Note
Studied by 17 peopleCold War/New World Issues
Presidents
Harry Truman 1945–1953
Truman Doctrine (containment)
Marshall Plan
Berlin Airlift
Formation of Israel
End of the Chinese Civil War and after
North Korean invasion of South Korea
Fires MacArthur during the Korean War for insubordination
Creation of NATO in 1949
Dwight Eisenhower 1953–1961
Stalin dies in 1953
Korean armistice
US and Japan start repairing relations
Geneva Accords: splits Vietnam
Domino effect: Vietnam War
Bay of Pigs invasion planned
CIA overthrows Arbenz in Guatemala
1956: Hungarian Revolt (Eisenhower does not intervene)
Suez Canal crisis
Sputnik (space race)
U-2 crisis and Francis Gary Powers
John F. Kennedy (JFK) 1961–1963
“We are going to put a man on the moon first!”
Bay of Pigs invasion implemented
USSR asks JFK to leave Berlin but JFK increased military presence – “I am a Berliner”
Cuban Missile Crisis (good job for JFK)
Diem was assassinated when JFK was assassinated
Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) 1963–1969
Gulf of Tonkin and Tet Offensive – situation in Vietnam is at height of tension
Prague Spring
Richard Nixon 1969–1974
Introduced detente
Ping pong diplomacy
SALT I
Watergate scandal
Vietnam war ends
Gerald Ford 1975–1977
Khmer Rouge’s rise to power
Jimmy Carter 1977–1981
Fall of Khmer Rouge
Islamic Revolution in Iran/failed rescue operation for Iran hostage crisis
Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (Detente ends)
Solidarity is founded by Lech Walesa in Poland
Ronald Reagan 1981–1989
Hostages in Iran are released
Rescue operation in Grenada: flexing our military muscles
Negotiates with Gorbachev
Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)
Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) with Gorbachev
Soviets pull out of Afghanistan at the very end of his 2nd term
George H.W. Bush 1989–1993
NOVEMBER of 1989: Berlin Wall is torn down
First Persian Gulf War: Operation Desert Storm
Tiananmen Square
Gorbachev resigns, Yeltsin, end of Cold War
Yugoslavia Civil War starts
1990 Rwandan genocide
Civil war in Yugoslavia begins
Bill Clinton 1993-2001
Chechnya
Mandela becomes president: end of apartheid
Civil war in Yugoslavia ends in 1999
Kosovo gained independence
George W. Bush 2001–2009
9/11, bin Laden
Putin becomes president
Second Persian Gulf War in Iraq because of “weapons of mass destruction”
Hussein and Iraqi government
Barack Obama 2009–2017
Osama bin Laden found and killed in 2011
Russia invades Crimea
Donald Trump 2017–2021, 2025-
Pulls out of the Paris Agreement in 2017 and 2025
Joe Biden 2021–2025
Joins Paris Agreement in 2021
Russia invades Ukraine
Other People
Joseph Stalin
Winston Churchill
George Marshall
Gail Halvorsen
Chiang Kai-shek (Jiang Jieshi)
Mao Zedong
Syngman Rhee
Kim Il-sung
Douglas MacArthur
Kim Jong-un
Ho Chi Minh
Ngo Diem
Jacobo Arbenz
Carlos Armas
Nikita Khrushchev
Imre Nagy
Gamal Nasser
Yuri Gagarin
Francis Gary Powers
Fidel Castro
Alexander Dubcek
Henry Kissinger
Leonid Brezhnev
Reza Pahlavi
Ayatollah Khomeini
Pol Pot
Lech Walesa
John Paul II
Maurice Bishop
Mikhail Gorbachev
Hu Yaobang
Boris Yeltsin
Vladimir Putin
Slobodan Milosevic
Norman Schwartzkopf
Nelson Mandela
F.W. de Klerk
Osama bin Laden
Saddam Hussein
Juvenal Habyarimana
Maps
★ Click on the underlines for map games.
Latin America (Central America, South America, and the Caribbean)
World History Honors Maps.pdf – ALL labeled maps from Creason
Study Guide
Iron Curtain
p. 585 – Who gives the speech? Where and when? What is the Iron Curtain and where is it? What is the purpose behind the speech? After reading the speech, what do you think the speaker believes is the Soviet Union’s desire?
Cold War
Between the US and its supporters and the Soviet Union (USSR)
There were no direct wars – nuclear arms race
US and USSR’s conflicting ideologies of democracy and communism led to the Cold War
When they were both part of the Allies, they only tolerated each other to fight Nazi Germany
Eastern Europe
At the Yalta Conference, Stalin agreed to allow free elections in Eastern European countries post-WWII
Stalin broke this promise because he wanted a buffer zone between Western Europe and the USSR consisting of communist, pro-Soviet governments
Iron Curtain
Winston Churchill gave this speech in Truman's hometown at Westminster college, Missouri, USA in 1946
Was made to warn of the USSR’s growing influence and communism in Eastern Europe
The “iron curtain” described Europe’s division into an Eastern Bloc (USSR and communist) and a Western Bloc (US and democratic)
Churchill was worried about the iron curtain spreading to Western Europe
Truman Doctrine
pg. 585 – Discuss the policy behind this doctrine. What is containment and how does this idea contradict U.S. foreign policy in the past? Where will Truman first put this doctrine into action?
