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Mikhail Gorbachev takes control of USSR
the general secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1991 and president of the Soviet Union in 1990–91. His efforts to democratize his country's political system and decentralize its economy led to the downfall of communism and the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. -
Iran/Iraq War
The war began when Iraq invaded Iran, launching a simultaneous invasion by air and land into Iranian territory on 22 September 1980 following a long history of border disputes, and fears of Shia insurgency among Iraq's long-suppressed Shia majority influenced by the Iranian Revolution. Iraq was also aiming to replace Iran as the dominant Persian Gulf state. Although Iraq hoped to take advantage of revolutionary chaos in Iran and attacked without formal warning, they made only limited progress in -
Civil War in Nicaragua
Sacasa returned from exile in Mexico and, with Mexican aid, established a rival liberal government on Nicaragua's east coast. A civil war erupted between liberal rebels under General Jose Maria Moncada and the government under Diaz, who requested and received military assistance from the United States. In 1927, US warships arrived and landed some 2,000 Marines and material. -
Mao Zedong takes control of China
Chinese political leader, poet and statesman, founder of People's Republic of China. Mao Zedong's ideas varied between flexible pragmatism and utopian visions, exemplified in the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. His literary production contains mainly speeches, essays and poems. Mao published some 40 poems written in classical tradition with political message. Worshiped by millions, Mao is also considered one of the 20th century most brutal dictators. It has been estimated that he -
Korean War
Korean War, conflict between Communist and non-Communist forces in Korea from June 25, 1950, to July 27, 1953. At the end of World War II, Korea was divided at the 38th parallel into Soviet and U.S. zones of occupation. In 1948 rival governments were established: The Republic of Korea was proclaimed in the South and the People's Democratic Republic of Korea in the North.
Relations between them became increasingly strained, and on June 25, 1950, North Korean forces -
Vietnam War
the Vietnamese waged an anti-colonial war against France and received $2.6 billion in financial support from the United States. The French defeat at the Dien Bien Phu was followed by a peace conference in Geneva, in which Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam received their independence and Vietnam was temporarily divided between an anti-Communist South and a Communist North. In 1956, South Vietnam, with American backing, refused to hold the unification elections. By 1958, Communist-led guerrillas known a -
Soviet Invasion of Hungary
a Budapest student rally in support of Polish efforts to win autonomy from the Soviet Union sparked mass demonstrations. The police attacked, and the demonstrators fought back, tearing down symbols of Soviet domination and HWP rule, sacking the party newspaper's offices and shouting in favor of free elections, national independence, and the return of Imre Nagy to power -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
In 1961, the United States launched an attack on Cuba meant to overthrow Castro's government. Though the aid and training given to the attacking exiles was substantial, they suffered total defeat and created a humiliating episode for the United States. Not only was the operation a military disaster, but it also failed its inital objective: in the end, the attack only increased Cubans' support of their leader. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation between the Soviet Union, Cuba and the United States in October 1962, during the Cold War. In September 1962, the Cuban and Soviet governments began to surreptitiously build bases in Cuba for a number of medium- and intermediate-range ballistic nuclear missiles with the ability to strike most of the continental United States. On October 14, a United States U-2 photoreconnaissance plane captured photographic proof of Soviet missile bases under construc -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation between the Soviet Union, Cuba and the United States in October 1962, during the Cold War. In September 1962, the Cuban and Soviet governments began to surreptitiously build bases in Cuba for a number of medium- and intermediate-range ballistic nuclear missiles with the ability to strike most of the continental United States. On October 14, a United States U-2 photoreconnaissance plane piloted by Major Heyser captured photographic proof of Soviet miss -
Soviet Invasion of Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia, following the lead of Romania, rejected the Soviet Union's call for more military integration within the Warsaw Pact and sought greater input in planning and strategy for the Warsaw Pact's non-Soviet members. -
SALT Treaty Talks
On January 20, 1969, the day of Richard M. Nixon's first inauguration, the Soviet government offered to hold negotiations on the issues of nuclear arms control. Nixon immediately accepted and the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks, commonly known as SALT, were arranged. They took place in two phases: SALT I ran from 1969 to 1972 and resulted in the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and the Interim Agreement Between The United States of America and The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on Certain Meas -
Nixon Visits China
Improved relations with the Soviet Union and the People’s Republic of China are often cited as the most successful diplomatic achievements of Nixon’s presidency. After World War II, Americans saw relations between the United States and the Soviet Union deteriorating, Russians consolidating communist puppet states over much of Eastern Europe, and China teetering on the edge of communism. Many Americans felt concern communists might cause the downfall of schools or labor unions. -
Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
The Soviet War in Afghanistan was a ten-year conflict involving the Soviet Union, supporting the Marxist government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan at their own request against the Islamist Mujahideen Resistance. The mujahideen found other support from a variety of sources including the United States, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Egypt and other Muslim nations through the context of the Cold War.The initial Soviet deployment of the 40th Army in Afghanistan began on December. -
Revolution in Iran
The first major demonstrations against the Shah began in January 1978. Between August and December 1978 strikes and demonstrations paralyzed the country. The Shah left Iran for exile in mid-January 1979, and two weeks later Ayatollah Khomeini returned to Tehran to a greeting by several million Iranians. The royal regime collapsed shortly after on February 11 when guerrillas and rebel troops overwhelmed troops loyal to the Shah in armed street fighting. Iran voted by national referendum to. -
Revolution in Iran
The first major demonstrations against the Shah began in January 1978. Between August and December 1978 strikes and demonstrations paralyzed the country. The Shah left Iran for exile in mid-January 1979, and two weeks later Ayatollah Khomeini returned to Tehran to a greeting by several million Iranians. The royal regime collapsed shortly after on February 11 when guerrillas and rebel troops overwhelmed troops loyal to the Shah in armed street fighting. Iran voted by national referendum to -
SALT Treaty Talks
On January 20, 1969, the day of Richard M. Nixon's first inauguration, the Soviet government offered to hold negotiations on the issues of nuclear arms control. Nixon immediately accepted and the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks, commonly known as SALT, were arranged. They took place in two phases: SALT I ran from 1969 to 1972 and resulted in the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and the Interim Agreement Between The United States of America and The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on Certain Meas -
Soviet Union Falls Apart
After years of Soviet military buildup at the expense of domestic development, economic growth was at a standstill. Failed attempts at reform, a stagnant economy, and war in Afghanistan led to a general feeling of discontent, especially in the Baltic republics and Eastern Europe. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
East Germany and West Germany met as a single, free nation. Waves of democratization had been sweeping Europe, toppling Communist governments and, where Communism still existed, the governments became distinctly more liberal. In 1990 the bastion of Communism, Russia herself, became the subject of an anti-Communist coup led by Yeltsin. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
In 1949, the Soviets closed all roads into Berlin and declared that they would stop any and all convoys into West Germany, forcing the populace into starvation or forcing the Allies to relinquish control of all Berlin to the Soviets. Truman made the famed decision to send food by plane. The famous Berlin airdrops fed an entire city several million people for several weeks until the Soviets finally gave in and allowed convoys to ente