1. Cold War
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2. Policy of Containment
Containment – American policy of keeping communism where it was (and to not continue to spread)
Overall policy which led to paranoia like the Domino Theory

3. Post-Stalin Soviet Union
Stalin died of complications from a stroke in 1953
Directly responsible for the deaths of 3 million Soviets; indirectly responsible for millions more
Succeeded by Nikita Khrushchev, who was in power until 1964
Separated himself from Stalin by denouncing him as a drunk and an abuser of power – tried to win over support of the vast Soviet Union and usher in a new era of modernity

4. US-Soviet Relations in the 1960s
Even without the Vietnam War, the 1960s marked the most tense time in the Cold War
Began with the presence of Soviet ideology in Western hemisphere – Cuba.
Cuba had been a Spanish colony- finally earned freedom in 1902 after Spanish-American War
Cuba had trouble with keeping a stable government – many power struggles ensued
Economically prosperous but with a big gap between rich and poor
“President” (dictator) Fulgencio Batista ultimately overthrown by communist revolution

5. Cuban Revolution
Led by Fidel Castro – began in 1956, succeeded 3 years later
Goal was to end the reign of Batista who was seen as oppressive and corrupt
Claimed to not be communist, but…
purged all former authority figures – execution or prison
Nationalized land and businesses

6. Trouble with US
President Kennedy’s (JFK) administration tried to end Castro’s control through an invasion of Cuba
Bay of Pigs (April 1961) - FAILED attempt
Trained Cuban exiles to recapture control of the island
Led to over 4000 deaths and a number of arrests
Made Castro suspicious of US government
Cuban Missile Crisis – Fall 1962
Heightened tensions due to Khrushchev and Castro planning a Soviet missile base on Cuba (just in case…)
US already had missiles in Turkey (also, just in case…)
Eventually Kennedy and Khrushchev agreed to a hotline between Moscow and DC to alleviate tensions

8. Later Years of the Cold War
In the 1970s, Nixon opened up talks with communist China after many years of not recognizing their existence.
Discussed and later signed a nuclear disarmament treaty – SALT (Strategic Arms Limitations Talks)
Lessening of tensions until Reagan’s administration in early 1980s - upped nuclear arsenal again

9. Berlin Wall – ups and…..
Berlin Wall had originally been built in 1961 to separate Eastern and Western Germany’s portions of the city
Symbolically became the ideological division in the world
Wall was a physical representation of the tension and distrust between communists and non-communists
Eastern Germans were not allowed to emigrate

10. …DOWNS ;) Berlin Wall was dismantled in November 1989
Marked the end to Soviet bloc in eastern Europe
Fall of USSR followed in

11. End of Soviet Union (USSR)
Mikhail Gorbachev became last head of the Soviet Union in 1985
More forward thinking
Not wholly tied to party politics
Introduced 2 new policies to help Soviet Union be successful – actually had negative effect on the communist system
Perestroika – restructuring of economic system that allowed more individuals and outsiders to have a stake in economy
Glasnost – openness, in regards to the way the country was run – more transparency, less control

12. Former Soviet-Controlled Countries