Truman Doctrine
Based on the policy of containment; Truman wanted to keep communism in countries that were already under Soviet control
Post-WWI, the US was isolationist, but post-WWII, the US became very involved through the Truman Doctrine
First implemented when the US sent $400 million in economic aid to Greece and Turkey to help rebuild them and keep them safe from communism
The Truman Doctrine was successful
Marshall Plan
pg. 586 – What is the plan? Why is this plan implemented by the U.S. after WWII? What is Stalin’s reaction to it? What are the results of the plan? Was it effective?
Marshall Plan
$13 billion aid package sent by the US to Europe to strengthen democratic governments, prevent the spread of communism, and rebuild after WWII
Proposed by George Marshall, the US Secretary of State and a former general
Was effective
Stalin’s reaction
Stalin declined the plan, claiming that the USSR would help Eastern Europe instead
Berlin Airlift
pg. 586 – What is the Berlin Airlift? What events lead up to the airlift? What is the codename for this operation? Is it successful? What impact did this have on U.S.-Soviet relations at the time?
Events leading up to the airlift
Berlin was split into East Berlin (communist) and West Berlin (democratic)
People in East Berlin began leaving to enter West Berlin
Stalin tried forcing the Western allies out of West Berlin and prevented supplies from entering it through a blockade
Berlin Airlift
Western response to Stalin’s actions
Code name: Operation Vittles
Cargo planes supplied West Berliners with food and fuel
Forced USSR to end the blockade
The Candy Bomber, Gail S. Halvorsen, dropped candy to give kids hope
West Berlin didn’t fall and it became the symbol of the Cold War
Hostility between the US and USSR increased
Israel Formed
pgs. 663-664 – What was stated in the Balfour Declaration? How did the Holocaust push this agenda forward? What role did the UN play? What happened when Israel declared its independence?
Balfour Declaration
Statement issued by the British government in 1917 supporting the idea of a homeland for Jews in the Palestine Mandate
Horrors of the Holocaust created strong worldwide support for this agenda
Many Jews, including Holocaust survivors, migrated to the Palestine Mandate post-WWII
Founding of Israel
Post-WWII, Britain turned Palestine over to the UN for it to make a decision
UN created a plan to divide the Palestine Mandate into an Arab and Jewish state; Palestine was partitioned to give Israel some land
When the UN General Assembly voted to adopt the plan, Jews accepted it while Arabs didn’t
Arabs believed that they were to receive Palestine since they supported Britain in WWI
After Israel became independent, multiple Arab nations attacked it
Israel was able to defend itself and defeat them, so it took other areas in Palestine
Many Arab nations didn’t recognize Israel as a country
Fall of China
pgs. 603-606 – Which two sides fought for control in China’s civil war following WWII? Which side won and why? What type of government was established in China as a result of the civil war? Where did the losing side establish a new government? How did this reflect on the policy of the U.S. president at the time?
Chinese Civil War
Chiang Kai-shek came to power in 1926 following Sun Yixian’s death
Mao Zedong’s Communists and Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalists fought for control in the Chinese Civil War (1929-1949)
US supported Chiang
WWII temporarily put this war on hold, allowing China to battle Japan
Mao’s forces won the civil war because they were militarily superior, supported by the peasants, and backed by many women who rejected old Chinese inequalities
Mao’s win was a huge setback to the containment of communism
After the civil war
Mao came to power in 1949 and established the People’s Republic of China
Chiang fled to Taiwan and set up a new government (Republic of China) there with the Nationalists
US recognized Taiwan’s government as the real Chinese government
China tried modernizing itself
Truman was the US president at this time
As the Cold War dragged on, the US saw strategic advantages to improving relations with China – they could isolate the USSR between NATO in the west and China in the east
Korean War
pgs. 606-607 – When and why does the war start? How does the U.S. respond? How is the UN involved in this conflict? Which people and nations are involved? What is the final outcome? Was the policy of containment successful here? What is the current relationship between North Korea and most of the world today?
Events before the Korean War
Japan invaded Korea in 1910 and annexed it
After the Japanese defeat in 1945, Korea was split along the 38th parallel
Korean War
Began in 1950 because the North and South Korean leaders (Kim Il-sung and Syngman Rhee) wanted to unify Korea under their leadership
North Korea (NK) was communist and supported by the USSR, while South Korea (SK) was democratic and supported by the US
NK was the aggressor and invaded SK
NK pushed SK all the way down to Busan
US organized an international force backed by the UN to help SK
UN forces, led by US General Douglas MacArthur, landed in Incheon to cut the North Koreans off and push them back to the 38th parallel
UN forces pushed the North Koreans back up to the Yellow River in NK
Mao helped NK push back
The war was like a seesaw
Later in the Korean War
Truman fired MacArthur for insubordination since he talked about opening another front in China and using nukes
Eisenhower was elected president in the middle of the war and negotiated the end of the Korean War in 1953
Armistice for a ceasefire was signed by NK and SK
US policy of containment succeeded
North Korea today
Isolated from the rest of the world under totalitarian control
Under Kim Jong-un
Is able to send a missile to the US
Has ties with Russia and China
Vietnam War/Domino Theory
pgs. 608-611 – Why were the Vietnamese people upset following World War II? Who were Ho Chi Minh and Ngo Dinh Diem? Discuss the Domino Theory. What is it and who named it? How does this relate to U.S. involvement in the region? Discuss the war and its final results.
