Quick History Final stuff

events

Korean War (1950–1953)

North Korea (backed by the USSR and China) invaded South Korea (backed by the US and UN forces). Fighting ended in a stalemate. It was one of the first "hot wars" of the Cold War and showed how global the conflict had become.

Korean Division at the 38th Parallel

After WWII, Korea was split at the 38th parallel—North became communist, South capitalist. This division symbolized the Cold War divide and still exists today.

Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan (1979–1989)

The USSR invaded to support a communist government facing rebellion. The war became a long, costly conflict like the Soviet version of Vietnam, weakening the USSR and contributing to its collapse.

U.S. Support of Mujahideen

The U.S. armed and trained anti-Soviet Afghan fighters. This Cold War strategy hurt the USSR but also had long-term effects—some fighters later joined extremist groups like the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.

Formation of NATO and Warsaw Pact

NATO (1949) united Western countries against communism. The Warsaw Pact (1955) united Eastern Bloc countries under Soviet control. These alliances divided Europe militarily and politically, fueling Cold War tensions.

Vietnam War (1955–1975), Angola (1975–2002), and Latin American Proxy Conflicts (1950s–1980s)

These wars were local conflicts influenced by Cold War rivalries—U.S. and USSR supported different sides. Millions died, and entire regions were destabilized as superpowers competed indirectly.

Fall of the Berlin Wall (1989)

The East German government opened the Berlin Wall amid protests and Soviet decline. The Wall’s fall symbolized the end of the Cold War and the collapse of communist regimes in Eastern Europe.