The Treaty of Berlin

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ABM: Anti-Ballistic Missile. A missile designed to shoot down another missile, typically as a defense against a nuclear attack. The ABM Treaty limited America and the Soviet Union to a single ABM site.

Abscam: Short for "Arab Scam". A two-year FBI undercover operation, where agents dressed as Arab sheiks offered bribes to Congressmen in exchange for political favors. One Senator and seven Representatives were caught on videotape.

Aeroflot: [AIR-oh-flaht] The Soviet airline. Aeroflot is one of the few airlines that flies into Moscow.

AIG: Adjutant Inspector General. Official in charge of embassy-related criminal investigations.

AP: Associated Press. A news service.

Apollo: The third series of manned American space capsules. Apollo took us to the moon. (Watch Apollo 13.)

Ariane: [AIR-ee-ann] The European Space Agency's primary booster rocket. The Ariane IV is capable of carrying fairly large payloads (e.g. several satellites) into orbit.

ASTP: Apollo-Soyuz Test Project. A joint mission into Earth orbit. This was the first time that American and Soviet spacecraft docked.

Baader-Meinhof Gang: [BAA-dur MINE-hoff] A German terrorist group.

Black September: The terrorist group responsible for the massacre of Israeli athletes at the Münich Olympics in 1972.

Bolshoi Ballet: [BOWL-shoy] World-famous Soviet ballet troupe, probably the most famous ballet dancers in the world.

Calderone: (*, sort of) [CAL-der-oh-nee] A family of Bolivian drug lords. In real life, there is a Calderone drug clan.

CAPCOM: CAPsule COMmunicator. The person on the ground, usually another astronaut, that maintains contact with an orbiting spacecraft.

Carlos: A famous terrorist and assassin for hire.

CCCP: Cyrillic symbols for USSR. The initials of the Soviet Union.

Central Committee: The "advisors" to the Soviet Premier. The Central Committee (of the Communist Party) has the ultimate control over all aspects of Soviet life.

CIA: Central Intelligence Agency. American government agency that gathers intelligence (e.g. it spies) on foreign governments.

CO: Commanding Officer.

Concorde: French supersonic luxury airplane capable of flying from Paris to New York in a couple of hours.

CRT: Cathode Ray Tube. A typical computer display.

Cussler, Clive: Real author of thriller novels. These entertaining books always have interesting historical twists, underwater action scenes, and great vintage cars. Deep Six is a real novel, and one of my favorites. (Don't judge him by Raise the Titanic, which was an awful movie made from a better early book. Sahara is also a much better read than it was a movie.)

DEA: Drug Enforcement Agency. American government agency in charge of enforcing laws against illegal drugs.

Death, She Discovered: (*) Long-running television series, featuring an older female mystery novelist solving crimes. These crimes usually result in the detective's friends and relatives considered as suspects, until she solves the crime.

DEFCON: DEFensive CONdition. American military stages of preparedness for war. Normal peacetime is DEFCON-5. More military activity and alerts are called for as the DEFCON number shrinks towards DEFCON-1, which is war.

DI: Diplomatic Immunity. See the notes on immunity.

DoD: Department of Defense. The American military.

Dow Jones: The primary index used to track the American stock market.

Downlink: The radio communication channel between a spacecraft and ground control.

Energia: [EN-erg-ee-ya] The huge "big dumb booster" used by the Soviets to hurl large payloads into orbit.

Enfield Systems: (*) A world-wide American-based high technology company. Enfield Systems makes advanced computers, electronics, avionics systems, and all sorts of other very profitable equipment.

ERA: Equal Rights Amendment. An amendment to the American constitution designed to give equal rights to women. It was not ratified.

ESA: See European Space Agency.

European Space Agency: Britain, France and Germany's combined space efforts.

FAA: Federal Aviation Agency. The American agency responsible for regulating all air travel in the United States.

FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation. The American law-enforcement agency that polices crime that crosses state borders.

"Firm" or "The Firm": Nickname for the Central Intelligence Agency.

Fist of God: (*) An Islamic terrorist group.

Fleming, Ian: One-time MI-5 agent. Mr. Fleming is the creator of James Bond.

Fletcher School: Prestigious graduate department of Tufts University known for advanced study of foreign affairs.

Franco, Generalissimo Francisco: [FRANK-oh] The long-time leader of Spain.

Franco: (*) A famous terrorist, known for his or her daring acts.

Gemini: The second series of American manned space capsules. These two-man craft were used to practice many of the space maneuvers needed for the moon flight. Neil Armstrong nearly died aboard his Gemini flight when a malfunctioning thruster sent the craft spinning out of control.

GRU: Soviet Military Intelligence. The arm of the military that gathers intelligence (e.g. it spies) on foreign governments. Supposedly part of the KGB, they are often intense and bitter rivals.

Hell's Angels: Notorious American (now world-wide) motorcycle gang.

