History

1. Reasons for Khrushchev’s Fall (1964)

- Khrushchev was ousted due to a combination of political missteps and internal opposition. His erratic policies (e.g., the failed Cuban Missile Crisis, agricultural failures like the Virgin Lands Campaign), aggressive de-Stalinization (which alienated hardliners), and impulsive leadership style led to a Politburo conspiracy. The final straw was his proposal to split the Communist Party into industrial and agricultural branches, threatening bureaucrats' power.

2. Anti-Party Group (1957)

- A coalition of Stalinist hardliners (Molotov, Malenkov, Kaganovich) who opposed Khrushchev’s reforms, particularly de-Stalinization. They attempted to remove him but failed when Khrushchev rallied Central Committee support. The group was purged but symbolized conservative resistance to reform.

3. The Stability of the Cadres (Brezhnev Era)

- A policy ensuring long-term job security for Soviet officials to prevent Khrushchev-style purges. While it reduced political infighting, it led to stagnation, corruption, and an aging leadership resistant to change.

4. Neo-Stalinism (Under Brezhnev)

- A partial return to Stalinist methods—censorship, historical revisionism (downplaying Stalin’s crimes), and repression of dissidents—while avoiding mass terror. The state emphasized Soviet nationalism and WWII victory to legitimize the regime.

5. Brezhnev’s Cult of Personality

- Though less extreme than Stalin’s, Brezhnev promoted his image as a war hero and statesman. He awarded himself medals, had biographies glorifying his leadership, and maintained a public presence despite his declining health in the 1970s.

6. Kosygin Reforms (1965)

- Economic reforms introducing limited profit incentives, enterprise autonomy, and reduced central planning. Conservatives (including Brezhnev) opposed them, and after the Prague Spring (1968), they were largely abandoned, reinforcing centralized control.

7. Zastoy (Era of Stagnation, 1970s–Early 1980s)

- A period of economic slowdown, bureaucratic inertia, and declining innovation. The USSR relied on oil exports while industry stagnated, living standards plateaued, and corruption spread under Brezhnev’s aging leadership.

8. Brezhnev Doctrine (1968)

- Declared that the USSR had the right to intervene militarily in any socialist country where communism was threatened (e.g., Czechoslovakia in 1968). Effectively ended with Gorbachev’s "Sinatra Doctrine" (non-intervention in 1989).

9. First Indochina War (1946–1954)

- Vietnamese nationalists (Viet Minh), led by Ho Chi Minh, fought French colonial rule. The French defeat at Dien Bien Phu (1954) led to the Geneva Accords, temporarily dividing Vietnam at the 17th parallel.

10. Geneva Accords (1954)

- International agreement ending French rule, mandating elections for reunification by 1956. The U.S. and South Vietnam refused, leading to permanent division and the Vietnam War.

11. Ho Chi Minh

- Communist revolutionary leader of North Vietnam, founder of the Viet Minh. Symbolized anti-colonial resistance and reunification efforts.

12. Ngo Dinh Diem

- U.S.-backed South Vietnamese leader (1955–1963). His Catholic favoritism and repression of Buddhists sparked protests. The U.S. tacitly approved his 1963 coup and assassination.

13. Tet Offensive (1968)

- A massive NLF/NVA attack during the Vietnamese New Year. Though a military defeat for communists, it shattered U.S. public support for the war, turning media and political opinion against continued involvement.

14. Policies of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (Post-1975)

- Post-reunification, Vietnam imposed strict communism: collectivization, re-education camps, and economic hardship. Đổi Mới (1986) introduced market reforms, mirroring China’s opening.

15. Prague Spring (1968)

- Czechoslovak leader Alexander Dubček’s liberal reforms ("Socialism with a Human Face")—press freedom, political pluralism—alarmed Moscow. The Warsaw Pact invasion (August 1968) crushed the movement, reinstating hardline rule.

16. Action Program (1968)

- Dubček’s blueprint for democratic socialism, including free speech, economic decentralization, and multi-candidate elections.

17. Warsaw Letter (1968)

- A warning from Warsaw Pact leaders (USSR, Poland, East Germany, etc.) demanding Czechoslovakia halt reforms, justifying later invasion.

18. Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (1963)

- U.S., USSR, and UK agreement banning nuclear tests in the atmosphere, space, and underwater—first major Cold War arms control deal.

19. Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT, 1968)

- Aimed to prevent nuclear weapons spread; recognized five nuclear states (U.S., USSR, UK, France, China).

20. SALT I (1972) & SALT II (1979)

- SALT I froze ICBM numbers; SALT II further limited warheads but was never ratified due to Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

21. Helsinki Accords (1975)

- Recognized post-WWII borders (favored USSR) but included human rights provisions, empowering dissidents like Charter 77 in Czechoslovakia.

22. Ostpolitik (West Germany, 1970s)

- Willy Brandt’s policy of normalizing relations with Eastern Europe (e.g., recognizing East Germany), reducing Cold War tensions.

23. Sino-Soviet Border Clashes (1969)

- Military skirmishes over disputed territory (Damansky/Zhenbao Island). Marked the peak of ideological and territorial rivalry.

24. Ping-Pong Diplomacy (1971)

- U.S. and Chinese table tennis teams exchanged visits, paving the way for Nixon’s 1972 China trip.

25. Shanghai Communiqué (1972)

- U.S. and China agreed on "One China," opposing Soviet hegemony, and began normalizing relations.

26. Salvador Allende (Chile, 1970–1973)

- Democratically elected Marxist whose nationalizations and socialist reforms led to a U.S.-backed coup (Pinochet, 1973).

27. Alliance for Progress (1961)

- U.S. aid program for Latin America to counter communism via economic development; largely failed due to corruption.

28. Augusto Pinochet (1973–1990)

- Chilean dictator who imposed neoliberal economics, repressed leftists (Operation Condor), and faced later human rights trials.

29. Daoud Khan (Afghanistan, 1973–1978)

- Overthrew the monarchy but was himself ousted in the Saur Revolution (1978) by communist PDPA.

30. 1956 Soviet-Afghan Military Agreement

- USSR began supplying arms to Afghanistan, increasing influence decades before the 1979 invasion.

31. Saur Revolution (1978)

- Communist coup installing the PDPA, whose radical reforms triggered Islamist rebellion.

32. Khalqists Faction

- Radical PDPA wing favoring violent purges; opposed the more moderate Parcham faction.

33. Killing People into Submission

- Soviet/DRA tactic of brutal reprisals (e.g., village massacres) to crush Mujahideen resistance.

34. Mujahideen

- U.S.-backed Islamist guerrillas (via Operation Cyclone) who fought Soviets; later fractured into groups like the Taliban.

35. Afghan Arabs

- Foreign jihadists (including Osama bin Laden) who joined the anti-Soviet fight.

36. Scorched Earth

- Soviet destruction of Afghan agriculture to deprive rebels of support, causing a refugee crisis.

37. Taliban

- Emerged from Mujahideen factions in the 1990s, taking power in 1996 with Pakistani support.

38. Perestroika (1985–1991)

- Gorbachev’s economic restructuring, allowing limited market mechanisms but failing to prevent collapse.

39. Glasnost (1980s)

- Policy of openness: allowed criticism of the government, free press, and exposure of past crimes (e.g., Stalin’s purges).

40. Chernobyl (1986)

- Nuclear disaster worsened by Soviet secrecy, discrediting the regime and accelerating reforms.

41. New Thinking (1980s)

- Gorbachev’s foreign policy: arms reduction, withdrawal from Afghanistan, and allowing Eastern Europe self-determination.

42. Eastern European Revolutions (1989)

- Mass uprisings toppled communist regimes (Poland’s Solidarity, Hungary’s Nemeth, Czechoslovakia’s Velvet Revolution).

43. August Coup (1991)

- Hardliners’ failed attempt to overthrow Gorbachev, leading to Yeltsin’s rise and USSR’s dissolution.

44. Economic Shock Therapy (1990s)

- Yeltsin’s rapid privatization (loans-for-shares) created oligarchs while causing hyperinflation and poverty.

45. 1996 Presidential Election

- Yeltsin won reelection amid media control and oligarch support, despite unpopularity.

Results of Yeltsin’s Reforms

- Economic: Oligarchy, inequality, GDP decline.

- Political: Weak democracy, rise of Putin.