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Coldwar Timeline 1947-1956

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    Coldwar Timeline 1947-1966

  • Truman Doctrine Announced

    Truman Doctrine Announced
    President Harry Truman announced the U.S. would provide political, military, and economic aid to countries threatened by communism, beginning with Greece and Turkey. This marked the start of America’s Cold War policy of containment to stop the spread of Soviet influence.
  • Marshall Plan Proposed

    Marshall Plan Proposed
    A major U.S. aid program to help rebuild Europe and prevent the spread of communism.
  • Cominform Created

    Cominform Created
    The Soviet Union created Cominform to strengthen communist control in Eastern Europe.
  • Czechoslovakia Falls to Communism

    Czechoslovakia Falls to Communism
    A communist coup in Czechoslovakia shocked the West and helped gain support for the Marshall Plan.
  • Marshall Plan Passed

    Marshall Plan Passed
    The U.S. officially passed the plan, giving over $12 billion to help European countries recover.
  • Berlin Blockade Begins

    Berlin Blockade Begins
    The Soviet Union blocked all roads and railways into West Berlin, trying to force the Allies out.
  • NATO Formed

    NATO Formed
    NATO was formed by the U.S., Canada, and several Western European countries to protect each other from the threat of Soviet expansion. It marked a major step in uniting Western nations against communism during the Cold War.
  • Berlin Airlift Ends

    Berlin Airlift Ends
    The Soviet Union lifted the blockade after 11 months of Allied airlifts.
  • USSR Tests First Atomic Bomb

    USSR Tests First Atomic Bomb
    The Soviet Union shocked the world by testing its first nuclear weapon, ending U.S. monopoly.
  • Start of Korean War

    Start of Korean War
    North Korea invaded South Korea, starting a major conflict between communist and capitalist forces.
  • UN Forces Enter Korea

    UN Forces Enter Korea
    The United Nations formed a military coalition, mainly led by the U.S., to support South Korea.
  • China Enters Korean War

    China Enters Korean War
    China joined the war to support North Korea, making the conflict more dangerous.
  • General MacArthur Removed

    General MacArthur Removed
    President Truman fired General MacArthur for wanting to expand the war into China.
  • Korean War Stalemate Begins

    Korean War Stalemate Begins
    The war reached a stalemate near the 38th parallel, leading to long peace talks.
  • Mutual Security Act

    Mutual Security Act
    U.S. passed law giving military aid to allies fighting communism.
  • Stalin Proposes Peace Talks

    Stalin Proposes Peace Talks
    Stalin offered German reunification, but the West rejected it, suspecting a trap.
  • UK Tests Atomic Bomb

    UK Tests Atomic Bomb
    Britain became the third nation with nuclear weapons.
  • U.S. Tests First Hydrogen Bomb

    U.S. Tests First Hydrogen Bomb
    The U.S. detonated a more powerful bomb, starting the hydrogen arms race.
  • Eisenhower Becomes President

    Eisenhower Becomes President
    Dwight D. Eisenhower takes office with a firm anti-communist stance.
  • Stalin Dies

    Stalin Dies
    Joseph Stalin's death led to power shifts and new Soviet policies.
  • Korean Armistice Signed

    Korean Armistice Signed
    Both sides agreed to stop fighting, dividing Korea at the 38th parallel.
  • Dien Bien Phu Falls

    Dien Bien Phu Falls
    France lost Vietnam to communists, leading to U.S. involvement.
  • Geneva Accords

    Geneva Accords
    Vietnam was split into North and South after peace talks.
  • U.S. Begins Helping South Vietnam

    U.S. Begins Helping South Vietnam
    U.S. started sending aid to South Vietnam to fight communism.
  • Khrushchev Becomes Premier

    Khrushchev Becomes Premier
    Nikita Khrushchev rose to power in the Soviet Union.
  • West Germany Joins NATO

    West Germany Joins NATO
    Western powers allowed West Germany to join NATO, angering the USSR.
  • Warsaw Pact Formed

    Warsaw Pact Formed
    Soviet Union created a military alliance with Eastern Bloc nations.
  • Khrushchev’s “Secret Speech”

    Khrushchev’s “Secret Speech”
    Khrushchev criticized Stalin’s rule, beginning a period called “de-Stalinization.”
  • Hungarian Revolution

