Week 4

Strategic Initiative Defensive(star wars): We all know the very well known movie series, Star Wars. One of the biggest movie franchises in history. That being said, we don't know the policy that Ronald Reagan proposed the US should take in 1983 since it confused the world how they'd take an initiative that was not well in their time period just yet. In this "Star Wars" policy, Reagan stated that the US should take initiative in creating a missile defense program in outer space which would shoot lasers at enemy missiles. This confused the general public. The United States would then be embarrassed since they did not hold such technology. 

Chernobyl: Chernobyl was a nuclear disaster which killed 31 people and caused a lot of radiation as well as money. This incident happened within the Ukraine. The event was under direct control from the Soviet Union, which explains why the incident occurred. The soviet union was ultimately the reason for this incident.

Perestroika: Perestroika was the policy which stated that Soviet citizens could protest and complain about economic problems and not have any consequences after. This policy was under jurisdiction of Gorbachev, the new Soviet leader. The main purpose of Perestroika was to reconstruct the Soviet Union's economy as well as government. This happened so that Communism would not be dispelled, but rather strengthen it and make it more efficient.

Democratization: Democratization was a huge deal in the Soviet Union. It was the first time in history that the Soviet society had a right to vote and pick out who they wanted to win the election. Gorbachev said that for the economy to thrive, that they would have to loosen up; they did so by having elections. 

Years of Miracles: In the year of miracles, Hungary was inspired by Poland, which led them to build a new constitution which assured free parliamentary elections. In this year, radical reformers took over a communist party, dispelled their leaders, and later dissolved it. Also, a year later, a non-communist government was set in power.

Fall of the Berlin Wall: East Germany demanded the right to travel freely and to have free elections, Honecker, leader of Germany stated that reforms were unnecessary and ordered police to break up a demonstration in Leipzig, but the police refused. Honecker lost his power and resigned. After, Krenz came into power and attempted to stabilize Communism. Krenz decided to open up Berlin wall and let east Germany into the West. Krenz had to resign due to widespread corruption being discovered, thus ending the East Communist party once and for all.

Collapse of the Soviet Union: All 15 unions declared independence from the Soviets which ended the Soviet Union. This happening showed that the Union had lost its power and through the power of Boris Yeltsin, it was seen as unconstitutional. This was no longer in relations with the Soviets, for the Union had dismantled, and peace was reached in all of Easter Europe. 

Week 3

Cuban Missile Crisis 1962- This Cuban missile crisis was caused through the failure of the Bay of pigs invasion attempted by the United States on Cuba. Fidel Castro knew about the invasion, which made the United States look like a fiasco. Cuba while in relations with the Soviet union, allowed Khrushchev to put 42 missiles on Cuba in case of a United States attack. A US spy plane saw contacted these missiles and informed the US. John F. Kennedy saw this as a threat from the Soviet Union and ordered to take back the missiles. The United States decided not to attack Cuba since they feared the situation would lead to an unanticipated World War III. This event happened due to the tension between the Soviet Union and the US during the Cold War. What Ultimately led to this event was on behalf of the United States due to the Bay of Pigs invasion. 

MAD 1960's: "MAD" is known as Mutual Assured Destruction. Through this strategy/policy, the Cold War never seized to exist, but rather continued. The tension between the Soviet Union and the United States grew every time that either country surpassed the other through Nuclear Weapons. Neither of these super powers wanted to attack the other, since it would completely annihilate their land. This is why a "hot war" was never sparked and the Cold War always remained silent and neutral. This is in relations with both super powers because they both created tension through the technology of Nuclear Warfare. 

Vietnam War 1965-75: The Vietnamese wanted freedom from foreign rule, Vietnam was separated into North and South Vietnam. Vietnam like most countries surrounding them, fell into Communism. This was known as the Domino Effect. Ho chi Mingh controlled the North and Ngo Dinh Diem controlled the South. The United States aided Diem and had about 15,000 troops in Vietnam. It later turned out to be that Ngo Dinh Diem rigged his presidential election and turned out to be a brutal ruler. The United States aided this man. 

Detente: "Detente" is the French word for "relaxation". Detente was essentially a time period where the Cold War was sort of neutral, and not much tension submerged. Relations between the United States and the Soviet Union improved due to change in Soviet leadership. There were more talks and negotiations between the two. Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford visited the Soviet Union as well as Breshnev visiting Washington. The United States response was to let in China into the United Nations. 

SALT negotiations: These SALT negotiations stand for: Strategic Arms Limitation Talks. For years, the Soviet Union and the US battled to see who would control Nuclear Warfare by having the most bombs. The United States continued on proving themselves, but it wasn't long until the USSR caught up. Because of this the SALT negotiations are created, in order to limit how many Nuclear Weapons a country is allowed to hold. SALT II was ratified when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. The Soviet Union were the ones who caused the SALT talks. 

Iranian Revolution: The Iranian Revolution was said to be a rare coincidence. For one, the revolution did not have any money issues, or political issues, except for the overthrow of an old style "pro-western monarchy" The person who was overthrown was aided by the United States. This happened so that Iran could become a republic. 

USSR Invades Afghanistan: The Soviet Union broke the peace and tranquility in 1979 in a 9 year long war against Afghanistan, this also resulted in the SALT II negotiation. Many countries aided Afghanistan such as the US, UK, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan. Both the Soviet Union and the United States were in relations in this war the USSR by declaring war on Afghanistan, and the US by aiding Afghanistan. 

Week 2

Korean War:
North Korea think that they will be welcomed in South Korea, but they're not. Stalin urges Kim Sung II to wait until war is over in China. Stalin also agrees to back up a North Korean attack. North Korea drive US troops and South Korean troops all the way to the edge. This happened because North Korea wanted to be affiliated in South Korea. This is in relation with the USSR since the Soviet Union assists an attack and also keeps in touch with North Korea. 

