-
Formation of the Soviet Union
On this date in 1922, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was formed following the Russian Revolution of 1917. Here are some things you may not have known about the formation of the Soviet Union. On December 30, 1922, the leaders of the Russian Republic, Transcaucasian Republic, Ukrainian Republic and Byelorussian Republic met in the […]
-
Hotline: Linking Washington to Moscow Since 1963
On this date in 1963, the governments of the United States and the Soviet Union agreed to establish direct communication between Washington and Moscow. Here are some things you may not have known about the hotline. One inspiration for the hotline was the novel “Red Alert,” which dealt with a nuclear standoff between the two […]
-
Chernobyl: 30 Years Later
Thirty years ago today, a reactor at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the Soviet Union exploded, causing the worst nuclear accident in history. Here are some things you may not have known about it. The disaster happened during a safety test on reactor number four. During the test, there was an unexpected power surge, […]
-
Miracle on Ice: An (Eventually) Golden Moment
On this date in 1980, the United States ice hockey team won the gold medal during the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. Here are some things you may not have known about the “Miracle on Ice.” The 1980 Olympics were the second winter games held in Lake Placid. The 1932 Winter Olympics, the […]
-
Soviet Union: The Rapid Collapse
Today is the 24th anniversary of the final winding down of the USSR. Here are some things you may not have known about the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The collapse of the Soviet Union began in earnest in 1985 with the election of Mikhail Gorbachev as general secretary of the Communist Party. He […]
-
Soviet Union: Rising from Revolution
On this date in 1922, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was formed following the Russian Revolution of 1917. Here are some things you may not have known about the formation of the Soviet Union. On December 30, 1922, the leaders of the Russian Republic, Transcaucasian Republic, Ukrainian Republic and Byelorussian Republic met in the […]