Age of Imperialism and WWII
France took control of Vietnam during the Age of Imperialism
Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere took control of Vietnam during WWII
Since Japan didn’t win WWII, Vietnam expected to receive self-determination
Instead, it was returned to France
Post-WWII
Vietnamese were upset since they had to fight a long war of liberation from France
Ho Chi Minh led opposition forces against France; they used guerrillas
France left in the 1950s after being crushed in battle by the Vietnamese
At the Geneva Accords in 1954, Vietnam was split along the 17th parallel
North Vietnam was led by the communist Ho Chi Minh and South Vietnam was led by the non-communist, authoritarian Ngo Diem
Vietnam War
Began in 1955
In 1956, Vietnam was supposed to hold free elections to decide its leader
US ruined these elections despite being a supporter of democracy because it knew the communists would win
US got involved to prevent the spread of communism (Domino Theory) and supported Diem
South Vietnamese didn’t like Diem because he implemented Catholic laws there and many were Buddhist
JFK was elected in 1960 after Eisenhower’s term ended
JFK was killed soon after Diem was
US sent a lot of military advisers to South Vietnam
LBJ was elected in 1964
During Lyndon B. Johnson’s (LBJ) presidency, the Vietnam War was fully ramped up
Some US torpedo boats in the Gulf of Tonkin were attacked by North Vietnam, giving LBJ an excuse to freely operate in in Vietnam
LBJ poured troops into Vietnam
Troops were sent to the Ho Chi Minh Trail
Tet Offensive was when North Vietnam attacked multiple South Vietnamese cities; this event made it clear to the Americans that the US didn’t have the Vietnam situation under control
Nixon was elected in 1968
US military involvement in Vietnam ended in 1973
Vietnam War ended in 1975 with North Vietnam’s communist win
Vietnam became communist, but Domino Theory didn’t occur
Domino Theory
Named by President Eisenhower
Belief that a communist victory in South Vietnam would lead to other Southeast Asian governments falling to communism
Guatemalan Government Toppled
pg. 683 – What reforms are implemented by Guatemala’s president? Why does the U.S. become involved with Guatemala’s internal affairs? What long-term impact will this have on Guatemala?
Arbenz and the American United Fruit Company
Jacobo Arbenz was elected president of Guatemala in 1950; he was left-leaning and liberal
American United Fruit Company was a powerful, profitable force in Guatemala
This company controlled much of Guatemala’s land, which sometimes came at the expense of peasants
Arbenz implemented reforms to seize and redistribute some of the company’s lands to the people
The company slandered Arbenz, calling him a communist
US involvement in Guatemala
US got involved and staged a coup in 1954 because of its economic interests
CIA came up with the PBSUCCESS program to tamper with the media, spread disinformation, and discredit Arbenz
Arbenz was overthrown and the American United Fruit Company kept its land
US trained Carlos Armas, who was similar to a dictator
Guatemala’s people experienced many human rights violations
NATO and Warsaw Pact
pg. 586 – Discuss the two military alliances. Why were they formed? Which nations joined each one? What role will these alliances play in the Cold War?
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
US-led alliance that contained Canada and most of Western Europe
Was made so these countries could help each other if attacked
Has become more important because of the Russo-Ukrainian War
Warsaw Pact
Established by the USSR in response to NATO’s creation
Included USSR and seven of its Eastern European satellites
Made to keep USSR satellites in order
Collapsed with the USSR in 1991
Hungarian Revolt
pg. 587 – Why did the Hungarians begin to challenge the Soviet Union? Who was leading the USSR at this time? How did the Soviets respond to Hungarian protests? How did the U.S. react to the situation in Hungary?
Hungarian Revolt
Post-WWII, the iron curtain descended over Hungary; it was under Soviet/communist law
Khrushchev took over the USSR after Stalin died in 1953
Hungarians thought Khrushchev might be less strict
Hungary’s leader, Imre Nagy, was communist, but spoke of free elections, removing Soviet troops from Hungary, and pulling out of the Warsaw Pact
Hungarian freedom fighters sought the US’s support
US president was Eisenhower during this event
US didn’t get involved because its policy of containment, outlined in the Truman Doctrine, only applied to countries that weren’t already under Soviet control
In response to the protests in Hungary, the USSR sent in tanks
Nagy was captured by the USSR and charged with treason
200,000 Hungarians fled
Suez Canal Crisis
pg. 665– Discuss what happened in the Suez Canal Crisis of 1956. Which nations were involved? How did this further inflame tensions between the Soviets and the U.S.? How did President Eisenhower attempt to resolve the situation?