IBM: International Business Machines. A computer company with a budget larger than many small countries.

ICBM: Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile. A rocket capable of carrying a nuclear weapon from the United States to the Soviet Union (or vice versa).

INF: Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces treaty. Treaty to eliminate Pershing and SS-20 missiles. In the universe of The Treaty of Berlin, this treaty was never finished.

Institute for American Studies: Soviet advanced school for foreign affairs. Most of the influential and successful Soviet diplomats studied or taught at the IAS at one time.

Interpol: Common European police organization, sharing criminal data worldwide.

Irish Republican Army: Terrorist group fighting for an independent Ireland, free of British rule.

IRS: Internal Revenue Service. The American tax-collection agency.

Izvestia: [Is-VES-tee-uh] Soviet newspaper. Used as a propaganda tool of the Communist government.

Jacob's Pillow Dance Company: World-renowned American dance troupe. They often perform in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts, an area known for cultural events.

KBE: Knight of the British Empire. A title (and medal), usually awarded for valorous service and great bravery.

Kelleher Committee: (*) Famous American group that awards renowned prizes for poetry.

KGB: (Komitet Gosudarstvennoi Bezopastnost'i) The Committee for State Security. The Soviet government agency that gathers intelligence (e.g. it spies) on everyone.

Kremlin: The famous building that houses the Soviet government.

Kvant: [KVAHNT] A Soviet research module docked to the Mir space station. In The Treaty Of Berlin, Kvant is used as a generic term for all the modules. In reality, only one of the modules is called Kvant.

LEM: Lunar Excursion Module. The strange looking spacecraft that the Apollo astronauts took from lunar orbit to the lunar surface and back again. The LEM was the "lifeboat" that saved Apollo 13.

Mannheim Mayhem Squad: (*) [MONN-hime MAY-hem] A terrorist group. See the articles in the public materials for details of their exploits.

M*A*S*H: Mobile Armed Surgical Hospital. A temporary and quickly movable hospital. The exploits of the fictional Korean War 4077th M*A*S*H unit were dramatized in the famous television show M*A*S*H.

Mercury: The first series of American manned space capsules. These one-man craft were piloted by the likes of Alan Shepard, John Glenn and Gordon Cooper. (Watch or read The Right Stuff.)

MI-5: British espionage organization, comparable to the CIA.

Miami Vice: Popular television police drama of the 80s, featuring slick production values.

MiG: [MIG] Soviet fighter jet. In the hands of a top pilot, these jets are a match for American fighters. The Soviets sell older MiGs to their client states, such as Viet Nam.

Minuteman: A large, accurate American ICBM. Replaced the Titan II.

Mir: The latest Soviet space station.

Miranda: Name for the rights of the accused read at the time of arrest.

MIRV: Multiple Independently-targetable Reentry Vehicles. Missiles capable of carrying many nuclear warheads. Each warhead has their own guidance system and maneuvering rockets. This allows each warhead to hit a different target.

MMS: See "Mannheim Mayhem Squad".

MMU: Manned Maneuvering Unit. The shuttle-independent jet-pack used by astronauts to steer outside of the Space Shuttle cargo bay. There's a famous picture of Bruce McCandless testing the MMU, floating at an angle with the Earth brilliantly blue behind him.

Mossad: [MOE-sahd] Israeli secret service. The Israeli government agency that gathers intelligence (e.g. it spies) on foreign governments. Also responsible for internal Israeli security. The Mossad is known for daring acts of espionage.

MX: A larger, more accurate American ICBM. Replaced the Minuteman.

NASA: National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The American government agency responsible for the US space program.

NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Group of nations pledged to a common defense of Europe, notably the US, Britain and West Germany.

Nemerov, Howard: (*, sort of) In The Treaty of Berlin, the pen-name of Aleksandr Gorov. In the real world, the late Mr. Nemerov was actually named American Poet Laureate one year.

NKVD: (Narodny Kommisariat Vnutrennikh Del) The People's Commisariat for Internal Affairs. An earlier Soviet security agency that ultimately became the KGB.

NORAD: North American Air Defense Command. The integrated defense center designed to direct the air defense of the North American continent in the face of an attack.

NPT: Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. One of many treaties attempting to limit the spread of nuclear weapons (and some nuclear technology).

OMS: Orbital Maneuvering System. The engines used by the Space Shuttle to make large maneuvers in space, such as the reentry burn.

OSS: Office of Strategic Services. The precursor to the CIA, shut down after the end of World War II.

Palestine Liberation Organization: Palestinian terrorist organization led by Yasser Arafat. The PLO's intent is the destruction of Israel. (The Treaty of Berlin takes place before the moderation of the 'modern' PLO.)

Pershing: A relatively small American missile, capable of being hauled around and launched from a truck. Loaded with a nuclear warhead, Pershings could be launched from Germany. From there, they could reach Moscow in less than ten minutes.

