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Yalta Conference
Allied leaders discuss the war in Europe and Soviet involvement in the war in the Pacific. Countries also discuss the split up of Germany. -
Arms Race Begins
The Arms Race between the USSR and the USA begins with the detonation of the first Atomic Bomb by the USA in New Mexico. This leads to competition between the USA and USSR to have the biggest and best weapons -
"Iron Curtain"
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill declares Europe's separation between democracy and Soviet control as an "Iron Curtain", with areas under Soviet control considered to be on the wrong side of the curtain. -
Truman Doctrine
The Truman doctrine was signed into place on this date by United States President Truman. This doctrine stated that the US would give aid to Turkey and Greece to prevent them from becoming communist. -
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan, America gives European countries money after WWII in an effort to boost their destroyed economies. The USSR did not join the group because it did not want to be taken over by democratic ideals. -
Berlin Blockade and Airlift Begins
Berlin Blockade/Airlift (1948-1949): Stalin closes off highway routes that allowed Western allies to provide for West Berlin, Germany. His hope was that this would force opponents to bargain with him to appease to Soviet needs. For more than 300 days, military aircrafts would airdrop food and supplies to West Berliners. Stalin backed down in 1949 after not receiving the results he wanted. -
NATO Forms
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization forms between the US, Canada, and many Western European nations. This mutual defense organization was formed to prevent another world war if any participating nations were to be attacked by political opponents. -
First Soviet Atomic Bomb
The Soviets create and test their first atomic bomb. This shows that the USSR now has the same capabilities as the USA in this regard, which causes some USA concerns. Americans start to become suspicious of Russian spies. -
Communism wins in China
Mao Zedong becomes the Communist leader in China at the conclusion of the Chinese Civil War. Nationalists in the country flee to Taiwan. This is a major shift in politics for Chinese government. -
The Second Red Scare
Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy capitalized on the US's fear of Communism by claiming he had a list of US State Department members who were Communist sympathizers. This sparked many investigations to find suspected Communist public officials, as well as boosted the popularity of Senator McCarthy. -
Korean War Begins
North Korea (Communist State) troops invaded South Korea (anti-Communist State). Stalin supported North Korea, supplying them with weapons, while the US aligned with Korea. The event results in a stalemate by 1953. There is no clear winner, but the US boasts some victory with the retention of South Korea as a non-Communist state. -
First Hydrogen Bomb
The first hydrogen bomb is exploded as a test by the USA. This bomb was even more powerful than the atomic bomb, and a major advancement in the evergoing Space Race between the USA and the USSR. -
Eisenhower (General to President)
Famous WWII General, Dwight D. Eisenhower, is elected president. -
Joseph Stalin Dies
Joseph Stalin, the dictorial leader of the USSR, dies. This ushers in a new era of leaders of the USSR. -
Warsaw Pact created
This was an alliance between many communist nations as an answer to NATO. Idea of collective security against threats emerged. -
Vietnam War Begins
The Vietnam war was another war between communist and non-communist ideals. It went on for over twenty years, and was a military struggle during the Cold War. -
Space Race Begins
The Soviet Union launched the first and second Sputnik satellites into space, leading the way for potential spaced-based weapon use. US President Kennedy announced that the United States would take the lead in the Space Race following the Sputnik launches, ultimately leading to the arrival of the first men (American) on the moon in 1969. -
NASA Created
NASA, the USA organization devoted to Space Development, is formed. This allows the USA greater focus to compete during the Space Race. -
John F Kennedy wins the election
John F Kennedy narrowly beats Richard Nixon in the 1960 election. Television gave Kennedy the upper hand in the election. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
Cuban leader Fidel Castro had recently overthrown a previously cooperative Cuban government, bringing die-hard Communists into the mix. To avoid further spread of Communism, the US trained Cuban exiles to become commandos, and planned for them to invade Cuba as a guerrilla army to overthrow Castro and his government. The operation was quickly foiled when Castro's forces immediately captured the invaders. US President Kennedy took the blame for the embarrassing operation early into his term. -
Berlin Wall Construction
The Berlin Wall began to take form, separating East and West Berlin, Germany. The purpose of the wall was to prevent West Berliners from leaving their side and entering East Berlin and ruining their socialist state. Nearly 200 people died trying to cross the fortified border before it was disassembled in 1989. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
USA forces discover that the USSR has been building missiles in Cuba. This leads to a very tense period that almost causes nuclear destruction, until the situation resolves. -
JFK is Assassinated
On a routine parade in Dallas, John F Kennedy is brutally assassinated when his open-air car passes by the Texas Schoolbook Depository Building. The assailant: Lee Harvey Oswald -
Lyndon B Johnson sworn in
After JFK's untimely death, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson is sworn in as president -
"Gulf of Tonkin Incident"
American ship the "USS Maddox" conducts spy missions in the Vietnamese Gulf of Tonkin. The ship is shot at and sinks. -
"Gulf of Tonkin Resolution"
Lyndon B Johnson gets approval to send more troops to Vietnam following the Gulf of Tonkin Incident. LBJ does not declare war on Vietnam. -
Richard Nixon becomes President
Nixon wins the presidency. And promises to ease tensions with the USSR. -
First Man on the Moon
USA reaches the moon and wins the space race -
SALT I
The Strategic Arms Limitation Talks take place between the USA and USSR to limit nuclear missiles between the two -
Nixon Visits China
Richard Nixon visits China to ease Cold War tensions -
Ford becomes President
Gerald Ford becomes president following Richard Nixon's resignation due to the Watergate Scandal -
Vietnam War Ends
Nixon pulls all remaining US troops from Vietnam. The Vietnam war officially ends and North Vietnam takes over South Vietnam -
Jimmy Carter the Peanut President
Jimmy Carter becomes President. His term will see a lot of challenges -
SALT II
Another Strategic Arms Limitation Talks take place between the USA and USSR to limit nuclear missiles between the two -
Ronald Reagan becomes #40
Ronald Reagan, the former actor, becomes president of the United States -
"Tear Down this Wall"
In his speech at the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin, President Ronald Reagan challenged USSR leader Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down this wall", referring to the Berlin Wall, a long standing symbol of Soviet oppression in Eastern Europe. Reagan also announced his hope to end the arms race. Almost two and a half years later, East Germany finally opened the Berlin Wall. -
INF Treaty
This treaty eliminated the use of intermediate and short range missles by both the USA and the USSR. This made it harder for each side to have the ability to blow the other up. -
Berlin Wall Falls
The Berlin Wall falls, allowing citizens from East Germany to cross into West Germany and vice-versa for the first time in over thirty years. Also part of the end of the Cold War. -
Mikhail Gorbachev comes to power
Mikhail Gorbachev is "elected" as the new president of the Soviet Union. His presidency ends in failure a little over a year later. -
USSR Dissolves
Briefly after three Baltic republics left the Soviet Union, 11 more republics announced their establishment of a Commonwealth of Independent States apart from the Soviet Union. Discouraged by the rapid disintegration of his nation, USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev resgined from his position. The great Communist power had finally dissolved.