Cold War Events and Leaders: Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam War, and More
Classified in Geography
Written at on 
English with a size of 2.59 KB.
Cuban Missile Crisis
It was the worst diplomatic crisis during the Cold War (1962), three years after the Cuban Revolution's success of communism in Cuba led by Fidel Castro.
Vietnam War
The worst military conflict during the Cold War, it happened between (1955-1975). Initially, it started between (communist) Northern Vietnam and (capitalist) Southern Vietnam.
Great Leap Forward
It was an economic plan performed by Mao Zedong between (1958-1961). The plan was to convert the Chinese countryside into farms to produce steel. The consequences were that due to the very bad climate, the crops were bad and many people died.
Cultural Revolution
It was the last period of Mao Zedong governing China (1966-1976).
May 1968 Student Protests
Was the beginning of a cultural revolution which affected Western Europe. They demanded two things: more sexual freedom and questioning authority.
Détente
It was the third period of the Cold War.
1973 Oil Crisis
Was a very deep economic crisis which started in 1973 due to a dramatic increase in oil prices.
Ronald Reagan
Was the President of the USA between 1981-1988. He increased military spending in the 1980s and forced the Soviet Union to do the same. He also increased taxes.
Deng Xiaoping
The second leader of the People's Republic of China. He set the conditions to convert China into a superpower.
Market Socialism
Was an economic model applied in Eastern Europe and later in China.
Mikhail Gorbachev
Was the leader of the Soviet Union in (1985-1991).
Commonwealth of Independent States
Supranational organization.
Decolonization
A process which led to the political independence of the former colonies. In some cases, it was peaceful, but in others, it was after a conflict like Indonesia and Algeria.
Third World
An expression invented by a French economist to call the former colonies who didn't want to align with the Cold War.
Bandung Conference
It was a conference celebrated in Bandung in the year 1955. The countries that had been decolonized participated in that conference and agreed to help the colonies which hadn't yet gained independence.
Non-Aligned Movement
A group of countries which didn't want to support any superpower in the Cold War. Belgrade Conference.