Hydrogen Bomb is created/Arms Race:
The soviet Union and the United STates had mastered the Hydrogen Bomb. These bombs were a lot more powerful than the Atomic Bombs. Although Nuclear Warfare was new, it was way too risky. Both countries knew that Nuclear Warfare would destroy both sides. The two countries decided to try and stop each other from using them. This resulted in constant fear, which essentially discouraged Nuclear Warfare. This happened because both superpowers wanted to show who was superior. This was also in relations with the USSR since they kept on catching up with the United States technology.

Warsaw Pact:
The Warsaw Pact was a pact created in opposition against NATO. This organization was made after the death of Stalin which eased the Tension. This pact was so that military and mutual economic support was intact. This pact was made so that the Eastern Bloc would have its own back against NATO. This was in relations with the USSR since the Soviet Union was the heart of the Warsaw Pact.

De-Stalinization:
De-Stalinization was essentially the time where everyone said goodbye to Stalin. Stalin dies which brings down the tension between the two super powers of the US and the USSR. This also however, weakens Soviet politics since Stalin was the central figure. Stalin's death took a toll on Soviet society and the Cold War in general. This happened and Khrushchev took control of the USSR after Stalin. This is in relations with the Soviet Union since they were saying goodbye to their own figurehead. 

Sputnik:
Sputnik was an artificial satellite which was sent to successfully orbit the Earth by the Soviet Union on October 4th of 1957. Sputnik was the spark in what came to be the Space Race between the Soviet Union and the United States. The Soviet Union sent numerous Sputnik's to orbit the Earth. This happened because the Soviet Union wanted to win the space race. President Eisenhower thought that Sputnik was not meaningful but later on sent out a bill to create NASA. 

U-2 Incident:
 A United States spy plane was sent to take pictures of the Soviet Union's airfields and bases. The spy plane was then shot down and taken by the USSR, the United States were forced to say what they were doing and were embarrassed by being caught. This happened because the United States attempted covert missions on the USSR. This also led to tension between the two of them. 

Berlin Wall:

Week 1

Creation of the Eastern Bloc: The Eastern Bloc was essentially a group in East Europe which was created by the Soviet Union. The countries which were a part of this group were affiliated with Communism. These countries opposed Democracy or were forced into running a country with communism. The only countries that were a part of this "bloc" were the USSR, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, and Romania. This bloc was created so that the United States couldn't proceed to spread their democracy all around Europe, even though they spread it to most of Europe already. This was significant to the USSR so that Communism would be allowed to be spread. 

The "Iron Curtain Speech":
Winston Churchill gave a speech regarding Communist USSR, and in his speech he states how There has been an Iron Curtain which has been set amongst Europe. The curtain is said to divide East Europe being communist and controlled by Moscow, and the West being democratic. This happened because the Soviet Union decided that they wanted to 1-up the United States, the Soviet Union felt as if Communism was the answer to everything. This is significant because it ultimitely led to the Cold War. 


The Long Telegram/Containment: 
The United States felt like going out of their way to help the post war countries in need. They did this in order to assure those countries that Democracy was the way, not Communism. The United States aided these countries. This happened because the US didn't want Communism to spread, they feared that if it did, it would wipe out Democracy. This is significant because it started to spark up tension between the two super powers.

The Truman Doctrine: 
In the Truman Doctrine, Harry.S Truman suggests that there are two ways to living, in freedom and without oppression, or the other way of living which contains oppression, and fixed elections. Truman states that the other way of living is wrong, and that the United States way was correct. This happened regarding the USSR's communism. Truman wanted a stop to communism, and he stated this in his speech. Countries who opposed Communism were a part of the Truman Doctrine.

The Marshall Plan:
In the Marshall plan, George Marshall proposed that the US supply the countries in need with machinery, food, etc. This attempted a pretty good halt on Communism. The United States wanted to supply all of these things so that Europe would be on their side. The United States even gave the proposal to Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. Of course, the Soviets were outraged and did not allow any countries who were a part of the Eastern Bloc to accept. 

Berlin Blockade/ Airlift:
The soviet Union decided to block Berlin in Germany, causing the Berlin blockade which made it so that supplies could not reach West Germnay. The Soviet Union did this so that Germany could not receive supplies. The United States, Great Britain, France, Canada, and New Zealand went out of their way and assisted them.

Soviets get the A-bomb:
In 1949. the Soviet Union exploded their first successful Atomic Bomb. The power of the blast was roughly the same as the impact of the the US' first A-bomb, Trinity. The Soviet Union set up buildings around the vicinity and even human like animals inside of cages. The A bomb's radiation was strong enough to kill the animals. The reason for the detonation of the A-bomb was so that the Soviets could get back on track to prove that they had the power to demonstrate dominance over all the other countries in the world. It was significant since the Soviet Union got to create tension between the US which ultimately scared the US. 

Creation of NATO:
NAT or the North Atlantic Treaty, created NATO(North Atlantic Trade Organization)
This organization included countries such as Great Britain, France, Canada, Belgium, and Italy. This organization was created to AID countries who were a part of NATO, countries who were not a part of it, and who declared war on countries inside of NATO would be seen as enemies by the whole Organization.

China becomes Communist:
China has a civil war, and the Liberation Army beats the United States backed up army. This causes an alliance with the New peoples republic of China which is now communist. This happened so that Communism would be spread. Propaganda and the Soviet Union might have been a huge contributor in the converting of China. This is in relation with the USSR since China would then join the Warsaw Pact which was in opposition against NATO.