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Yalta conference
Allied leaders FDR, Churchill & Stalin all agreed to govern Germany jointly after the war. This conference is an example of the GASPIRE+ theme of Geographic because these allied leaders decided to govern the land of Germany. -
Truman Doctrine
The United States funded Greece and Turkey with $400 million to fight against the influence of communism. This is an example of the GASPIRE+ theme of Social because the U.S wanted to limit the spread of communism and fight against it. -
Marshall Plan
A plan created by US secretary of state George Marshall which channeled over $13 billion to finance Europe to help them recover after the effects of WWI. This is an example of the GASPIRE+ theme of Economic because the US was helping Europe build up their economic status after the war. -
Berlin Blockade and Airlift
In response to the aid given to the European countries by the US, the Soviet Union blocked all land and water passages to Berlin. This caused the citizens of west Berlin (democratic) to be cut off and starve. The US flew planes into west Berlin to aid the people with supplies and then the Soviet Union eventually reopens the Berlin borders. -
Comecon
The Soviet Union founded Comecon, an association of eastern European countries in response to the Marshall Plan. It was designed to provide member nations with aid. The organization was dissolved in 1991 with the end of the war. This is an example of the GASPIRE+ theme of political because they wanted all communistic countries to stay communistic. -
NATO
Stands for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and it is a military treaty between several North American and European states. This is an example of the GASPIRE+ theme of Political because it is a military agreement between the US and Europe. -
Warsaw Pact
A Treaty between Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and the Soviet Union. Created in response to the creation of NATO because the Soviet Union felt threatened. This is an example of the GASPIRE+ theme of political because they were trying to match the power of the US. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
Fidel Castro overthrew the Cuban government and put in place a communist government with the support the Soviet Union. The US sent in people to overthrow the new communistic regime but failed. This is an example of the GASPIRE+ theme of Religious because the Soviet Union wanted to spread their beliefs of non religion and working for the good of the people to Cuba. -
Cuban Missle Crisis
The Soviet Union sent nuclear missiles into Cuba. In response the US created a blockade of Cuba and president John F. Kennedy demanded that the missiles be removed. The Soviet Union then removed them. This is an example of the GASPIRE+ theme of political because this was a political issue. -
The Space Race
The USA and USSR were competing to be the more advanced and superior country. The Soviet Union was the first to put a man into space named Yuri Gagarin. On July 20, 1969 the US sends the first man to land on the moon. This a huge achievement for the US and is an example of the GASPIRE+ theme of Intellectual. -
Détente
It is a French word that meaning release from tensions and this word was used in this time period because the tensions between the US and the Soviet Union were lessening. This is an example of the GASPIRE+ theme of Artistic because the people of both nations wanted peace and in some cases showed this through art and protests. -
The fall of the Berlin Wall
There was a wall that separated West Berlin which was democratic, from East Berlin which was Communistic. Then on November 9th, 1991 the wall was torn down which represented the end of Communism in Europe and the end of the war. -
The Soviet Union collapses
The end of the Cold War -
Interview
I interviewed my mom and she said the cold war was defined as "us against them". She remembers in 5th grade making a poster of the American flag with crossed guns on it labeled "Peace Through Strength". I asked her what she thought of the Soviet Union at that time and she said "they were evil". She was a junior in college when the cold war ended and she said it felt like a victory for the United States.
