin Wall. -
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, also known as NATO, was an alliance based upon the North Atlantic Treaty.
Historical Significance: The formation of the NATO led the Soviet Union to create the Warsaw Pact. -
Peoples Republic of China
The Peoples Republic of China was a "people's democratic dictatorship." The people were divided into social classes.
Historical Significance: The Peoples Republic of China is the most populated country. -
Korean War
The Korean War was fought between North Korea, who were aided by Communist China, and South Korea, who were aided by the U.S. and UN members.
Historical Significance:The Korean War was the first armed conflict in the Cold War. -
Explosion of the first hydrogen bomb
The hydrogen bomb was tested at Enewetak atoll in the Marshall Islands of the western Pacific Ocean. An arms race between Russia and the U.S. influenced the testing of this bomb.
Historical Significance: The hydrogen bomb was the world's first thermonuclear weapon. -
KGB (Committee for State Security)
The KGB was the main security organization for the Soviet Union.
Historical Significance: The KGB prevented many Soviet activities from taking place. -
Geneva Accords
The Geneva Accord took place in Geneva, Switzerland. The goal was to unify Vietnam and to restore peace throughout Indochina.
Historical Significance: Vietnam was split into two parts; North Vietnam and South Vietnam. -
Khrushchev
Khrushchev was the leader of the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
Historical Significance: Khrushchev fixed some of the damage done in the Soviet Union. -
Warsaw Pact
During the Cold War, the Soviet Union initiated a treaty between eight Communist states for mutual defense.
Historical Significance: The Warsaw Pact split Europe into democratic west and communist east. -
Vietnam
After the dismissal of the French, Vietnam was split into North Vietnam and South Vietnam. When conflicts arose, the Vietnam War started, and ended with the North Vietnam's victory.
Historical Significance: Vietnam was unified into a Communist government. -
Suez Canal/ Nasser
The Suez Canal led to a confrontation between Egypt, and Britain, France, and Israel. The President of Egypt, Nasser, nationalized the Suez Canal.
Historical Significance: This crisis ended Britain as a Superpower. -
Sputnik
The Soviet Union launched the Spunik, an Earth satellite.
Historical Significance: Sputnik was the first Earth satellite. -
Berlin Wall is erected
The Berlin Wall was erected in hopes of keeping East Germans from escaping to the West. This wall of division lasted for approximately 28 years.
Historical Significance: The Berlin Wall symbolized a division between democracy and Communism. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Soviet Union place missiles on the island of Cuba to spy on the U.S. The U.S. confronted the Soviet Union and Cuba to make sure the missiles were removed.
Historical Significance:The Cuban Missile Crisis became the first possible nuclear war. -
Brezhnev
Leonid Brezhnev was Nikita Krushchev's successor. He held power in the mid-1960's.
Historical Significance: Brezhnev ruled over the Soviet Union longer than anyone, except Stalin. -
Tet Offensive
The Tet Offensive was a military campaign that was between Viet Cong and North Vietnam, against South Vietnam, the U.S., and allies.
Historical Significance: The Tet Offensive was the last effort that the Communists put foward to win the Vietnam War. -
Helsinki Accords
The Helsinki Accords was held in Helsinki, Finland. Thirty-three states signed a document in hopes of improving relations between the Communist bloc and the West.
Historical Significance: The Helsinki Accords promoted freedom of speech and religion, to learn a living, and to live in safety, which hugely impacted human rights. -
Iranian Hostage Crisis
A crisis between the United States and Iran. Fifty-two Americans were held hostage for 444 days.
Historical Significance: This crisis weakened ties between the U.S. and Iran. -
Russian Invasion of Afghanistan
This war was fought between the Soviets, who were led by Afgans, and the Mujahideen. Many Afgans fled their country.
Historical Significance: Numerous amounts of Afgans and participants in the war were killed. -
Moscow Olympics
The 1980 Olympic Games were held in Moscow. The U.S. boycotted these games due to the Soviet War in Afghanistan.
Historical Significance: The Moscow Olympics were the first games to be held in Eastern Europe. -
Lech Walesa and the Solidarity Movement in Poland
Lech Walesa was the leader of the Solidarity Movement in Poland. The goal was to overthrow Communism in Poland. He was also the second President of Poland.
Historical Significance: Many years later, Soliditary was outlawed. -
Los Angeles Olympics
The Soviet Union, Germany, and Cuba boycotted the Los Angeles Olympics to get revenge on the U.S. for when they boycotted the games.
Historical Significance: This was the first time the Olympics had corporate sponsors. -
Gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev was a leader of the Soviet Union. Gorbachev tried to reform the economy of the Soviet Union by using glasnost and perestroika.
Historical Significance:Gorbachev's leadership brought the collapse of the Soviet Union. -
Perestroika and Glasnost
Gorbachev used the policies of Prestroika and Glasnost for goals of the Soviet Union.
Historical Significance: These policies shaped the Soviet Union into a freer capitalist society. -
Chernobyl
Chernobyl was a nuclear power plant accident that had happened in the Soviet Union. Many people in the Western USSR and Europe faced deadly radiation.
Historical Significance: Since this event, the industries and governments have developed better safety measures. -
Tiananmen Square
The Tiananmen Square is the main center in Beijing. In 1989, many students were protesting to initiate the former Communist Party Chairman, Hu Yaobang.
Historical Significance: Martial law was declared after the protests and many students were killed. -
Berlin Wall is torn down
When Communism began to stumble, points opened for East Germans to go into the West. The East German official, Gunter Schabowski made an announcement that the borders were open.
Historical Significance: With the fall of the Berlin Wall, East and West Germany reunified. -
Yeltsin
Boris Yeltsin was a Russian politician. His goals were to transform Russia into a free market economy.
Historical Significance: Boria Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation. -
End of the USSR
The Soviet Union collapsed due to the government being corrupt by leaders. The economy caused the USSR to fall.
Historical Significance: The fall of the USSR allowed the Cold War to be over. -
Putin
Vladimir Putin is the President of Russia.
Historical Significance: Putin takes care of political and economic stablility and progress in Russia.
