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Cold War Timeline

By keami98
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    Yalta Conference

    Conference with the Big Three (US,USSR,UK) to discuss post war actions and arrangements.
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    Potsdam Conference

    The conference that is between Churchill, Stalin, and Truman. The agree to let Russia take the victory if they help the US in their fight against Japan.

  • Creation of the United Nations

  • Long Term Telegram

    George Kennan telegram to congress on the Soviets and his thoughts on their long term goals. (Weaken Western Powers and turn everyone communist)

  • Iron Curtain Speech

    Churchill calls out Stalin and his iron curtain of Communism that divided Eastern and Western Europe.
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    First Indochina War

    Resulted in the Indochina spilt
    North- Commmunist
    South- Democratic (US advisors)

  • Soviets withdrawl from Iran

    America's first win against the Soviets by making them leave oil rich Iran. Also streghthen relationships between Iran and the US.
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    Greek Civil War

    Another win for the US, they backed the nationalist (DSE) while the Soviets backed the Communist (KKE)

  • Truman Doctrine Presented to Congress

    Asked Congress for $400 million in aid plus advisors to help Greece andTurkey fight against Communism.

  • Soviets take control of Czechoslovakia

  • Truman signed the Economic Recovery Act

    AKA the Marshall Plan, which allows the US to give aid to allied European countires (anyone against communism)

  • Isreal declares independence

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    Berlin Blockade

    The Soviets closed the border cutting off supplies to West Berlin.
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    Berlin Airlift

    To combat the blockade the US begin airlifting supplies to West Berlin.

  • Seuol is founded

    South Korean capital.

  • China aligned with the USSR

  • NATO is created

    Brings togehter Belgium, Canada, Denamrk, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, UK, US, Spain, Turkey, West Germany, and later Greece.
    An attack on one is an atttack on all.

  • USSR explode their first atomic bomb.

    Start of the arms race.

  • Truman announced delvelopment of a H-Bomb

    Trying to get a leg up on the arm race, Truman pushes for the developement of the hydrogen bomb which would be stronger than the atomic bomb.

  • Sino-Soviet Pact is signed

    To counter NATO the Soviets and China sign the Sino-Soviet pact.
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    Korean War

    Brinkmanship is intorduced: push until they want war
    China helps North Korea ties in the war (technical win for the USSR)

  • Eisenhower is elected

  • Stalin dies

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    Cuban Revolution

  • Armistice Agreement between North and South Korea

    The first time the US losses.

  • Nikita Khrushchev becomes the leader of the USSR

  • SEATO is created

    Defend against communism
    US, UK, France, Pakistan, Thailand, Philippines, Australia, New Zealand

  • WARSAW Pact is signed

    Against NATO, collection of communist countries.
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    Vietnamn War

    Long drawn out war that the US loses.
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    Hungarian Uprising

    Hungary tries to revolt against the USSR but is quickly crushed.
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    Suez Crisis

    Britian, France, and Israel attack and seize the Suez Canal, however US force them to withdarl to keep the canal open

  • Russians successfully test IBM's

  • Sputnik is launched

  • Fidel Castro takes over Cuba

    Cuba aligns with the USSR and cuts ties with the US
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    Bay of Pigs

    Unsuccessful attempt from the US to overthrow Castro.
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    Nicaraguan Revolution

    The Sandistas (communist) take over Nicaragua the US supports the Contras to fight back. The US cuts off all aid to Nicaragua and only aids the Contras. The war ends with both sides agreeing to cease fire.

  • Begin building the Berlin Wall

    Used to seperate the East Berlin from West Berlin
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    Cuban Missile Crisis

    USSR tests the US by placing missiles in Cuba. Kennedy responds with a blockade. USSR withdrawls, in return the US removes missiles from Turkey.

  • Kennedy signs the Cuban Quaranten Proclaimation

    Blockade against the USSR

  • Lyndon B. Johnson comes into office

  • Brezhnev comes into the power (USSR)

  • Brezhnev Doctrine created

    Used to justify the invasion of Czechoslovakia and any other country that tries to go against the Soviet Union

  • Nixon comes into office

  • Nixon Doctrine Introduced

    Allows the US to keep all of it's treaty agreements, however countires will need to fight for themselves with US aid.

  • Willy Brandt comes into office

    Uses Ostpolitk to ease tension between Western Germany and Eastern Europe.

  • SALT I

    ABM Treaty is signed.

  • Gerald Ford comes into office

  • Jimmy Carter comes into office

  • Margret Thrasher comes into power (USSR)

  • SALT II

    Limits on armaments on both sides.
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    Iran Hostage Crisis

    Iranian students stormed the US Embassy and took 60 hostages after their Shah fled to the US for medical care. The hostages were released after inagural speech. "swift and effective retribution"
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    Soviet-Afghan War

    Soviet's try to keep Afganistan. (fails)

  • Reagan comes into office

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    Martial Law in Poland

  • Reagan gives the Star Wars Speech

    A that would end the Cold War arm's andspace race if it worked (it didn't).
    A complicated system of lasers and mirrors that would kill missiles in space.

  • Korean Airlines Plane Shot Down

  • US invades Grenada

  • Reagan Doctrine is created

    Now have the right to intervene anywhere

  • George Bush comes into office

  • Destruction of the Berlin Wall

    The night after it is announced that citizens may move freely between West and East Berlin, the citizens tear it down with hammers and other tools.

  • Mikhail Gorbachev comes into power

    Opens up Glastnost (meaning openess) to talk about what's going on in Russia
    Perestrokia- reform starts

  • Dissolution of the Soviet Union