Cold War 1947-1966

  • Cominform established

    Cominform established
    The Communist Information Bureau is created by Stalin to coordinate communist parties across Europe in response to Western initiatives like the Marshall Plan.
  • Period: to

    Cold War 1947-1966

  • Truman Doctrine announced

    Truman Doctrine announced
    President Harry Truman pledges support for countries resisting communism, particularly Greece and Turkey. This marks the start of the U.S. policy of containment.
  • Marshall Plan proposed

    Marshall Plan proposed
    Secretary of State George Marshall outlines a massive economic aid package to rebuild war-torn Europe, aiming to stabilize economies and prevent the spread of communism.
  • Czechoslovak Coup

    Czechoslovak Coup
    The Communist Party, with Soviet backing, seizes full control of Czechoslovakia, eliminating democratic elements and alarming the West.
  • Marshall Plan Enacted

    Marshall Plan Enacted
    The U.S. begins distributing over $12 billion in aid to European countries, solidifying the Western economic bloc.
  • NATO Formed

    NATO Formed
    The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is established by the U.S., Canada, and Western European countries as a mutual defense pact against Soviet aggression.
  • Berlin Airlift Ends

    Berlin Airlift Ends
    After nearly a year of supplying West Berlin by air, the Soviet Union lifts the blockade, and the Allies emerge successful.
  • Berlin Blockade Begins

    Berlin Blockade Begins
    The USSR blocks rail, road, and canal access to West Berlin in an attempt to force the Allies out; it marks one of the first major crises of the Cold War.
  • USSR Tests Atomic Bomb

    USSR Tests Atomic Bomb
    (August 29): The successful detonation of a Soviet nuclear weapon ends U.S. nuclear monopoly and intensifies the arms race.
  • NSC-68 Policy Adopted

    NSC-68 Policy Adopted
    A key U.S. strategy document advocating large-scale military buildup and a global stance against communism.
  • China Enters Korean War

    China Enters Korean War
    (October): After UN forces approach the Yalu River, China sends troops into Korea, prolonging the war and challenging U.S. dominance in Asia.
  • Korean War Begins

    Korean War Begins
    North Korea invades South Korea with Soviet and Chinese support; the U.S. and UN intervene to support the South, escalating Cold War tensions.
  • General MacArthur Dismissed:

    General MacArthur Dismissed:
    President Truman fires General Douglas MacArthur over insubordination and disagreements on Korean War strategy, reinforcing civilian control over the military.
  • ANZUS Pact Signed:

    ANZUS Pact Signed:
    The U.S., Australia, and New Zealand sign a treaty committing to mutual defense in the Pacific region against communist threats.
  • Rosenbergs Convicted

    Rosenbergs Convicted
    : Julius and Ethel Rosenberg are found guilty of espionage for passing atomic secrets to the Soviets, fueling anti-communist sentiment.
  • Stalin Initiates Doctors' Plot:

    Stalin Initiates Doctors' Plot:
    A campaign alleging Jewish doctors were plotting to poison Soviet leaders, reflecting Stalin's increasing paranoia
  • Mau Mau Uprising Begins in Kenya:

    Mau Mau Uprising Begins in Kenya:
    Anti-colonial movement perceived by Britain as influenced by communism, showcasing Cold War links to decolonization.
  • U.S. Tests First Hydrogen Bomb

    U.S. Tests First Hydrogen Bomb
    : The detonation of "Ivy Mike" marks a new, more destructive phase in the nuclear arms race.
  • Atoms for Peace Speech:

    Atoms for Peace Speech:
    Eisenhower proposes sharing peaceful nuclear technology through the UN, promoting non-military uses of atomic energy.
  • Stalin Dies

    Stalin Dies
    ): His death leads to a power struggle and eventual rise of Nikita Khrushchev, opening the door to limited reform.
  • Korean War Armistice Signed

    Korean War Armistice Signed
    (July 27): An armistice ends active fighting, though no peace treaty is signed; Korea remains divided.
  • CIA-Backed Coup in Guatemala:

    CIA-Backed Coup in Guatemala:
    The U.S. helps overthrow President Arbenz, fearing communist influence, leading to decades of instability.
  • Geneva Conference:

    Geneva Conference:
    Agreement to divide Vietnam at the 17th parallel, setting the stage for U.S. involvement in Southeast Asia.
  • U.S. Bolsters Strategic Air Command:

    U.S. Bolsters Strategic Air Command:
    Development of bomber fleets and airbases as part of a deterrent nuclear strategy.
  • Geneva Summit:

    Geneva Summit:
    First post-Stalin meeting between superpowers; discussions promote the idea of "peaceful coexistence."
  • Austrian State Treaty Signed:

    Austrian State Treaty Signed:
    Austria regains sovereignty and agrees to neutrality, leading to withdrawal of occupying troops.
  • Warsaw Pact Formed

    Warsaw Pact Formed
    : A Soviet-led military alliance in response to West Germany joining NATO, solidifying the Eastern bloc.
  • Hungarian Uprising Crushed:

    Hungarian Uprising Crushed:
    Soviet tanks invade Hungary to suppress a popular uprising, showcasing the USSR's unwillingness to tolerate dissent.
  • Khrushchev’s Secret Speech:

