The+Cold+War+in+Europe+and+Russia+-+John+McGeary

__The SALT I Treaty__ The Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT I) occurred from Nov. 1969 to May 1972. This treaty placed limits and restraints on certain armaments between the Soviet Union and the United States. The ideas that came out of this treaty, however, failed at first and left strategic arms unrestrained. The Soviets and Americans continued to compete in creating the most advanced offensive and defensive weapons. During the talks, the U.S. and Soviet Union gained understanding of what t  he other country wanted to do. Both countries   increased their number of strategic missile systems. On May 20,1971, the talks started to move closer to a limit on ABS (anti-ballistic missile systems) and finally ended on May 26, 1972, when Nixon and Brezhnev signed the ABM treaty and the Interim Agreement on strategic offensive arms. 

__Perestroika and Glasnost__ The terms perestroika and glasnost are translated to mean restructuring and openness. These terms were used by Mikhail Gorbachev, and also by Stalin and leaders before him. Gorbachev first identified the terms during a speech in December 1984 and also used uskorenie which means acceleration. By promoting the term glasnost, Gorbachev thought perestroika would be enhanced. In contrast, however, because of glasnost there were reports of criminality and revelations of crimes. Instead of helping and bringing prosperity, glasnost and perestroika brought on poverty and chaos.

 Balkans During the Cold War, most of the countries that make up the Balkans were ruled by the Soviet Union or supporting com  munist governments. Only two countries, Greece and Turkey, were non-communist and part of NATO. In the late 1980s to early 1990s, however Communism started to fall in Eastern Europe. As this happened, westernization began to overcome the countries of the Balkans. Many of their governments were reformed by using a market economy and privatization, among other capitalist policies. Although it was good that Communism was now out of these countries, they faced a time of economic instability and led to tragic events in Albania, Bulgaria, and Romania. 

 __Fall of the Berlin Wall__  The Berlin Wall was built in 1961 by the Soviet Union to separate West Berlin from the East Berlin. East Berlin shared control by the American, British and French. It was 96 miles long, about 12 feet high and was lined with barbed wire. On November 9, 1989, the Berlin Wall began to be torn down by the East Germans and on October 3, 1980 Germany gained its independence from the Soviet Union and was officially joined together again. The Winter Olympics also took place in 1980, even though the Summer Olympics were boycotted that year. During these olympics, one of the greatest hockey games in American history took place. The Americans brought a group of college kids to the olympics. They were the underdogs going into the olympics and surprisingly made it to the semifinals where they were matched up against the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union had been dominant in hockey for about the last five winter olympics and were heavily favored. The Americans didn't care and went out with much determination and defeated the Soviets 4-3. This event is known as the Miracle on Ice.