319Z Fall 2025 Cold War Two: Who Will Win This One?

On Christmas Day in 1991, Mikhail Gorbachev announced his resignation as president of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. This was the end of the USSR. The Cold War was over. The United States had won. The long struggle against Communist Russia was over. Hopes were high that Russia would now become a responsible member of the community of nations. There would be peace in Europe. But the 90’s for Russians were chaotic and painful. Out of those terrible years, in 2000, a leader came to power who was not willing to accept the Cold War defeat. Vladimir Putin planned to restore…not the Soviet Union. In his eyes, the Communists were weak. They lost. His plan is to restore Russia as a great world power, expanding Russia to its greatest historical boundaries, with no respect for the rights of other nations and peoples. We are in Cold War Two. Will Russian autocracy defeat Western democracy? Who will win this one? That’s a question we will explore in this session.

Elva Card taught World History in Fairfax County Public Schools for 31 years. She has a BA in History from George Washington University, and MAs from George Mason University in both English and History. She has made numerous presentations at annual NCSS conferences.