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Stalin
The Soviet leader that took over after Lenin. He forced collectivization of agriculture and increased industrialization. During his rule millions of Russians were killed during his purges. -
Iron Curtain
The term Churchill used to describe the separation between Western and Eastern Europe. A line could be drawn separating communism and capitalism. The fear and doubt enbodied in the term caused the beginning of the Cold War. -
The United Nations
The world's largest international organization formed after WWII. Its purpose is to maintain peace around the world. Unlike the League of Nations, the UN actually has a military force to help stop conflicts. -
Ho Chi Minh
President of the Democratic Republic fo Vietnam from 1945 to 1969. He supported the North Vietnamese in the Vietnam War and formed th Viet Cong. He unified Vietnam into one communist state. -
Truman Doctrine
Truman's international policy to support Greece and Turkey so they would not fall to communism. Truman did not want the Soviets to have any influence on these countries because of their strategic positions on the Mediterranean. This is considered the beginning of the Cold War. -
Marshall Plan
The United State's program that gave financial aid to countries after WWII. It was in the hopes to prevent the spread of communism. It helped Western Europe recover financially in a shorter period than it would have taken normally. -
Berlin Airlift
The Western Allies flew food and supplies into West Berlin after it was blockaded. This event stopped the spread of communism to West Berlin. -
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
A military alliance and organtization based in Brussels, Belgium. It is comprised of 28 countries mostly in Western Europe and North America. The treaty is based on collective security so if one nation is attacked the other countries will support them. -
People's Republic of China
A one-party state ruled by the Communist party. Also the most populous country. Even though China fell to Communism, The US and China have diplomatic relations. -
Korean War
A war between North and South Korea that began when the North invaded the South. The US sided with the South and the USSR supported the North. This war allowed the US and the USSR to indirectly fight each other. -
Explosion of the First Hydrogen Bomb
The US detonated the first hydrogen bomb on the island in the Enewetak Atoll. The result was a crater 175 feet deep. This was the most powerful nuclear weapon up to this point and was a show of the United State's power. -
Khrushchev
Leader of the Soviet Union after the death of Stalin in 1953. First Secretary of the Communist Party. Supported deStalinization and during his rule there was more freedom. -
KGB (Committee for State Security)
Security agency during the Soviet Union. They provided security for the borders and protected the state officials. They were the Soviet version of the CIA and were in charge of collecting foreign intelligence. -
Geneva Accords
A conference where the US, the USSR, China, the UK, and others tried to unify Vietnam. They also wanted to restore peace to Indochina. They decided Vietnam would be devided into two zones and free elections would be held. -
Warsaw Pact
A peace treaty between communist countries in Eastern Europe. It was the Soviet counterpart to NATO. Entangling alliances like this one and NATO are one of the main reasons for war. -
Vietnam
A war between communist North Vietnam and anti-communist South Vietnam. The USSR helped the north and the US and other non-communist countries supported the south. This war allowed the USSR and the US to indirectly fight each other. -
Suez Canal/Nasser
The man-made canal connecting the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. It was a confrontation between Egypt and Britain, France, and Israel. The United States and the Soviet Union worked to stop these nations from fighting. -
Sputnik
The first artificial Earth satellite. Information collected from it allowed scientists to learn about space. This resulted in the Space Race between the USSR and the US. -
European Economic Cooperation
An economic alliance between France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy, the Netherlands, and West Germany. This was a sign of economic unity and recovery in Western Europe. This alliance lowered tariffs to encourage trade and economic recovery. -
Berlin Wall Built
The Soviets erected a wall to divide East and West Berlin. People in East Berlin continued to try to escape over the wall. This wall separated democratic and communist countries. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Soviet Union placed nuclear weapons in Cuba and the United States was afraid of nuclear attack. After a naval blockade the USSR agreed to take the weapons back. The was the closest the USSR and the US got to all out nuclear war. -
Brezhnev
He served in the military and was a part of the Communist party. Brezhnev was the 4th leader of the USSR. Brezhnev brought back a period of reStalinization. -
Tet Offensive
A series of Viet Cong attacks on South Vietnamese and US forces. The attacks were surprises on military and civilian control centers in South Vietnam. Even though the Viet Cong had the advantage the US and the South Vietnamese were victorious. -
Helsinki Accords
It was a conference that attempted to improve relations between Eastern Europe and the west. All European countries except for Andorra and Albania signed the agreement. It was an attempt to improve overall relations and to solve problems in Southeast Asia. -
Iranian Hostage Crisis
For 444 days 52 Americans were held hostage in Iran. This was a major issue during the presidency and reelection of President Carter. The hostage crisis began the deterioration of relations between the US and Iran. -
Russian Invasion of Afghanistan
Soviets and Afghans fought against Mujahideen, aided by the US, the UK, and Saudi Arabia. Millions of Afghans were forced to flee their country as a result of the fighting. The end result of the war was the Geneva Accords. -
Moscow Olympics
The first Olympics to be staged in Eastern Europe. The US and 65 other countries boycotted the games in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. -
Lech Walesa and the Solidarity Movement in Poland
The second president of Poland and the co-founder of the Solidarity Movement. The Solidarity Movement was the first Soviet bloc's trade union. -
Los Angeles Olympics
Summer Olympics hosted in Los Angelas for the second time. The USSR and 14 other Eastern Bloc countries boycotted the games because of anti-Soviet sentiments in the US. -
Gorbachev
He was the first and last president of the Soviet Union. He tore down the Berlin Wall and helped the reunification of Germany. He tried to reform the Soviet Union and attempted to end the Cold War. -
Perestroika and Glasnost
They were Gorbachev's terms for the renovation of Soviet society and politics. He used them during his reign from 1985 to 1991. The ideas he implemented under these terms actually did start to fix the Russian economy. -
Chernobyl
After a power surge at a nuclear power plant, there was an explosion at Chernobyl. The damage caused a local town to be evacuated also. Chernobyl was the worst nuclear power plant explosion in history. -
Tiananmen Square
Student protests against the government in Beijing. The governent enforced martial law in order to stop the demonstrations. On June 3-4 troops with assault weapons fired on the crowd, wounding thousands. -
Berlin Wall Torn Down
Gorbachev had the wall torn down. People in East Berlin saw this as a symbol of the end of oppression. This was a symbol of the reunification of Germany. -
Yeltsin
The first president of the Russian Federation from 1991 to 1999. He opposed Gorbachev and communism. The founding father of democracy in Eastern Europe. -
End of the USSR
Mikhail Gorbachev resigned from being the leader of the USSR. As a result all the states in the Soviet Union broke apart. This was the end of the Cold War -
Putin
The current president of Russia. He previously served from 2000 to 2008 and got reelected in 2012. He ended the Russian economic crisis in the 90s.