Suez Canal Crisis
Britain and France had had control over the Suez Canal for a long time
The canal was an important Middle Eastern trade route; oil came through it
Egypt (Nasser) began building a relationship with the USSR (Khrushchev), so the US decided to withdraw its support
Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal, taking it from Britain and France
Israel, Britain, and France sent in a military operation and troops to retake the canal
Khrushchev and the USSR backed Egypt up when invasion was declared, threatening to use nukes
Eisenhower was upset because France and Britain, two NATO members, didn’t tell the US they’d invade
Since the US was part of their alliance, it was dragged into the war
The US told the three countries to pull out their forces under UN supervision (ceasefire)
Suez Canal went back to Egypt
Space Race
pgs. 730-731 – In 1957, what event set off a frantic “space race” between the superpowers? Which nation was the first to land men on the moon? In what year? What technology did the U.S. and the Soviets use to spy on each other during the Space Race? In what way have the U.S. and Russia cooperated since the end of the Cold War?
Space race
Sputnik, a satellite, was launched by the USSR in 1957 with a rocket
This event began the space race between the superpowers
The rocket used in Sputnik was dangerous because it could be used in an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM)
Yuri Gagarin (USSR) was the first man in space
US had fallen behind the USSR in the space race, so in 1958, it created NASA
US government began investing a lot of money into math and science
JFK’s goal in 1961 was to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade; this was achieved in 1969 after his assassination
Today, multiple nations work together in space on the International Space Station (ISS)
U-2 Crisis
What was the U.S.-Soviet political climate before this crisis? Discuss details of this event. In what way did this event change the relationship between the two superpowers?
U-2 crisis
U-2s were US spy planes
U-2s were stealthy, fast, and high in the air to avoid getting shot down
Before the U-2 crisis, U-2 planes took pictures of missile silos and other areas in the USSR with their advanced camera
In the middle of negotiations between Khrushchev and Eisenhower in Paris, the USSR shot down a U-2
Khrushchev asked Eisenhower what the plane was
Eisenhower lied and said it was a weather plane because he didn’t know Khrushchev had the plane’s wreckage and its CIA pilot, Francis Gary Powers
Powers was detained and imprisoned for spying
In 1962, the USSR swapped Powers for a USSR spy captured by the US
US was seen as a liar, causing tensions between the US and the USSR to increase
Bay of Pigs
pg. 590 – Who led a revolution in Cuba in 1959? What type of government did he establish there? Why was the U.S. alarmed by the Cuban Revolution? Describe the plot backed by the U.S. in 1961. Where did the invasion force land? Was it a success?
Bay of Pigs invasion
Eisenhower was a Republican and the US president at the start of this event
Fidel Castro, a communist, came to power in Cuba and led the 1959 Cuban Revolution
Castro began seizing land from US companies and had ties with Khrushchev
To prevent Cuba from becoming a sentinel for communism, the Eisenhower administration came up with the Bay of Pigs invasion
CIA decided to train Cuban exiles, who wanted to remove Castro, in another Central American country to topple Castro once sent back to Cuba
US thought Cubans would also revolt and support overthrowing Castro
Cuban army decimated the exiles, who failed to take out the Cuban Air Force
JFK “inherited” Eisenhower’s plan when he came to power
JFK was told to send the US Air Force into Cuba to help
He refused to avoid making it seem like the US was involved and to keep US-USSR tensions from increasing
JFK was a new, young president, so this event made him seem incompetent to the USSR
Berlin Wall
pg. 587 – Why did East Germany build a wall separating the two sectors of Berlin in 1961? What events in 1989 led the German people to tear down the Berlin Wall? What economic difficulties did Germans face as a result of these events?
Berlin Wall
Previously, the USSR blockaded West Berlin to keep the Allies from sending it supplies by land (before the Berlin Airlift)
West Berlin embarrassed the USSR because it was democratic and had better economic opportunities
People in East Berlin flew to West Berlin because of this
The failed Bay of Pigs invasion made Khrushchev believe he could exploit JFK
JFK and Khrushchev met up in Vienna, Austria
Khrushchev told JFK to take the US troops out of Berlin and leave
JFK stepped up military spending instead and put more soldiers on active duty; he wouldn’t let Berlin fall
Khrushchev built the Berlin Wall around West Berlin
In support of West Berlin, JFK said, “I am a Berliner”
Reagan said, “Tear down this wall”
The wall came down in 1989 during George H.W. Bush’s presidency
It was symbolic of the Cold War coming to a close
Cuban Missile Crisis
pg. 590 – Describe the Cuban Missile Crisis. How does the U.S. respond? What were the results of the crisis?
Cuban Missile Crisis
USSR placed nukes in Cuba, 90 miles away from the US
U-2 plane sent pictures of the USSR base to the US
Closer nukes meant less time for the US to react
JFK and Khrushchev didn’t want to look soft
These leaders communicated with each other through letters and telegrams
JFK decided to have a naval quarantine, where US ships surrounded Cuba and prevented things from entering (no-pass zone)
US and USSR navies confronted each other by Cuba
In return for the USSR removing its nukes from Cuba, the US took its nukes out of Turkey
To limit misunderstandings, a direct line of communication between the White House and the Kremlin was made
Springtime in Prague
pgs. 587-588 – What was occurring in Czechoslovakia in 1968? Who was the nation’s leader? What change was he demanding? How did the Soviets react?