    Khrushchev’s Secret Speech:
    Denounces Stalin's crimes, initiating de-Stalinization and unsettling the Eastern bloc.
  • Suez Crisis:

    Suez Crisis:
    British, French, and Israeli forces invade Egypt after nationalization of the Suez Canal, but face U.S. and Soviet opposition.
  • Polish October:

    Polish October:
    Władysław Gomułka returns to power with some independence from Moscow, reflecting tensions within the Eastern bloc.
  • Eisenhower Doctrine Announced:

    Eisenhower Doctrine Announced:
    U.S. promises military and economic aid to Middle Eastern countries resisting communism.
  • Sputnik Launched

    Sputnik Launched
    : First man-made satellite; triggers U.S. fears of Soviet technological superiority and leads to space race.
  • Berlin Crisis Begins:

    Berlin Crisis Begins:
    Khrushchev demands withdrawal of Western troops from Berlin, setting off a prolonged confrontation.
  • Great Leap Forward Launched:

    Great Leap Forward Launched:
    Mao's campaign to rapidly industrialize China worsens Sino-Soviet relations due to its radicalism.
  • NASA Created

    NASA Created
    U.S. civilian space agency established in response to Sputnik, central to Cold War space competition.
  • Khrushchev Visits U.S

    Khrushchev Visits U.S
    The first Soviet leader to visit the U.S., meeting with Eisenhower and touring American cities.
  • Camp David Talks:

    Camp David Talks:
    Informal summit between Eisenhower and Khrushchev aimed at reducing Cold War tensions.
  • Cuban Revolution Succeeds

    Cuban Revolution Succeeds
    : Fidel Castro overthrows Batista; U.S.-Cuba relations deteriorate as Castro aligns with USSR.
  • Paris Summit Collapses:

    Paris Summit Collapses:
    U-2 incident derails high-level talks between U.S. and USSR, worsening tensions.
  • Congo Crisis Begins:

    Congo Crisis Begins:
    After independence, the Congo descends into chaos; Cold War powers back rival factions.
  • . U-2 Incident

    . U-2 Incident
    American spy plane shot down over USSR; pilot Gary Powers captured, embarrassing the U.S.
  • Bay of Pigs Invasion

    Bay of Pigs Invasion
    : U.S.-backed Cuban exiles fail to overthrow Castro, embarrassing the Kennedy administration.
  • Peace Corps Founded:

    Peace Corps Founded:
    A Kennedy initiative to send American volunteers abroad, part of a soft power Cold War strategy.
  • Berlin Wall Built (August):

    Berlin Wall Built (August):
    East Germany, with Soviet support, erects a wall to prevent emigration to the West.
  • U.S. Removes Missiles from Turkey:

    U.S. Removes Missiles from Turkey:
    A secret part of the resolution to the Cuban crisis, showing superpower bargaining.
  • Sino-Indian War:

    Sino-Indian War:
    Border conflict between China and India; exposes China’s break from both USSR and U.S.-led blocs.
  • Cuban Missile Crisis

    Cuban Missile Crisis
    : U.S. discovers Soviet missiles in Cuba; a tense standoff ends with Soviet withdrawal.
  • Ich bin ein Berliner" Speech

    Ich bin ein Berliner" Speech
    JFK expresses solidarity with West Berlin during a visit, symbolizing U.S. commitment.
  • Hotline Established:

    Hotline Established:
    Direct phone link between Washington and Moscow reduces risk of accidental nuclear war.
  • Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty:

    Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty:
    U.S., USSR, and UK agree to ban nuclear tests in the atmosphere, outer space, and underwater.
  • Khrushchev Ousted

    Khrushchev Ousted
    Replaced by Leonid Brezhnev and Alexei Kosygin, signaling a shift to more collective Soviet leadership.
  • Gulf of Tonkin Incident:

    Gulf of Tonkin Incident:
    Alleged attacks on U.S. ships lead to congressional resolution giving LBJ broad war powers.
  • China Tests Atomic Bomb:

    China Tests Atomic Bomb:
    Joins the nuclear club, increasing Cold War complexity and ending Soviet nuclear monopoly in Asia.
  • U.S. Combat Troops Land in Vietnam:

    U.S. Combat Troops Land in Vietnam:
    Marks the escalation of the Vietnam War and full U.S. military involvement.
  • Indonesian Anti-Communist Purge:

    Indonesian Anti-Communist Purge:
    Following a failed coup, mass killings of communists occur with tacit U.S. support.
  • Soviet Spacewalk (Voskhod 2)

    Soviet Spacewalk (Voskhod 2)
    : Cosmonaut Alexei Leonov becomes first human to walk in space, maintaining Soviet prestige.
  • Cultural Revolution Begins:

    Cultural Revolution Begins:
    Mao launches radical social movement in China, worsening relations with USSR.
  • France Leaves NATO Command:

    France Leaves NATO Command:
    President de Gaulle asserts French independence from U.S. influence.
  • U.S. Bombs North Vietnamese Cities:

    U.S. Bombs North Vietnamese Cities:
    Escalation of the air war reflects deepening U.S. commitment to Vietnam.