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Period: to
Cold War 1947-1966
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Truman Doctrine announced
The Truman Doctrine, announced in March 1947, was a U.S. policy pledging support to countries resisting communism, starting with aid to Greece and Turkey. It marked the beginning of America's containment strategy against Soviet expansion during the Cold War. -
Marshall Plan proposed
The Marshall Plan, proposed in June 1947, was a U.S. initiative to provide economic aid to rebuild war-torn European nations. Its goal was to strengthen democratic governments and prevent the spread of communism. -
Cominform created
The Cominform (Communist Information Bureau) was created by the Soviet Union in October 1947 to coordinate communist parties across Europe. It aimed to solidify Soviet control over Eastern Bloc countries and oppose Western influence. -
Czechoslovak coup
The Czechoslovak coup of February 1948 was a Soviet-backed takeover in which the Communist Party seized full control of the government. It marked the end of democracy in Czechoslovakia and tightened Soviet dominance in Eastern Europe. -
Marshall Plan enacted
The Marshall Plan was enacted in April 1948, beginning the distribution of U.S. economic aid to help rebuild Western European economies after World War II. It boosted recovery, strengthened alliances, and curtailed the appeal of communism in the region. -
Berlin Blockade begins
The Berlin Blockade began in June 1948, when the Soviet Union cut off all land and rail access to West Berlin in an attempt to force the Allies out. In response, the Western powers launched the Berlin Airlift to supply the city by air. -
NATO formed
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) was formed in April 1949 as a military alliance between Western nations to defend against Soviet aggression. It marked a major step in the formal division between East and West during the Cold War. -
Soviet Union tests atomic bomb
The Soviet Union tested its first atomic bomb in August 1949, ending the U.S. monopoly on nuclear weapons. This development intensified the arms race and heightened Cold War tensions between the superpowers. -
People's Republic of China established
The People's Republic of China was established on October 1, 1949, after the Chinese Communist Party, led by Mao Zedong, won the civil war. This marked a major shift in the Cold War, as the world's most populous country joined the communist bloc. -
NSC-68 adopted
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Korean War begins
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China enters Korean War
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Truman dismisses General MacArthur
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Japan signed peace treaty with Allies
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Mutual Security Act passed
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Stalin proposes German reunification
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U.S. tests first hydrogen bomb
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Dwight D. Eisenhower elected U.S.
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Stalin dies
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East German uprising
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Korean War armistice signed
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Geneva Conference
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CIA backs coup in Guatemala
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U.S. forms SEATO
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Warsaw Pact formed
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Austria becomes neutral
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Geneva Summit
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Khrushchev's "Secret Speech"
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Hungarian Uprising
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Suez Crisis
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Eisenhower Doctrine
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USSR tests ICMB
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Sputnik launched
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Second Berlin Crisis begins
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NASA established
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U.S. deploys IRMBs in Europe
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Cuban Revolution succeeds
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Geneva talks on Berlin
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Khrushchev visits U.S.
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U-2 Incident
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Paris Summit collapses
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Congo crisis begins
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JFK becomes U.S. President
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Bay of Pigs Invasion
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Berlin Wall built
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Cuban Missile Crisis
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U.S. naval blockade of Cuba
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Missiles withdrawn from Cuba & Turkey
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Hotline established
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Nuclear Test Ban Treaty signed
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JFK assassinated
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Gulf of Tonkin Incident
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Khrushchev ousted
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China tests atomic bomb
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Soviets increase aid to North Vietnam
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U.S. sends ground troops to Vietnam
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Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation intensifies
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U.S. bombing of North Vietnam escalates
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France withdraws from NATO command
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Cultural Revolution begins in China
