Vocabulary 
Term
Knowledge
Connections
dissident
detente
Definition
Picture
Essential Question
What was life like behind the “Iron Curtain”?
What is the “Iron Curtain”?
In the 1950s, an invisible political line divided Europe
Western Europe
Democratic nations
Eastern Europe
Communist nations
That invisible line between the two was the IRON CURTAIN
Why was it called the “Iron Curtain”?
The term came from a 1946 speech
of Great Britain’s Prime Minister
WINSTON CHURCHILL
“An iron curtain has
descended across
Europe”
Where did these communist nation come from?
Many satellite nations were following the examples of
the Soviet Union by:
 Creating Five Year Plans
 Focusing on industrialization
 Ending private farms
 Practicing collectivization
 Using secret police forces
 Eliminating non-Communist parties
Was communism successful?
By the 1970s and 1980s, nations behind the “Iron
Curtain” were:
Struggling economically
and
Enduring harshly run governments
How long did communism last?
Before the 1980s, no one would have guessed that the
Soviet Union would end by the end of the 20th century
Khrushchev had lost
support after the Cuban
Missile Crisis
But the Soviet Union got a new leader - LEONID BREZHNEV
What type of leader was Brezhnev?
Brezhnev:
Continued many of Stalin’s tough policies
but
Began the policy of DÉTENTE
Easing tensions between opposing nations
Did this end the Cold War?
DÉTENTE only lasted seven years…
…it ended when the Soviet Union
invaded Afghanistan in 1979
Afghanistan had been taking steps toward democracy
How did the US respond?
President JIMMY CARTER
(1977-1981)
 Charged the Soviets with warlike acts
 Stopped grain shipments to the Soviet Union
 Refused to allow the US to participate in the 1980
Olympics in Moscow
How were US-Soviet relations in the 1980s?
President RONALD REAGAN
(1981-1989)
 Called the Soviet Union an “evil empire”
 Created a system to destroy incoming missiles
 Sent aid to Afghanistan to fight against the Soviets
Essential Question
What was life like behind the “Iron Curtain”?
BEHIND THE “IRON CURTAIN”