Here we present a glossary of terms, acronyms, and names used in the book and on this website.

ABM Treaty

Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty

Action Program

Main document stating the objectives of the Prague Spring

Amendment Conference

proposed conference intended to turn the PTB unto a CTBT

Article 6 of the Soviet Constitution

the article that guaranteed a “leading role” for the Communist Party in the Soviet government

BMD

Ballistic missile defense

Bolshevik Party

the original communist faction of the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party that seized power and became the CPSU

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

magazine published by scientists who opposed nuclear weaponry

CANVAS

Center for Applied Nonviolent Action and Strategies, based in Belgrade

Center for the Development of Democracy and Human Rights

Yury Dzhibladze’s organization in Moscow

Central Committee

The main administrative body of the Communist Party.

CFE

Conventional Forces in Europe (treaty)

Charter 77 (Czech: Charta 77)

Group that demanded democracy in Czechoslovakia before the Velvet Revolution

CIA

The US Central Intelligence Agency

Civic Peace

Briefly a Russian peace organizations that was able to put on the END convention in 1991, just before the coup

CND

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, a British peace organization

Committee of Soldiers’ Mothers

an organization consisting mainly of the parents of soldiers concerned about their sons’ wellbeing

Committee to Protect Journalists

organization that attempts to defend journalists everywhere and publicizes abuses against them

Communist International

there were several international organizations over time devoted to promoting communism throughout the world. The one formally called the Communist International (Comintern) was active between 1919–1943.

Congress of People’s Deputies

a democratic parliament that was formed during Gorbachev’s administration

CP

Communist Party

CPSU

Communist Party of the Soviet Union

CSBMs

Confidence and Security Building Measures

CSS

Committee of Soviet Scientists for Peace and Against the Nuclear Threat

CTBT

Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty

Dartmouth Conferences

elite organization that brought together Soviet and American leaders for long-running dialogues

De Burght Conferences

meetings arranged in the Netherlands that marked the movement of the Soviet Union toward religious freedom

Democratic Russia

a mass movement that supported Yeltsin before he took office

East/West Dialogue Group

A spin-off group from END that had carried on discussions between Eastern and Western activists

END

European Nuclear Disarmament, the umbrella organization that brought together peace groups all over Europe and the Soviet Union

Eurocommunists

European communists in several countries who were much more democratic than the CPSU

Federation of American Scientists

an organization of American scientists who opposed nuclear weaponry

Freedom and Peace

Polish group of youths demanding the right to conscientious objection

Freedom House

organization in the US that monitors adherence to democracy in all countries of the world and publishes their findings

FSB

the successor organization to the KGB

GONGO

“government-organized non-governmental organization“— the term is a joke to designate capture of NGO activities by the state

Gorbachev Foundation

Institution in Moscow founded by Gorbachev, where he fosters research and charitable projects

Green Cross International

Organization founded by Gorbachev to promote the environment and peace globally. Based in Geneva

Green World

Ukrainian environmental movement

Greenham Common Peace Camp

British site of a nuclear weapons installation where women camped in protest for several years.

GRIT

Graduated Reciprocation in Tension Reduction; an approach to resolving an impasse without negotiating but by taking limited initiatives

Group to Establish Trust Between East and West, Group to Establish Trust Between USSR and USA

Trustbuilders, Group for Trust. An independent organization carrying out peace work in the Soviet Union

HCA

Helsinki Citizens Assembly, a peace group bringing together citizens of the East and the West

Human Rights Commission

organization founded by Burlatsky in 1988 and co-chaired by Rosalynn Carter

IKV

Dutch inter-church peace organization

IMEMO

Institute of World Economy and International Relations, a Moscow research institute

INF Treaty

Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty—a major achievement of Gorbachev and Reagan

Institute of World Economy and International Relations

IMEMO

Institute for Defense and Disarmament Studies

Randall Forsberg’s institute In Massachusetts

Institute of Social Sciences

an elite Moscow training institution for foreign communists, who were isolated from Soviet society

Institute of State and Law

research and training institute for specialists in government

International Center for Development Policy

A Washington organization led by Lindsay Mattison

International Department

The branch of the Communist Party dealing with international affairs

International Federation of Journalists

An organization that keeps records of human rights abuses directed against journalists for doing their work

International Foundation for Survival and Development of Humanity

International foundation created by Yevgeny Velikhov

Inter-Regional Group of People’s Deputies

a group of radically democratic members of the new Congress of People’s Deputies.

