Activity based resource on political and economic systems, asks students to explore communism, capitalism, socialism and democracy and formulate informed opinions for discussion and debate. Group and individual work.

Taken directly from the writing of Marx, Engels and Lenin, this entry from the Marxists Internet Archive also includes explanation of the quotations. Very detailed, it will require some sophistication on the part of the reader. Gives an...

Excellent online resource that through the use of primary sources and scholar interviews, focuses on the historical events of 1989 that deal with the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe. Great teacher resource with lesson plans...

The people of Czechoslovakia reached a boiling point in 1989 with citizens clamoring for political economic, and social reforms. This article by the BBC portrays how demonstrations for such reforms ended with tragedy when the police...

This timeline of East Germany from 1945 to 1990 chronicles key events from communist domination to political and economic freedom with the end of the Cold War and the dismantling of the Berlin Wall.

Overview of the collapse of communism at the end of the 1980s and early 1990s ushered in by Mikhail Gorbachev and his reforms.

A lengthy biography of the life of Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. Chronicles his early life, rise to power, political and economic powers, and ultimate demise. Ceausescu is a good person to study to learn about the end of communism...

This site contains information on the legacy of Elena Ceausescu. It details her life as the wife of the Romanian dictator and the legacy she left behind. (Published 8 July 1999)

Extensive information about the collapse of the USSR. Includes an interactive timeline from 1985 through 1991, an interactive map of the countries of the USSR with country profiles and timelines, eyewitness accounts of the collapse of...

A transcription of a lecture given at the University of Glasgow about literature and the availability of it in Czechoslovakia during the Communist reign. It briefly mentions specific authors and the scarcity of publishing houses.

Explains and details the events that led up to and followed the downfall of Communism in Eastern Europe. Very thorough and detailed, including information about leaders, movements, and historical information.

World War II ended in 1945 and the Cold War began immediately. Read about the mistrust Western Europe and the United States felt towards the Soviet Union and Joseph Stalin. Learn how the Soviets expanded their realm of influence and...

Biographical account of Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev, reformer of the Soviet Union. Includes information regarding Gorbachev's ascension to power with the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and his role in reducing the Cold War...

Contains a wealth of information about the Warsaw Pact. Includes information about the Soviet Alliance System, the organization of East European National units, the development of Socialist Armies in Eastern Europe, East-West diplomacy...

This primary document is a copy of the Helsinki Agreements of 1975 which recognized the borders in central and Eastern Europe that were set up since the end of WWII. They show the acceptance of the Soviet influence in Eastern Europe. and...

This site gives a great overview of the early Cold War under President Truman. Describes relations with the Soviet Union, the atomic bomb, actions in western Europe, and the Korean War. A great piece that gives the reader a fantastic...

This is a copy of a speech given in 1947 that describes US intent in stopping the spread of communism. It outlines threats to communist expansion into Greece and Turkey, and the US response to such a threat. This is a great primary...

This site describes the origin and transformation of former Nazi soldiers into East German police. Attempts to explain why it was created and Joseph Stalin's intent to control Eastern Europe.

1991 was a tumultuous year for the Soviet Union, filled with reform, an attempted coup, and eventual collapse of the empire. In this series of articles, explore the final days of the ailing Soviet Union.

President of Poland from 1989 until the election of Lech Walesa in 1990, Wojciech Jaruzelski was an instrumental figure in the political reforms of Poland, including recognition of the Solidarity movement.

A great overview of the life of Romanian leader Nicolae Ceausescu. Includes his background and a detailed timeline of his life. A great resource for learning about his life and times.

One December 25, 1989, Nicolae and Elena Ceausescu were tried by a military tribunal and shot by a firing squad. This is a short recounting of the event.

Many of the Cold War presidents used the Domino Theory as the main justification for their involvement and intervention in the affairs of Eastern Europe, the Middle East, China, Korea, Cuba, and Vietnam as it related to the spread of...

As the Cold War evolved over four decades, the end of the world seemed imminent as the nuclear arms race continued to escalate. Popular music, especially in the 1980s, reflected this growing pessimism. By 1989 and 1990, as the Berlin...