cold war 1970s

• The 1970s


  A continuation of trends from the 1960s
• The 1970s


  A continuation of trends from the 1940s, 50s and 60s
• The 1970s


  A sense of thaw in relationships between the Soviet Union and the United States
• Richard Nixon


  U.S. president elected on a platform of "Peace With Honor" but led America into an undeclared, illegal war against Cambodia
• Richard Nixon


  Supported an anti-government coup in Chile by the CIA
• Richard Nixon


  Resigned amidst the Watergate scandal
• Major spy scandals broke out in Europe involving the Soviets and West German politics
• End of the Vietnam War

  1. North Vietnamese troops capture Saigon

  2. Accompanied by purges, violence, and a massive refugee crisis
• Khmer Rouge taking power in Cambodia


  Led to a massive genocide
• 1975


  First U.S.-Soviet joint space projects
• 1975


  Soviets and Cuban troops involved in putting a communist government in place in Angola
• 1977


  Americans seek to re-establish diplomatic relationships with Cuba
• 1977


  Southeast Asian Treaty Organization being disbanded
• 1979


  Strategic Arms Limitation Talks taking place
• 1979


  Communists take control of Nicaragua in Central America
• 1979


  Soviet Union invades Afghanistan to install a communist government
• Origins of a free Polish trade union movement led by Lech Walesa in the shipyards of Gdansk
• The Iranian Revolution of 1979 starts to give a face to Islamic revivalism and fundamentalism
• The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan first sees a response by Islamic militants supported by the Americans