PR: Public relations.

Pravda: [PRAHV-dah] The most important and widely known Soviet newspaper. Used as a propaganda tool of the Communist government.

Proxmire, Senator William: Wisconsin Democrat known for his scathing ridicule of budget items he considered frivolous. He awarded "Golden Fleece" awards to the outlays he considered the most outrageous. A powerful man in the Senate, he defeated a lot of budgets he didn't like.

RCS: Reaction Control System. The small thrusters placed along the Space Shuttle's fuselage. Used to control the position of the spacecraft outside the atmosphere.

Red Army: The Soviet Army.

Red Brigades: An Italian terrorist group responsible for many bombings and kidnappings in Italy. They were most famous for their kidnapping and murder of Aldo Moro, who had been Italy's Premier at one time.

Roosevelt, Elliott: Real author. Wrote several pseudo-historical novels where his mother, Eleanor, solves murder cases in and around the White House during FDR's terms in office.

SALT: Strategic Arms Limitation Talks: American and Soviet negotiations aimed at reducing the number and types of nuclear weapons in their arsenals.

Salyut: [SAL-yoot] The first series of Soviet space stations.

Saturn V: The immense first stage of the rocket that launched the Apollo missions to the moon.

Sayers, Dorothy: Real author (1893-1957) of murder mysteries. Creator of Lord Peter Wimsey, one of the classic detectives.

SDI: See Strategic Defense Initiative.

Skylab: A third stage of the giant Saturn rocket, converted into a space station. Skylab served as an American space station for three extended missions before it crashed to earth in Australia.

Solidarity: Polish unionists, led by Lech Walesa, attempting to gain rights and freedom in the face of the Communist government.

Sonar: [SO-narr] The underwater equivalent of radar. Sonar bounces sound waves off of other objects and listens for the echo.

Soyuz: [SOY-uzz] The third series of manned Soviet space capsules. These craft are still in operation today. (In 1997, a Soyuz is the escape pod for Mir. In 2005, a Soyuz is used as an escape pod for the International Space Station, as well as the way to get there and back when the Shuttle is grounded.)

Sputnik: [SPUT-nick] The Soviet "beep" heard around the world. Sputnik was the very first satellite launched into orbit.

SR-71: A very high altitude reconnaissance spy plane. Now known as "the Blackbird", at the time of The Treaty of Berlin the existence of this aircraft was a secret. (Now you can buy a model kit.)

SRB: Solid Rocket Booster for the Space Shuttle. These are the two engines that are strapped to the shuttle for the launch. Once lit, they cannot be turned off until they burn out. (Think of a bottle-rocket.) A failure of a joint in one of the SRBs was responsible for the Challenger accident.

SS-20: A small, mobile, medium range Soviet missile, capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.

Star City: Soviet manned rocket launch facility, comparable to Cape Canaveral. Star City is officially a Soviet state secret, and does not appear on any maps.

Star Wars: A famous movie series. Also the nickname for the Strategic Defense Initiative.

Strategic Defense Initiative: A plan to build ground-based interceptor missiles, ground and space-based lasers and particle beams to create a "shield" that would destroy incoming nuclear missiles. This was supposed to protect the United States against an all-out Soviet attack. Also known as SDI or the "Star Wars" defense.

STS: Space Transportation System. NASA-speak for the space shuttle.

Surete: [SOO-ret-tay] French espionage organization, comparable to the CIA.

Symbionese Liberation Army: [SIM-be-oh-knees] A terrorist group based in the United States. They were most famous for their kidnapping and conversion of the heiress Patty Hearst.

TDRS: [TEE-driss] Tracking and Data Relay Satellite. Communication satellite specifically for Space Shuttle operations. There is a network of several TDRS satellites (now) in orbit, to maintain ground communications over most of the shuttle's orbit.

U-2: American high-altitude supersonic spy plane, replaced by the SR-71.

U-boat: Nazi submarine.

USSR: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. The one-time Soviet empire and Communist threat in the Cold War. In The Treaty of Berlin, the USSR is not about to collapse economically and politically, as it did in our world.

V-1: The "buzz bomb". The first serious missile used in warfare. The V-1's, while highly inaccurate, caused a lot of fear and terror during their use against London by the Nazis.

V-2: A more advanced Nazi missile. The war ended before many of these could be used. V-2's captured by the Americans and the Soviets in the final days of World War II proved invaluable in future missile development efforts.

Vostok: [VOSS-tock] The second series of manned Soviet space capsules.

Walter Reed Hospital: Renowned American hospital.

Warsaw Pact: The Soviet counterpart to NATO. Group of nations pledged to a common defense of Eastern Europe, notably the USSR, East Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia and the other Soviet satellite states.

Zil: [Zeel] The official car of high-ranking Soviet officials. It was big, boxy and clumsy.