Prague Spring
Post-WWII, Czechoslovakia became communist because it was under the iron curtain
Alexander Dubcek, Czechoslovakia’s leader, was communist, but he didn’t like the communism existing at that time
He wanted friendlier communism with free elections
Dubcek proposed reforms; he introduced greater freedom of expression and limited democracy
USSR went into Prague with force to stop the protests, sending a message to the rest of Europe that reforms wouldn’t be tolerated
Dubcek wasn’t killed, but he was arrested and removed
The Prague Spring was similar to the Hungarian Revolt
Détente
pg. 589 – What does this term mean? Who played a crucial role in ushering in this era between Communist nations and the U.S.? What came out of this era and what ended it?
Detente
Detente was a chilling effect on the Cold War; it was when the relationship between the US and the USSR began to improve
Richard Nixon, the US president, and Henry Kissinger, the US Secretary of State, ushered in the era of detente
Kissinger introduced realpolitik, a policy that uses practical solutions to solve issues
US and China
US and China had tensions
Despite both being communist, the USSR and China also had tension and border disputes
US began forming ties with China, which scared the USSR and compelled them to talk to the US
Ping-pong diplomacy was when American and Chinese ping pong players began chatting
US invited the Chinese players to the US to play, allowing the US and China to start talking
Glenn Cowan was one of the American ping pong players
US and China agreed to trade with each other
US and USSR
Brezhnev took over the USSR after Khrushchev
They agreed on the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT) I, where they froze their nuclear arsenals and couldn’t add weapons for 5 years
SALT I didn’t prevent the US and USSR from improving their existing weapons
Detente ended in 1979 during Jimmy Carter’s term because the USSR invaded Afghanistan
Islamic Revolution in Iran
pg. 666 – Describe this event (what happens and who is involved). What impact does this have on the relationship with the United States? What are the results?
Islamic Revolution
Shah Reza Pahlavi of Iran initially prevented the nationalization of oil refineries
Pahlavi silenced anyone who criticized him
He did the US’s bidding
Ayatollah Khomeini led the growing resentment for the shah
Khomeini didn’t want Western influence
Khomeini took over after Pahlavi was forced out of power in 1979
Khomeini established the Islamic Republic of Iran, a theocracy
Shah Pahlavi fled to the US to avoid being killed
Shah flees to America
Ayatollah tells US that they have to give them the Shah, US refuses
Iran hostage crisis
Shah Pahlavi fled to the US to avoid getting killed
Khomeini told the US to give Pahlavi back to Iran so he could be held accountable
The US refused
In response, Iranians climbed over the gate of the US Embassy in Tehran, taking 52 Americans hostage and demanding for the shah to be returned
Jimmy Carter, the US president, attempted to rescue these hostages in Operation Eagle Claw
US sent 8 helicopters for the rescue operation; one crashed into a support aircraft, killing 8 service members
Operation Eagle Claw’s failure made Carter unlikely to be reelected
Hostages weren’t released until 440 days later, when Reagan was sworn in, because Iran didn’t like Carter
Khmer Rouge/Pol Pot
pg. 612 – How did the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot come to power? What did they do once they gained power? What impact would this have on Cambodia?
The Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot
Nixon sent US troops to Cambodia to remove “communist nests”
Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot, was the communist party in Cambodia
Khmer Rouge seized Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital, ending the Cambodian Civil War and establishing its rule
They took out intellectuals and people associated with Western beliefs
Genocide of 1-3 million Cambodians (⅓ of the population)
Ho Chi Minh Trail, which ran through Laos and Cambodia, brought supplies from North Vietnam to troops in South Vietnam
The US bombed Cambodia to target this trail in 1973, creating instability for the Khmer Rouge to exploit and increasing their public support
Vietnam invaded Cambodia to remove the Khmer Rouge from power and because Cambodia was a threat it shared borders with
Cambodian government was toppled
Khmer Rouge fled to and hid in the jungles
There was no international legal action taken against the Khmer Rouge for their brutalization; they weren’t held accountable
Later, the UN thought of forming an international tribunal to try criminals like Pol Pot
Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
pg. 613 – Why did the Soviet Union invade Afghanistan in 1979? What impact did this have on the relationship between the U.S. and the USSR? How did the U.S. respond? What was the result? What impact would this have on Afghanistan and the Soviet Union?
USSR invasion of Afghanistan
This event ended detente and increased US-USSR tensions
Took place in 1979 because the Afghan government was growing less pro-Soviet/communist
Prevented the ratification of the Strategic Arms Limitation treaty (SALT) II
In response to the invasion, the US boycotted the 1980 Olympics that took place in the USSR
There was a contingent of Afghans resisting Soviet rule in the mountains known as the mujahideen
Osama bin Laden was one of these resistance fighters
The mujahideen were initially militarily inferior to the Soviets, but they defended Afghanistan by using guerilla warfare
US supplied the mujahideen with missiles and other weapons to take down USSR aircraft
Under Gorbachev, who came to power near the end of the war, the USSR pulled out of Afghanistan
Soviet-Afghan war lasted for 10 years and consumed a lot of money
Solidarity in Poland
pg. 615-616 – What was Solidarity? What did they want? Who led it? How did the Polish government and the Soviet Union react to Solidarity? What occurred in Poland as a result of the Solidarity movement? Discuss the roles that Lech Walesa and Pope John Paul II played in Poland at this time.
