Cold War Timeline 1947-1966

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    Cold War 1947-1966

  • Truman doctrine announced

    Truman doctrine announced
    Truman says U.S will support countries fighting communism. This started with Greece and turkey. This started the American containment policy
  • Marshall plan proposed

    Marshall plan proposed
    George marshall announced a academic aid plan to rebuild Europe. The goal of this was to stop the spread of communism and restore stability
  • Cominform established

    Cominform established
    USSR forms Cominform to coordinate communist parties all over the globe. It makes Soviet control stronger over Eastern Europe
  • Czechoslovak coup

    Czechoslovak coup
    The Communist Party takes control of the Czechoslovak government. It marks a turning point in Soviet domination of Eastern Europe.
  • Marshall plan enacted

    Marshall plan enacted
    The U.S. begins distributing aid to 16 European countries. This speeds up recovery and makes Western alliances stronger
  • Berlin blockade begins

    Berlin blockade begins
    The USSR blocks Western access to West Berlin to try to force Allied withdrawal. The U.S. and allies respond with a massive airlift.
  • NATO formed

    NATO formed
    The U.S. and 11 other countries form a defense alliance. It institutionalizes the Western military response to Soviet threats.
  • Soviet Union tests atomic bomb

    Soviet Union tests atomic bomb
    The USSR detonates its first nuclear weapon. The U.S. loses its monopoly on nuclear arms.
  • Communist victory in China

    Communist victory in China
    Mao Zedong proclaims the People's Republic of China. The U.S. sees this as a major setback in the Cold War.
  • Start of Korean war

    Start of Korean war
    North Korea invades South Korea with Soviet and Chinese helpp. The U.S. leads a UN force to defend the South.
  • Truman sends troops to Korea

    Truman sends troops to Korea
    Without a formal declaration of war, U.S. makes a move one combat. This sets a precedent for future conflicts.
  • China enters Korean War

    China enters Korean War
    China sends troops across the Yalu River. The war intensifies and extends
  • MacArthur dismissed

    MacArthur dismissed
    President Truman fires General MacArthur for publicly opposing his policies. The incident underscores civilian control of the military.
  • Ceasefire talks begin in Korea

    Ceasefire talks begin in Korea
    Negotiations start between North and South Korea. But no agreement is immediately reached.
  • Mutual Security Act passed

    Mutual Security Act passed
    The U.S. boosts military aid to allies around the world. It expands containment beyond Europe.
  • First British atomic bomb test

    First British atomic bomb test
    The U.K. joins the nuclear club. It strengthens NATO's strategic arsenal.
  • U.S. tests hydrogen bomb

    U.S. tests hydrogen bomb
    The U.S. detonates the first strong nuclear weapon. It vastly increases nuclear destructive power.
  • NSA established

    NSA established
    The National Security Agency is created to coordinate U.S. communications intelligence. It becomes a key player in Cold War surveillance.
  • Eisenhower becomes U.S. President

    Eisenhower becomes U.S. President
    Dwight Eisenhower takes office and promotes a strong anti-communist stance. He introduces the “New Look” defense policy.
  • Stalin dies

    Stalin dies
    Joseph Stalin’s death sparks a power struggle in the USSR. It leads to a brief period of political thaw.
  • Korean War armistice signed

    Korean War armistice signed
    The fighting ends, but the peninsula remains divided. A formal peace treaty was never signed.
  • Geneva Conference begins

    Geneva Conference begins
    Vietnam is divided at the 17th parallel. Elections to reunify are planned but never held.
  • Dien Bien Phu falls

    Dien Bien Phu falls
    French forces are defeated by the Viet Minh. France withdraws from Indochina.
  • CIA-backed coup in Guatemala

    CIA-backed coup in Guatemala
    The U.S. helps overthrow President Arbenz. He is accused of communist sympathies.
  • Warsaw Pact formed

    Warsaw Pact formed
    The USSR and Eastern Bloc countries sign a mutual defense treaty. It counters NATO’s influence in Europe.
  • Geneva Summit

    Geneva Summit
    Eisenhower and Khrushchev meet with other leaders to ease tensions. No major agreements are reached
  • Austria declares neutrality

    Austria declares neutrality
    Soviet troops withdraw, and Austria becomes neutral. This avoids another Cold War division.
  • Khrushchev's Secret Speech

    Khrushchev's Secret Speech
    Khrushchev denounces Stalin’s crimes in a closed Communist Party meeting. It shocks the Eastern Bloc and the West.
  • Hungarian Uprising

    Hungarian Uprising
    Citizens rise up against Soviet control. The Red Army brutally suppresses the revolt.
  • Suez Crisis begins

