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President Harry Truman announces the Truman Doctrine starting with giving aid to Greece and Turkey to prevent them from failing into the Soviet sphere.
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The Soviet Union forms the Communist Information Bureau, (COMINFORM), with which it dictates the actions of leaders and communist parties across its influences.
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The United Nations passes a resolution calling for the withdrawal of foreign soldiers from Korea.
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President Truman signs the Marshall plan into effect. By the end of the program more than $12.4 billion will have been given to Western European countries for assistance
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In Germany, both British and French zones launch a common currency, the Deutsche Mark
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Stalin orders for the Berlin Blockade, which closed all the land routes from West Germany to Berlin. This was done in attempt to starve the French, British, and American forces.
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The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is founded by 12 countries, including the Untied States, the United Kingdom, and France.
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The Soviet Union test and succeeds with their first atomic bomb, making the Soviet Union the world's second nuclear power.
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The Soviets declare their zone of Germany to be the German Democratic Republic, with the capital being East Berlin.
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Robert Schuman explains his ideal Europe, being united. This is known as the Schuman Declaration, marking the beginning of the European Community.
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The United Nations' forces cross the 38th parallel, into North Korea.
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The capital of North Korea, Pyongyang, falls to United Nations forces.
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United Nations forces recapture Seoul during Operation Ripper. This was the start to forming a defensive line across the Korean peninsula.
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United States President, Harry Truman, fires Douglas MacArthur from command of US forces in Korea
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President Harry Truman asks Congress for U.S. military and economic aid for the communist nation of Yugoslavia.
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The United States reveals it has the world's first nuclear powered submarine, the USS Nautilus.
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With European industrial output greatly exceeding the output from 1948, the Marshall Plan ends.
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The United States tests their first thermonuclear fusion bomb
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Dwight D. Eisenhower becomes the President of the United States of America, with John Foster Dulles as the Secretary of State.
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An uprising in East Germany was obliterated by Soviet troops
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Nikita Khrushchev becomes the leader of the Soviet Communist Party. His rival, Lavrentiy Beria, is executed in December.
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Over 22,000 anti-Communist prisoners were turned over to the UN forces in Korea.
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The Huk revolt in the Philippines is defeated.
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Senator Joseph McCarthy claims that communists have infiltrated the CIA and the atomic weapons industry
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The Baghdad is founded by Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Turkey and the United Kingdom.
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Allies end military occupation of West Germany
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Austria is neutralized and allied occupation ends.
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Nasser nationalizes the Suez Canal.
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Anti-communist protests lead to violence in Poznan, Poland.
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Communist insurgency begins South Vietnam, sponsored by North Vietnam
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Israeli forces withdraw from the Sinai, which they had occupied the previous years.
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The same day the Avro Arrow is revealed, the Sputnik satellite is launched.
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Sputnik 2 is launched, with the first living being on board, Laika.
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Mao Zedong initiates the Great Leap Forward
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The United Arab Republic is formed.
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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA, is formed.
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The Tibetan uprising occurs
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New Republic government of Iraq leaves Central Treaty Organization
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Explorer 6 is launched into orbit to photograph the Earth.
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John F. Kennedy becomes the President of the United States.
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France successfully tests its first atomic bomb, Gerboise Bleue, in the middle of the Algerian Sahara Desert.
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Communist insurgents in Malaya are defeated.
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The Pathet Lao (communist) revolt in Laos begins.
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President Eisenhower severs diplomatic relations with Cuba.
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John F. Kennedy becomes President of the United States.
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Fidel Castro openly describes himself as a Marxist-Leninist.
