-
The Cold War
Th cold war began in 1947, but continued the the 1950's. The Cold War was to dominate international affairs for decades and many major crises occurred. Formed an international power struggle ruining every opportunity for expansion anywhere in the world. -
Korean War
In June 1950 communist North Korea invaded South Korea. The United States helped South Korea at the head of a United Nations composed of more than a dozen countries. After three years of fighting the war ended between North and South Korea. -
The Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a military conflict that started as an anticolonial war against the French and became a Cold War. After the United States withdrew from the conflict, North Vietnam invaded the South and united the country under a communist government. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
Crisis between the United States and the Soviet Union and brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.The crisis evoked fears of nuclear destruction, revealed the dangers of brinkmanship, and invigorated attempts to stop the arms race. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
President Lyndon Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The act outlaws discrimination in public facilities, such as parks, and in public accommodations, such as hotels and restaurants, and it prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, or gender. -
Water gate scandal
Several burglars were arrested in the office of the Democratic National Committee. They had been caught wiretapping phones and stealing documents. President Nixon tried to cover up the arrests. -
Embargo against the Soviet Union
President Jimmy Carter announces the embargo on sale of grain and high technology to the Soviet Union due to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. -
Shot Down Airlines
South Korean Boeing 747 jetliner bound for Seoul apparently strays into Soviet airspace and is shot down by a Soviet SU-15 fighter after it had tracked the airliner for two hours; all 269 aboard are killed. -
Soviet Union Withdraws Olympic Athletes
The opening ceremony of the Los Angeles Olympic Games is held. The games run by Peter Ueberroth, prove a financial and U.S. success, despite a retaliatory boycott by most allies of the Soviet Union due to the U.S. boycott of the 1980 Moscow games. -
Tiananmen Square Massacre
Angry Chinese citizens staged the largest protest in Communist China's history, in the pursuit of democracy and more civil rights. Chinese troops storm through Tiananmen Square in the center of Beijing, killing and arresting thousands of pro-democracy protesters. -
Invasion of Kuwait
Iraq invades and seizes Kuwait creating a major international crisis. DOE announces plans to increase oil production and decrease consumption to counter Iraqi Kuwaiti oil losses. -
The Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall, after thirty-eight years of restricting traffic between the East and West German sides of the city, begins to crumble when German citizens are allowed to travel freely between East and West Germany for the first time. One day later, the influx of crowds around and onto the wall begin to dismantle it, thus ending its existence.