    Suez Crisis begins
    Britain, France, and Israel attack Egypt after the Suez Canal is nationalized. The U.S. forces a withdrawal to maintain Cold War unity.
  • Eisenhower Doctrine announced

    Eisenhower Doctrine announced
    The U.S. pledges to protect the Middle East from communism. It expands Cold War influence into a new region.
  • Sputnik launched

    Sputnik launched
    The USSR launches the first artificial satellite. It ignites the Space Race.
  • Gaither Report issued

    Gaither Report issued
    A U.S. government report warns of a Soviet missile lead. It fuels public fear of a “missile gap.”
  • NASA created

    NASA created
    The U.S. establishes a civilian space agency. It is a direct response to Soviet space achievements.
  • Second Berlin Crisis begins

    Second Berlin Crisis begins
    Khrushchev demands the West leave Berlin. The U.S. refuses, leading to heightened tensions.
  • U.S. deploys ICBMs in Europe

    U.S. deploys ICBMs in Europe
    Intercontinental ballistic missiles are stationed in allied countries. This escalates the nuclear arms race.
  • Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba

    Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
    He overthrows Batista and begins moving toward communism. The U.S. sees him as a threat.
  • Camp David talks

    Camp David talks
    Khrushchev and Eisenhower hold informal discussions. They agree to improve dialogue, but results are limited.
  • Khrushchev visits U.S

    Khrushchev visits U.S
    he Soviet leader meets with Eisenhower. The visit aims to reduce tensions.
  • U-2 incident

    U-2 incident
    A U.S. spy plane is shot down over Soviet territory. Khrushchev cancels a planned summit with Eisenhower.
  • Paris Summit collapses

    Paris Summit collapses
    The summit ends in failure after the U-2 revelation. Cold War tensions spike again.
  • Congo independence crisis

    Congo independence crisis
    A power vacuum leads to civil conflict. The U.S. and USSR back rival factions.
  • JFK becomes U.S. President

    JFK becomes U.S. President
    John F. Kennedy takes office with strong anti-communist rhetoric. He faces early Cold War crises.
  • Bay of Pigs Invasion

    Bay of Pigs Invasion
    A U.S.-backed invasion of Cuba fails. It embarrasses the Kennedy administration.
  • Berlin Wall constructed

    Berlin Wall constructed
    East Germany builds a wall to stop defections. It becomes a symbol of the Cold War divide.
  • Hotline established

    Hotline established
    A direct phone line connects Washington and Moscow. It is created to prevent future crises.
  • Cuban Missile Crisis begins

    Cuban Missile Crisis begins
    The world nears nuclear war when U.S. discovers Soviet missiles in Cuba. A tense standoff ends with mutual concessions
  • U.S. at DEFCON 2

    U.S. at DEFCON 2
    American forces are placed on high alert. It is the closest the world comes to nuclear war.
  • Kennedy’s Berlin speech

    Kennedy’s Berlin speech
    JFK reaffirms U.S. commitment to West Berlin. His “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech is widely praised.
  • Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty signed

    Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty signed
    Bans nuclear tests in the atmosphere, space, and underwater. It’s a small step toward arms control.
  • Diem assassinated

    Diem assassinated
    South Vietnam’s president is killed in a U.S.-approved coup. It leads to further instability.
  • Gulf of Tonkin incident

    Gulf of Tonkin incident
    Alleged attacks on U.S. ships lead to congressional authorization for war. U.S. involvement in Vietnam escalates.
  • Khrushchev ousted

    Khrushchev ousted
    He is replaced by Brezhnev and Kosygin. His erratic leadership is blamed for Cold War tensions.
  • China tests nuclear bomb

    China tests nuclear bomb
    China becomes the fifth nuclear power. This increases U.S. concern in Asia.
  • Rolling Thunder begins

    Rolling Thunder begins
    The U.S. launches a bombing campaign in North Vietnam. It marks full-scale American involvement.
  • First U.S. combat troops in Vietnam

    First U.S. combat troops in Vietnam
    Marines land at Da Nang. U.S. ground war begins.
  • Indonesia anti-communist purge

    Indonesia anti-communist purge
    Military-led killings of suspected communists follow a failed coup. Western countries silently support the crackdown.
  • Soviet Luna 9 lands on Moon

    Soviet Luna 9 lands on Moon
    USSR achieves first soft lunar landing. It’s a key space race milestone.
  • France leaves NATO command

    France leaves NATO command
    De Gaulle withdraws France from NATO’s integrated structure. He criticizes U.S. dominance in the alliance.
  • Cultural Revolution begins

    Cultural Revolution begins
    Mao launches a purge of rivals in China. It spreads fear and disrupts leftist movements worldwide.