Creation of Solidarity
Poland wasn’t doing well financially despite having many natural resources
Workers sought political change because of the economic hardships
The resistance movement that resulted from this led to the creation of Solidarity
Solidarity was a Polish labor union led by Lech Walesa
Response to Solidarity
Under the USSR’s pressure, Poland outlawed Solidarity and arrested its leaders
Pope John Paul II, who was of Polish heritage, openly supported Poland in its resistance
Solidarity toppled the communist government and Lech Walesa was elected president
U.S. Invasion of Grenada
Why did the U.S. invade this Caribbean island nation in 1983? Discuss the military action taken by the United States. What was the result?
US invasion of Grenada
When Reagan became president, he poured a lot of money into the military and escalated the Cold War
Bishop, Grenada’s leader, began forming ties with Cuba’s Fidel Castro, learning tactics from him
Bishop listened to the US when told to cut contact with Castro
Bishop was overthrown and killed
Nearly 1,000 Americans were in Grenada, many of whom were in medical school
US had a military operation in 1983 to topple Grenada’s government
The leader of Grenada, Bishop, was forming relationships with Castro
In 1983, Reagan also talked about building a shield against missiles through the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), which wasn’t feasible
Reagan and Gorbachev began forming a relationship
Tiananmen Square Massacre
pg. 640 – What were the protesters demanding of the Chinese government at Tiananmen Square in 1989? How did the government respond to these requests? What impact did this event have on the relationship between the U.S. and China?
Tiananmen Square massacre
Hu Yaobang encouraged the democratic reforms Chinese citizens wanted
Citizens protested the government in Tiananmen Square in 1989, mourning the death of Hu Yaobang and pushing for democratic reforms
Many of these protesters were college students
Some protesters created the Goddess of Democracy, which emulated the Statue of Liberty, in Tiananmen Square
Chinese government responded to the protests with military force, crushing the rebellion and reasserting military control
Thousands were killed and detained
US response to the massacre was coordinated by President George H.W. Bush
Bush wanted to take a firmer stance on the issue but didn’t want to ruin ties with China
Mikhail Gorbachev
pg. 614 – What changes did Gorbachev implement in the Soviet Union? Define glasnost and perestroika. How did U.S.-Soviet relations change as a result of his policies? What role did President Reagan play in this changed relationship?
Gorbachev’s reforms
Gorbachev gained control of the USSR in 1985 following Brezhnev
Two of the many reforms he implemented were glasnost and perestroika
Glasnost is free speech: openness in communication and the ability to voice concerns to the government
Perestroika, which means “restructuring,” was a government and economic reform that included capitalist policies and free elections
Gorbachev also lessened restraints on immigration
Gorbachev and Reagan
Two leaders met up and began negotiating
Reagan was more encouraging of the changes taking place in the USSR
Gorbachev wanted Reagan to stop developing the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), an anti-missile defense system for the US, since it was a threat to the USSR
SALT II was never passed because of the USSR invasion of Afghanistan, which took place before Gorbachev became the USSR’s leader
Gorbachev and Reagan signed the Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, removing 2,500 missiles from Europe
US-USSR relations improved significantly
Soviet Collapse
pgs. 614-615 – What happened to Gorbachev? Who becomes the President of Russia, and what economic problems did Russia face following the end of the Soviet collapse? What challenges did the former Soviet Union’s nuclear arsenal present to the rest of the world following the Soviet collapse?
End of Gorbachev’s leadership
Conservative Soviet leaders and people were unhappy with the reforms, since economic reforms meant that the prices would shoot up initially
In August 1991, hardline communists tried overthrowing Gorbachev in a coup but failed
Gorbachev resigned in December 1991
USSR’s reforms under Gorbachev led to the snowball effect; other countries followed suit, with satellite states being motivated by Glasnost and declaring independence from the USSR
Russia following the Soviet collapse
Boris Yeltsin became president
Other countries tried easing Russia’s economic problems and helped Russia convert to a market economy
World was concerned about the former USSR’s nuclear arsenal falling into the wrong hands
Yeltsin began silencing his critics
People of Chechnya, a Muslim republic, wanted independence, but Yeltsin didn’t grant it
After a military conflict between Chechnya and Russia in 1994, a ceasefire was agreed upon
Putin
Was Yeltsin’s prime minister
Became Russia’s president after Yeltsin resigned due to health issues
Putin was elected president, but he eventually “removed” elections for a longer presidency
Reasserted control over Chechnya
Civil War in Yugoslavia
pgs. 617 & 703 – Why did a civil war erupt in Bosnia? What atrocities were committed during this conflict? What role did NATO play in trying to solve this crisis? Who fought each other in Kosovo? What role did Serbian President Milosevic play in this war? How was this conflict resolved?
