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U.S. boycott of 1980 Summer Olympics
In April of 1980 the United States led a boycott on the that year's summer olympics, held in Moscow. They were protesting the recent invasion in Afganistan. 80 countries participated, and 65 counties refused. -
Caribbean Basin Initiative
President Reagan announced the Caribbean Basin Initiative. It was a program that provided economic and military assistance to Caribbean countries that were being thrated by forces of communism. -
Strategic Defense Initiative
The Strategic Defense Initiative is also called "Star Wars" and, was established by President Reagan. This program was created to prevent missle attacks by other countries, the Soviet Union being a particular one. It involves a sophisticated anti-ballistic missile system, and was the United States action to the possible nuclear bombs. -
Mikhail Gorbachev becomes General Secretary of the CommunistParty of the Soviet Union
Mikhail Gorbachev changed the Soviet Union, and focused differently on economic practice, internal affairs and international relations. He brought an end to the Cold War, within five years. Which lead to the fall of the soviet Union. -
Iran-Contra Affair
The Iran-Contra Affair was not approved by the US congress. It was secret arrangement in the 1980s to provide funds to the Nicaraguan contra rebels from profits gained by selling arms to Iran. -
Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces
The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) is a 1987 agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union. The INF eliminated the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles. -
Berlin Wall collapses
On August 13, 1961 the communist country of West Germany began to build a wall around West Berlin. It was created to seperate the two rivals. In November of 1989, East Germany claimed that all citizens can cross. People climbed over it and used tools to pick at its cement. -
1st McDonalds opens in Moscow
The Soviet Union's first McDonald’s opens in Moscow. Tons of people line up to pay the equivalent of several days wages for Big Macs, shakes, and french fries. -
Germany is reunified
The German reunification was the process in 1990 in which the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) joined the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) to form the reunited nation of Germany. This is also when Berlin reunited into a single city, -
Warsaw Pact is dissolved
After 36 years in existence, the Warsaw Pact came to an end. The action was another sign that the Soviet Union was losing control over its former allies and that the Cold War was falling apart. -
Boris Yelstin elected President of Russia
On 13 June 1991, millions of Russians went to vote for the first time in an open election to elect a president. He was a Communist Party member for much of his life. He eventually came to believe in both democratic and free market reforms. He also played an instrumental role in the collapse of the Soviet Union. -
End of the Soviet Union
The Soviet Union disintegrated into fifteen separate countries. The United States rejoiced as its formidable enemy was destroyed, ending the Cold War which had hovered over these two superpowers since the end of World War II.