    Hungarian Revolution
    Hungarians protested Soviet control, but the USSR crushed the uprising.
  • Suez Crisis

    Suez Crisis
    Britain, France, and Israel attacked Egypt after it nationalized the Suez Canal, causing tension with the USSR and U.S.
  • Eisenhower Doctrine Announced

    Eisenhower Doctrine Announced
    The U.S. promised to help Middle Eastern countries resist communism.
  • Sputnik Launched

    Sputnik Launched
    The USSR launched the first satellite, starting the Space Race.
  • Gaither Report

    Gaither Report
    U.S. report said the USSR might be ahead in missiles, increasing Cold War fears
  • NASA Founded

    NASA Founded
    The U.S. created NASA to compete in the space race.
  • U.S. Deploys Missiles to Turkey

    U.S. Deploys Missiles to Turkey
    U.S. placed missiles in Turkey, raising Soviet security concerns.
  • Berlin Crisis Begins

    Berlin Crisis Begins
    Khrushchev demanded the U.S. leave West Berlin, starting a standoff.
  • Cuban Revolution

    Cuban Revolution
    Fidel Castro took control of Cuba, eventually aligning with the USSR.
  • Kitchen Debate

    Kitchen Debate
    Nixon and Khrushchev debated capitalism vs. communism at a U.S. expo in Moscow.
  • Khrushchev Visits U.S.

    Khrushchev Visits U.S.
    First visit by a Soviet leader to the U.S., signaling a brief thaw
  • U-2 Incident

    U-2 Incident
    U.S. spy plane was shot down over the USSR, ending peace talks.
  • JFK Elected President

    JFK Elected President
    John F. Kennedy defeated Richard Nixon in a close election.
  • Kennedy-Nixon Debate

    Kennedy-Nixon Debate
    First televised debates influenced public opinion and election outcome.
  • Bay of Pigs Invasion

    Bay of Pigs Invasion
    Failed U.S. attempt to overthrow Castro using Cuban exiles
  • JFK’s “Ich bin ein Berliner” Speech

    JFK’s “Ich bin ein Berliner” Speech
    Kennedy showed support for West Berlin in a famous speech.
  • Berlin Wall Built

    Berlin Wall Built
    East Germany built the wall to stop East Berliners from fleeing to the West.
  • Cuban Missile Crisis

    Cuban Missile Crisis
    The U.S. and USSR nearly went to war over Soviet missiles in Cuba.
  • JFK Naval Blockade of Cuba

    JFK Naval Blockade of Cuba
    Kennedy announced a blockade to stop Soviet ships.
  • Crisis Ends Peacefully

    Crisis Ends Peacefully
    USSR agreed to remove missiles in exchange for U.S. promises.
  • Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Signed

    Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Signed
    U.S., UK, and USSR agreed to stop testing nuclear weapons in the atmosphere.
  • Hotline Established

    Hotline Established
    U.S. and Soviet Union set up direct phone link to avoid nuclear war.
  • JFK Assassinated

    JFK Assassinated
    JFK was killed in Dallas; LBJ took over as president.
  • Gulf of Tonkin Incident

    Gulf of Tonkin Incident
    U.S. claimed North Vietnam attacked its ships, leading to more U.S. involvement.
  • Khrushchev Removed from Power

    Khrushchev Removed from Power
    Brezhnev took control of the Soviet Union.
  • China Tests Atomic Bomb

    China Tests Atomic Bomb
    China became the fifth nuclear power country.
  • Operation Rolling Thunder Begins

    Operation Rolling Thunder Begins
    U.S. started heavy bombing campaign in North Vietnam.
  • U.S. Sends Combat Troops to Vietnam

    U.S. Sends Combat Troops to Vietnam
    First American troops landed in Vietnam, marking major escalation.
  • Indonesia’s Anti-Communist Purge

    Indonesia’s Anti-Communist Purge
    Military coup led to mass killings of communists in Indonesia.
  • Soviets Land Luna 9 on Moon

    Soviets Land Luna 9 on Moon
    USSR became first to land spacecraft safely on the Moon.
  • Cultural Revolution Starts in China

    Cultural Revolution Starts in China
    Mao launched campaign to keep communist ideas alive.
  • France Withdraws from NATO Military Command

    France Withdraws from NATO Military Command
    France distanced itself from U.S. influence in NATO.