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U.S. boycott of 1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics were being held in Moscow. The U.S. and many other countries boycotted the Olympics as a way to protest against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. -
Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) (“Star Wars”)
The SDI was proposed by President Ronald Reagan as a defense system for the U.S. against missiles and other projectiles. The idea was to strike down missiles before they reach the United States. -
Caribbean Basin Initiative
The CBI was a temporary program created by the United States that aimed to provide tariff and trade benefits to Central American and Carribean countries. A second act was created later, known as "CBI II", that became permament. -
Mikhail Gorbachev becomes General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
Gorbachev, when General Secretary, introduced new concepts to the Soviet Union, such as glasnost ("openness") and perestroika ("restructuring"). He stated that his primary goal was to revive the Soviet economy. -
Iran-Contra Affair
The Iran-Contra Affair was a political scandal involving the United States. During Reagan's time in office, administrations secretly faciliated the distrobution of arms to Iran. The scandal was to hopefully free seven hostages being held in Lebanon. -
Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) Ratified
The INF was an agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union that eliminated nuclear and conventional ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with intermediate ranges. Reagan and Gorbachev signed it together in the White House. -
Berlin Wall Collapses
Protests were centered around the Berlin wall, where people wanted it torn down. People climbed on top of the wall and sat together, to show that they did not need a wall to seperate them from each other. The wall was soon torn down. -
1st McDonalds Opens in Moscow
The opening of a McDonalds in Moscow signified that the times were changing within the Soviet Union. Less than two years after this event, the Soviet Union ceases to exist. -
Germany is Reunified
Germany is reuinified by Berlin being merged back into one city. Many people were against this reuinification, as well as many people were for it. -
Warsaw Pact is Dissolved
The Warsaw Pact was announced disbanded on February 25th of 1991, but wasn't officially canceled until July 1st of 1991. Following this, the USSR disestablished itself in December. -
Boris Yeltsin Elected President of Russia
Boris Yeltsin was elected president of Russia after Gorbachev resigned. With this, the communist state of Russia disappeared. -
End of the Soviet Union
The End of the Soviet Union officially marked the end of the Cold War. With this, Boris Yeltsin was elected as president of Russia.
