This document summarizes key events of the Cold War that demonstrated the ideological struggle between Soviet communist ideals and Western capitalist ideals. These events include the division of Germany after WWII, the Berlin Blockade, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the formation of NATO and the Warsaw Pact, the U-2 espionage incident, and arms limitation treaties like SALT and START. Images are included that depict each event.

1. Events of the Cold War
By Griffin, Clarice, Caitlyn and Brad

2. Division of Germany
 The division of Germany
shows the struggle
between competing
ideologies because
Germany was effectively
divided up between Soviet
(communist) and western
(capitalist) powers. This
eventually caused some
minor conflicts, such as
the Berlin blockade. This
image was chosen
because it clearly shows
the division between East
and West Germany

3. Berlin Blockade
 This event shows the
struggle between
Soviet and Western
ideologies because it
was the first act of
aggression taken by
the USSR against the
USA. We chose this
image because it most
directly depicted the
conflict between the
opposing ideologies

4. Korean War
 This event demonstrates this
struggle because it was the
first real violent conflict to
arise from the competition of
soviet and western ideologies.
It also had a large scale effect
on many people in the
Koreas, both those fighting
and civilians. We chose this
image because the 38th
parallel shows the strong
division between the
communist ideals of the North
and the non-communist
ideals of the South.

5. Vietnam War
 The Vietnam war shows this struggle
because it was a large scale reaction by the
USA to a possible Communist take over of
South Vietnam. It also had a large effect on
people living in and around Vietnam. This
image was chosen because it clearly shows
the struggle required to keep communism
out of Vietnam.

6. Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis
shows this struggle because
it was a one of the first and
biggest non-violent conflicts
between the actual
superpowers of the
time, the USSR and the
USA. It also had a big
impact on many people
worldwide as there was a
drastic fear of complete
nuclear annihilation. We
chose this image because it
shows American spy footage
of the Cuban missile
sites, which gave reason to
escalate the conflict

7. Fall of the Berlin Wall
 The fall of the Berlin Wall
shows part of this
struggle ideals because it
symbolizes the end of the
struggle and conflicts
between Soviet and
American ideals. We
chose this picture
because it shows the
moments leading up to
the Wall’s collapse, and
one of the last symbolic
divisions between the
USSR and the USA

8. Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
 The invasion of Afghanistan
demonstrates the struggle
between Soviet and Western
ideals because the Soviets
invaded the country in an
attempt to stop a non-
communist rebellion and take-
over of the government. It is
also shown by the Americans
arming the anti-communist
militants of the Mujahideen to
stop the Soviets and assist in
continuing the revolution. We
chose this picture because it
shows the Soviet and Afghan
allied troops preparing for
battle.

9. Creation of NATO and the Warsaw
Pact
The formation of these two organizations show the struggle
between Soviet and Western ideologies because they
represented competing mutual defense alliances between
capitalist nations and communist nations, respectively. It is
also shown in the fact that the Warsaw pact was formed in
response to the formation of NATO. We chose this map
because it clearly shows the nations belonging to each treaty.

10. U-2 Espionage Incident
 The U-2 Incident shows
the struggle between
Soviet and American
ideologies because it
essentially brought the
espionage parts of the
Cold War to the public.
This event showed the
already existing tension
between the nations due to
being infiltrated by each
other’s spies. We chose
this picture because it
shows an American U-2
bomber similar to the one
shot down by the Soviets.

11. SALT and START
 These treaties show
the struggle between
Soviet and Western
ideologies because it
was a cooling down
period between the
nations involved which
allowed for the
eventual end of the
Cold War. We chose
this photo because it
shows the two heads
of state involved
signing one of the
treaties.