Basics of the Cold War:

• Definition: A state of political and military tension between the Western powers, led by the United States, and the Eastern powers, led by the Soviet Union, that lasted from the end of World War II until the early 1990s.

• Causes: Ideological differences between capitalism and communism, competition for global influence, and mistrust between the two superpowers.

• Alliances: NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) was formed by the Western powers, while the Soviet Union formed the Warsaw Pact with its satellite states in Eastern Europe.

• Major events in the beginning: The Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, the Berlin Blockade, and the formation of NATO.

The transition to and implementation of communism in the USSR and China:

• In the USSR, communism was implemented after the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, led by Vladimir Lenin. Joseph Stalin later rose to power and implemented a series of policies that led to the deaths of millions of people.

• In China, communism was implemented after the Chinese Civil War, led by Mao Zedong. The Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution were two policies that led to the deaths of millions of people.

The Proxy Wars of the Cold War (Korea, Cuba, Vietnam, Afghanistan):

• Korea: A war between North Korea (supported by China and the Soviet Union) and South Korea (supported by the United States and other UN forces) that lasted from 1950 to 1953.

• Cuba: The Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 and the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 were two major events in the Cold War involving Cuba.

• Vietnam: A war between North Vietnam (supported by the Soviet Union and China) and South Vietnam (supported by the United States) that lasted from 1955 to 1975.

• Afghanistan: The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979, leading to a decade-long war between the Soviet Union and Afghan rebels (supported by the United States).