The Cold War

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On May 25, 1961, less than two months after a Soviet cosmonaut had made the very first space flight, President John F. Kennedy told Congress, "I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing...

Bay of Pigs Invasion

Bay of Pigs Invasion

In the 1950s, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) secretly planned, supported, and funded two coups: one in Guatemala and one in Iran. This was the height of the Cold War, and both deposed governments were suspected of leaning to the left and...

When Fidel Castro died on November 25, 2016, it seemed as if much of the world didn’t quite know what to make of the revolutionary leader. The images of loyal Cubans in Havana openly crying in the streets stood in stark contrast to the Cuban exiles...

Soviet-Afghan War

Soviet-Afghan War

In 1979, alarmed Soviet leaders watched the growing civil war in Afghanistan with trepidation. Russia’s neighbor had been a close ally for many years, acting as a buffer between Russia and British India and proving vital in the “Great Game” between...

The Cuban Missile Crisis

The Cuban Missile Crisis

The Cold War between the United States of America and the Soviet Union lasted for more than 40 years. In general, this was a war of spies and subterfuge, of covert action and espionage. There was always a danger, however, that an error of judgment on...

From 1955 to 1969, the United States and the Soviet Union were locked in a high-stakes race to conquer space. It was a contest marked by bold ambition, tragic setbacks, and astonishing technological progress. What began as a race for scientific...