-
"Iron Curtain" Speech
Churchill gave a speech, and used an image of an iron curtain to illustrate the sharp division of Europe that was the result of Soviet action. He believed that this division was a serious threat to peace. -
NATO
The US, Canada, and most Western European countries joined together in a military alliance. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was formed, and its purpose was to counter Soviet power in Europe. -
Berlin Blockade
The Berlin Blockade was an attempt to limit the ability of France, the Soviet Union blocked their railway, road, and canal access to Berlin. -
Arms race
The two superpowers were in an arms race, a fight between nations to gain the advantage in weapons. -
Warsaw Pact
The Soviet Union and Communist natins of Eastern Europe decided to form their own alliance, known as the Warsaw Pact. -
Cuban missile crisis
A confrontation between the US and the Soviet union about the installation of Soviet nuclear missiles in cuba. The Soviet leaders removed the missiles once the US agreee to remove their missiles from Turkey and promised not to attack Cuba. -
SALT 1
Richard Nixon wanted reduced tension between the superpowers. A result of his efforts was a start of negotiations known as the Strategic Arms Limitations Talks, or SALT. -
USA Withdraw from Vietnam
In January 1972, representatives of the US, North and South Vietnam, and Vietcong signed a peace agreement, ending the US involvment in the Vietnam War. -
USSR invades Afghanistan
In December of 1979, the Soviet Unioun sent thousands of troops to Afghanistan and immidiately obtained military and political control of large portions of the country. -
Democracy in Eastern Europe
The Soviet empire in Eastern Europe collapsed in 1989, the Berlin Wall crumbled, and different democratic states emerged where dictatorshipd had dominated for four decade. -
Break up of USSR
Nations that were independent nations before WW2 had wanted their freedom. Lithuania declared independenc in 1990, and other republics began to do so too. The Soviet Union ceased to exist.