Yugoslavia
Consisted of Bosnia, Serbia, Kosovo, and other republics
Had multiple ethnic groups fighting for independence
Serbia wanted to maintain control and keep Yugoslavia together
Bosnia
Muslims (majority) wanted independence
Serbs/Orthodox Christians (minority) opposed this
Serbia supplied Serbs with weapons
Siege in Sarajevo led to many Muslims being killed by Serbs
Countries were reluctant to get involved because of Sarajevo’s history
Under Clinton and NATO, the Bosnian Serbs were bombed and forced to make peace
Under the Dayton Accords, peacekeeping forces were brought into Bosnia
Kosovo
Albanians (majority) wanted independence
Serbs, funded by Serbian president Milosevic, opposed this
US recognized Kosovo’s independence
Milosevic lost the presidential election but tried holding onto power
People rebelled and removed him from power
Persian Gulf War
pgs. 676-677 – Why did the U.S. invade Iraq in 1991? Describe what occurred in this war. (Mention both the individuals and nations involved.)
Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait
Saddam Hussein was Iraq’s brutal leader
Hussein invaded Kuwait since it was an oil-rich country
Hussein refused to leave when the US told him to
Persian Gulf War
US came up with a plan with the UN to address Hussein’s actions
Operation Desert Storm, led by US leader Norman Schwartzkopf, began
US had an advantage in terms of its aircraft and bombs, which were far more precise
Troops were sent in to sweep Iraq out of Kuwait = operation success!
US pushed into Iraq but didn’t topple Hussein for two reasons: (1) the US wanted to avoid a long war and (2) it believed there would be enough resistance in Iraq alone to topple Hussein
Hussein quickly cracked down and maintained control
George H.W. Bush was president at this time
Apartheid Ends
pgs. 654-655 – What was apartheid? What role did Nelson Mandela play in changing this policy? When and how did apartheid end?
Apartheid
Policy that segregated the races in South Africa
There was a black majority and a white minority (15% of the population), but whites still kept blacks out of the government
Nelson Mandela and F.W. de Klerk
Mandela went against apartheid, which led to him being jailed for 27 years
Countries began putting sanctions on South Africa because of its apartheid policy
South Africa’s president, F.W. de Klerk abandoned apartheid in 1994
De Klerk freed Mandela from Jail and included the whole South African population in the government
De Klerk held elections and Mandela was elected the first unified president
Genocide in Rwanda
pg. 650 – Who are the Hutus and the Tutsis? Why did the genocide break out? What brought an end to the killing?
Hutus and Tutsis
Rwanda’s two main ethnic groups were the Hutus and Tutsis
Hutus were the majority
Tutsis were the minority; they were taller and had lighter skin, so they were favored by the Belgians who took control of Rwanda during the Age of Imperialism
There was a background of tension between the Hutus and Tutsis
In the 1960s, Rwanda gained independence from Belgium; the Hutus took power and forced the Tutsis out
In the 1990s, Rwandan Patriotic Forces (RPF) primarily made of Tusis pushed for greater control of the government
Habyarimana, Rwanda’s Hutu president, made an agreement with the RPF to share power and settle the matter
Habyarimana’s plane was shot down just after this agreement, beginning the Rwandan Genocide
People believed the perpetrators of the attack were either Hutu extremists or the Tutsis
Genocide of the Tutsis
Hutu extremists took control of the Rwandan government and began the genocide of the Tutsis
The world did nothing about the genocide
In a short amount of time, 800,000 people were killed and rivers were flooded with bodies
Mass exodus took place (many left Rwanda)
RPF invaded and ended the genocide
By the time the UN and other foreign powers got involved, the genocide was over
Tutsis set up a coalition government, including the Hutus
Al Qaeda/September 11 Attacks
pg. 726 – What foreign policy actions taken by Western nations led to the emergence of Al Qaeda? Identify the terrorist acts launched by Al Qaeda in the 1990s and early 2000s. Describe the 9/11 attacks. Why did Al Qaeda commit this act? How did the U.S. respond? Describe steps taken after the 9/11 attacks to improve U.S. national security.
Osama bin Laden and the emergence of al Qaeda
Osama bin Laden was part of mujahideen, or resistance forces, during the war caused by the USSR invasion of Afghanistan
US supplied mujahideen, and therefore bin Laden, with weapons to fight the USSR
Bin Laden founded the al Qaeda, an Islamist terrorist group, shortly after the USSR withdrew its forces from Afghanistan
Bin Laden came from a wealthy background in Saudi Arabia
He called for jihad, or a Muslim holy war
He didn’t like Western influence (e.g. how the US had troops in Saudi Arabia and was involved in Israel), which was why he targeted the US on 9/11
Al Qaeda’s terrorist attacks before 9/11
Bombed the World Trade Center in 1993
Attacked US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania
Bombed the USS Cole, killing 17 Americans
Bill Clinton was adjusting to not having a constant enemy (USSR) anymore
9/11 attacks
Al Qaeda crashed 4 planes: 2 into the World Trade Center, 1 into the Pentagon, and 1 into a field in Pennsylvania (because its passengers fought back)
Families of the victims wondered, “How? How could they gain control of four planes and crash them?”