IPPNW

International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War. Co-founded by Bernard Lown and Yevgeny Chazov. A major organization during the 1980s and 1990s

ISKRAN

Institute For the Study of the USA and Canada. Also known as USA/Canada Institute

IVAN

Institute of Oriental Studies in Moscow

KGB

the state security police of the USSR

Kmara

Enough!— the Georgian organization that ousted Shevardnadze

Kommunist

the main magazine of the Soviet Communist Party

Kurchatov Institute

major nuclear research institution in Moscow

Living Ring

organization comprising people who had been present at the Russian White House defending Yeltsin against the coup

Los Alamos

site where the first atomic bombs were developed in the US

MAD

“mutual assured destruction”—the idea behind deterrence as a way of preventing real wars

Memorial

An organization of activists devoted to keeping alive the memory of Gulag victims and working for human rights

MI6

The British spy agency

MIRV

multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles

Moscow Helsinki Group

Russians who intended to hold the Soviet Union to its commitment to the Helsinki Accords

Moscow Limited Test Ban Treaty

Partial test ban treaty that bans nuclear weapons in outer space and under water

Moscow Protocol

a forced agreement between the leaders of the Prague Spring and the Soviet leaders

National Endowment for Democracy

government-funded institution in Washington, D.C. that promotes democratic capacities around the world

NEP

New Economic Program. Period when Lenin allowed small businesses to resume.

Nevada-Semipalatinsk

Organization of citizens opposing the testing of nuclear weapons in both the US and the Soviet Union

Nonviolence International

a peace organization with branches in the US, Bangkok, and Russia, where it does much work in the Caucasus

Novo-Ogarevo Treaty

the new Union Treaty that would have been enacted if the coup against Gorbachev had not occurred

NPT

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

NRDC

National Resources Defense Council. An American organization addressing environmental and peace issues

Oborona

a Russian nonviolent movement that aims to organize a color revolution

Open Russia Foundation

founded by Khodorkovsky, this organization was disbursing money for democratization until Khodorkovsky was arrested

Orange Revolution

the movement in Ukraine that protested against a fraudulent election and won a more democratic government

Palme Commission

A group led by Olof Palme to develop common security.

PCI

Italian Communist Party

PDPA

People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan, then the communist regime in Afghanistan

Pew Research Center

American research organization that studies public opinion

PGA

Parliamentarians for Global Action. An association of legislators around the world who work on peace-related issues.

Politburo

principle policy-making committee of a Communist Party

Pora

the nonviolent movement that organized the Orange Revolution in Ukraine

Prague Spring

a movement led by Gorbachev’s friend Zdeněk Mlynář to liberalize the CP of Czechoslovakia. It was crushed.

Problems of Peace and Socialism

the journal known in English as the World Marxist Review

Promoting Enduring Peace

A group of Westerners who cruised down the Dnieper together in 1989

Public Chamber

a body created by Putin to investigate social problems and recommend solutions. It is not independent, but run by the state

Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs

international organization of scientists who call for nuclear disarmament

Radio Liberty

A foreign radio that broadcast information that the Soviet state did not want disseminated

Rukh

Ukrainian nationalistic movement

Russian Peace Society

An independent group of citizens during the Gorbachev years who promoted Tolstoy’s ideas

Sajudis

Lithuanian popular front

SALT

Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty

SANE

an important American peace organization during the 1980s. Merged with the Freeze campaign.

Sary Shagan

Kazakhstan site for testing laser ABM technology

SCDP

Soviet Committee for the Defence of Peace (Soviet Peace Committee)

SDI

Strategic Defense Initiative, or “Star Wars,” Reagan’s hoped-for missile defence system

Servicio de la Paz y Justicia

Latin American group that carries on nonviolent resistance against dictators and undemocratic regimes. Also known by the acronym SERPAJ

SIPRI

Stockholm International Peace Research Institute

Six Nations Peace Initiative

Also “Five Continent Peace Initiative“—an organization of six states developed mainly by Parliamentarians Global Action

Soldiers’ Mothers

see Committee of Soldiers’ Mothers

Solidarność

the trade union that won freedom for Poland from Soviet control.

Soviet Academy of Sciences

The main organization of scholars in the Soviet Union

Soviet Peace Committee

Soviet Committee for the Defence of Peace (Soviet Peace Committee)

Soviet Peace Fund

money donated by Soviet citizens to be used by the official peace organizations run by the state

Soviet Political Science Association

professional organization founded by Shakhnazarov.to support research on political matters.

SS-20

Soviet mid-range missile

Strategic Defense Initiative

the missile defence system that Reagan hoped to create

Transnational Radical Party

peace-oriented international party based mainly in Italy but with a branch in Moscow

Transparency International

an organization that monitors corruption in all countries and reports their findings publicly.

Trust Group, Trustbuilders

Group to Establish Trust Between the USSR and the USA

Twentieth Party Congress

the party meeting in which Khrushchev revealed the crimes of Stalin

Union Treaty

the treaty that would have replaced the old constitution of the Soviet Union, had it been adopted

United World Federalists

an NGO in which Norman Cousins played a major part, fostering world governance

USA/Canada Institute

a Moscow research institute, the Institute for the Study of the USA and Canada, also known by the Russian acronym ISKRAN

Voice of America

a broadcasting system supported by the US government and covering much of the Soviet Union

Westminster Foundation

British organization parallel to the National Endowment for Democracy

WOMP

World Order Models Project, led mainly by Falk and Mendlovitz

WPC

World Peace Council

WTO

Warsaw Treaty Organization

Yabloko Party

A liberal party that had a significant following during the 1990s but is not allowed to publicize its programs now

Zero Option

Reagan’s proposal not to deploy Pershing missiles if the Soviets would remove their missiles