The End of the Cold War Order
1. 1966
-------- North Vietnam and the United States sign treaty ending war in Vietnam; OPEC raises price of oil and imposes oil embargo on the West Ronald Reagan becomes U.S. president Communist governments ousted in eastern Europe; Berlin Wall demolished Explosion at Soviet nuclear plant at Chernobyl First Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty between the United States and Soviet Union Revolution in Czechoslovakia against communism; student uprisings throughout Europe and the United States British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher begins dismantling the welfare state Willy Brandt becomes West German foreign minister and develops Ostpolitik, a policy designed to bridge tensions between the two Germanies Mikhail Gorbachev comes to power in the USSR Islamic revolution in Iran; hostages taken at U.S. embassy in Teheran
2. 1968
-------- North Vietnam and the United States sign treaty ending war in Vietnam; OPEC raises price of oil and imposes oil embargo on the West Ronald Reagan becomes U.S. president Communist governments ousted in eastern Europe; Berlin Wall demolished Explosion at Soviet nuclear plant at Chernobyl First Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty between the United States and Soviet Union Revolution in Czechoslovakia against communism; student uprisings throughout Europe and the United States British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher begins dismantling the welfare state Willy Brandt becomes West German foreign minister and develops Ostpolitik, a policy designed to bridge tensions between the two Germanies Mikhail Gorbachev comes to power in the USSR Islamic revolution in Iran; hostages taken at U.S. embassy in Teheran
3. 1972
-------- North Vietnam and the United States sign treaty ending war in Vietnam; OPEC raises price of oil and imposes oil embargo on the West Ronald Reagan becomes U.S. president Communist governments ousted in eastern Europe; Berlin Wall demolished Explosion at Soviet nuclear plant at Chernobyl First Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty between the United States and Soviet Union Revolution in Czechoslovakia against communism; student uprisings throughout Europe and the United States British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher begins dismantling the welfare state Willy Brandt becomes West German foreign minister and develops Ostpolitik, a policy designed to bridge tensions between the two Germanies Mikhail Gorbachev comes to power in the USSR Islamic revolution in Iran; hostages taken at U.S. embassy in Teheran
4. 1973
-------- North Vietnam and the United States sign treaty ending war in Vietnam; OPEC raises price of oil and imposes oil embargo on the West Ronald Reagan becomes U.S. president Communist governments ousted in eastern Europe; Berlin Wall demolished Explosion at Soviet nuclear plant at Chernobyl First Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty between the United States and Soviet Union Revolution in Czechoslovakia against communism; student uprisings throughout Europe and the United States British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher begins dismantling the welfare state Willy Brandt becomes West German foreign minister and develops Ostpolitik, a policy designed to bridge tensions between the two Germanies Mikhail Gorbachev comes to power in the USSR Islamic revolution in Iran; hostages taken at U.S. embassy in Teheran
5. 1978–1979
-------- North Vietnam and the United States sign treaty ending war in Vietnam; OPEC raises price of oil and imposes oil embargo on the West Ronald Reagan becomes U.S. president Communist governments ousted in eastern Europe; Berlin Wall demolished Explosion at Soviet nuclear plant at Chernobyl First Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty between the United States and Soviet Union Revolution in Czechoslovakia against communism; student uprisings throughout Europe and the United States British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher begins dismantling the welfare state Willy Brandt becomes West German foreign minister and develops Ostpolitik, a policy designed to bridge tensions between the two Germanies Mikhail Gorbachev comes to power in the USSR Islamic revolution in Iran; hostages taken at U.S. embassy in Teheran
6. 1980
-------- North Vietnam and the United States sign treaty ending war in Vietnam; OPEC raises price of oil and imposes oil embargo on the West Ronald Reagan becomes U.S. president Communist governments ousted in eastern Europe; Berlin Wall demolished Explosion at Soviet nuclear plant at Chernobyl First Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty between the United States and Soviet Union Revolution in Czechoslovakia against communism; student uprisings throughout Europe and the United States British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher begins dismantling the welfare state Willy Brandt becomes West German foreign minister and develops Ostpolitik, a policy designed to bridge tensions between the two Germanies Mikhail Gorbachev comes to power in the USSR Islamic revolution in Iran; hostages taken at U.S. embassy in Teheran
7. 1981
-------- North Vietnam and the United States sign treaty ending war in Vietnam; OPEC raises price of oil and imposes oil embargo on the West Ronald Reagan becomes U.S. president Communist governments ousted in eastern Europe; Berlin Wall demolished Explosion at Soviet nuclear plant at Chernobyl First Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty between the United States and Soviet Union Revolution in Czechoslovakia against communism; student uprisings throughout Europe and the United States British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher begins dismantling the welfare state Willy Brandt becomes West German foreign minister and develops Ostpolitik, a policy designed to bridge tensions between the two Germanies Mikhail Gorbachev comes to power in the USSR Islamic revolution in Iran; hostages taken at U.S. embassy in Teheran
8. 1985
-------- North Vietnam and the United States sign treaty ending war in Vietnam; OPEC raises price of oil and imposes oil embargo on the West Ronald Reagan becomes U.S. president Communist governments ousted in eastern Europe; Berlin Wall demolished Explosion at Soviet nuclear plant at Chernobyl First Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty between the United States and Soviet Union Revolution in Czechoslovakia against communism; student uprisings throughout Europe and the United States British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher begins dismantling the welfare state Willy Brandt becomes West German foreign minister and develops Ostpolitik, a policy designed to bridge tensions between the two Germanies Mikhail Gorbachev comes to power in the USSR Islamic revolution in Iran; hostages taken at U.S. embassy in Teheran
9. 1986
-------- North Vietnam and the United States sign treaty ending war in Vietnam; OPEC raises price of oil and imposes oil embargo on the West Ronald Reagan becomes U.S. president Communist governments ousted in eastern Europe; Berlin Wall demolished Explosion at Soviet nuclear plant at Chernobyl First Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty between the United States and Soviet Union Revolution in Czechoslovakia against communism; student uprisings throughout Europe and the United States British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher begins dismantling the welfare state Willy Brandt becomes West German foreign minister and develops Ostpolitik, a policy designed to bridge tensions between the two Germanies Mikhail Gorbachev comes to power in the USSR Islamic revolution in Iran; hostages taken at U.S. embassy in Teheran
10. 1989
-------- North Vietnam and the United States sign treaty ending war in Vietnam; OPEC raises price of oil and imposes oil embargo on the West Ronald Reagan becomes U.S. president Communist governments ousted in eastern Europe; Berlin Wall demolished Explosion at Soviet nuclear plant at Chernobyl First Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty between the United States and Soviet Union Revolution in Czechoslovakia against communism; student uprisings throughout Europe and the United States British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher begins dismantling the welfare state Willy Brandt becomes West German foreign minister and develops Ostpolitik, a policy designed to bridge tensions between the two Germanies Mikhail Gorbachev comes to power in the USSR Islamic revolution in Iran; hostages taken at U.S. embassy in Teheran