At this time, many government agencies, like the CIA and FBI, had poor communication
Airport security was horrendous; bombs and knives could pass through much more easily
Nearly 3,000 people died on 9/11
After the attacks, the US significantly improved airport security and established the US Department of Homeland Security to centralize information and prevent threats
9/11 took place soon after George W. Bush became president
U.S. Invasion of Afghanistan/Fighting ISIS
pg 726 – Why did the U.S. invade Afghanistan in 2001? Discuss what happened? Describe the U.S. military action taken to kill Bin Laden in 2011. Discuss the emergence of ISIS and the impact on the region. What is the current situation in Afghanistan today?
US invasion of Afghanistan
US invaded Afghanistan and began a war on terrorism in 2001 in response to the 9/11 attacks
Taliban was in control of the Afghan government
Initially, the US toppled the Afghan government but couldn’t find bin Laden since he was in the mountains
Bin Laden escaped to Pakistan and was found a decade later by the Obama administration
US wanted to set up a democracy in Afghanistan; this was an easier undertaking for the US because it had been practicing self-rule since the founding of its colonies
ISIS
US entered Iraq in 2003 and left in 2011
Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) expanded its control in Iraq and Syria following the US’s departure
US returned to Iraq because of its fledgling republic and ISIS, deploying 2,500 troops
CIA was involved in tracking bin Laden down
There was a Navy SEAL operation to capture bin Laden; they entered his bunker in Pakistan at night and killed him
Pakistan was unaware that this would occur
Afghanistan today
US pulled out of Afghanistan in 2020; now, the Taliban controls it
Iraq War
pg. 677 – Why did the U.S. military try to topple the Hussein regime in 2003? What was the result? What was the current situation in Iraq today?
Iraq War
George W. Bush was the US president during this event
Bush administration claimed that they were going into Iraq because it had weapons of mass destruction
US didn’t find any such weapons, making the Bush administration seem bad
US started using terrorism as an excuse
Hussein’s capture
Hussein was hiding in a spider hole in his hometown in Iraq
US found him and turned him over to the new Iraqi government
The new government, trying to set up a democracy, held a trial and hung Hussein
Hussein’s regime was authoritarian, repressive, and brutal
Climate Change
pg. 721 – Discuss global warming. What is the 2016 Paris Agreement? Why did Donald Trump in 2017 withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Agreement? Where do we now stand with this agreement?
Global warming
Increase in Earth’s temperature
Caused by greenhouse gases, released from the burning of fossil fuels, trapping heat in the atmosphere
Causes climate change
2016 Paris Agreement
Goal was for member nations to limit the amount of climate change to under two degrees Celsius
Trump was elected in 2016 and pulled the US out of it, saying its economic cost would be too large
During the Biden administration, the US reentered it
Trump administration withdrew the US from the agreement again in 2025
Russian Autocracy and Aggression in Ukraine
pgs. 704 & 727 – How does Putin create an autocracy in Russia? Why did Russia seize Crimea? What involvement did Russia have in Eastern Ukraine? How did many nations respond to this act of aggression? Why did Russia invade Ukraine in 2022? What has been the result?
Putin
Yeltsin came to power in 1991 following Gorbachev’s resignation
Putin was Yeltsin’s prime minister
After Yeltsin resigned due to poor health, in 2000, Putin won the presidential election
Russia used to have a 2-term limit, each term being 6 years long, but Putin removed the term limits
There are no free elections or free press
Putin silences some critics
Gave oligarchs protection and allowed them to keep their wealth in exchange for them supporting his rule
Built Russia using oil and natural gas
Crimea
South of Ukraine in the Black Sea
Russia wanted access to Crimea’s ports in the Black Sea for trade
Before WWI, Crimea was under Russia’s control, which is why Putin claims it is still under Russia
Obama administration placed sanctions on Russia for its act of aggression against a sovereign nation
Ukraine
Zelensky came to power in Ukraine after a pro-Russia person was toppled
Russian separatists in Ukraine’s industrial area wanted to be closer to Russia
Putin funded these separatists with weapons
In 2022, Putin said he’d denazify Ukraine and claimed it to be a threat
Putin doesn’t want Ukraine to join NATO because it would gain the support of all of the countries in the alliance
Putin invaded Ukraine for land, power, and natural resources
Ukraine put up a big fight and Western nations began helping
War was at a stalemate
Biden’s administration was very supportive of Ukraine, but Trump’s was not
Putin and Zelensky have been meeting up
Chinese Threats to Peace
pg. 728 – What aggressive actions has China committed to increase tension between Vietnam & Philippines? How has the U.S. responded? Why is there tension between Taiwan, China, and the United States? What human rights violation has China committed in its country in 2010?
South China Sea
China has been building artificial islands and naval bases in the sea
Chinese navy is larger than the US navy in terms of ships
China has also been violating the rights of other countries (e.g. Vietnam and the Philippines) to resources in their exclusive economic zones (EEZs)
This is because of disputes over claims to the South China Sea
how did US react?
Taiwan
China has repeatedly said that Taiwan is part of its country
US continually supports Taiwan as a sovereign state
Taiwan produces the world’s most advanced semiconductors, which are essential to most technology
Trump placed tariffs on other countries, increasing the prices of goods from the exporting countries, causing economic instability in the US
Persecution of Uyghurs
China has been accused of killing Uyghurs
Uyghur Muslims, a minority in China, have been put in internment camps and made to do forced labor