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Yalta Conference Takes Place
During the conference, it was agreed that: the Polish government would be set up by the Soviet Union, and Germany and Berlin would be separated into 4 zones. These zones wouldach be held by Great Brtain, France, The Soviet Union, and the U.S. respectively. -
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Harry S. Truman's Presidency
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Potsdam Conference Takes Place
At the conference, a compromise took place that gave Stalin some equipment and materials from the other zones of Germany as payment for the war, but Stalin had to reimburse the people in these zones with food. -
End of World War II
The Japanese formally sign the Instruments of Surrender on board the USS Missouri, effetively ending WWII. -
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America During and After The Cold War
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The United Nations is Created
On this day, the United Nations Charter was officially ratified by the countries of China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the United States, and many other signatories. -
The Truman Doctrine is Issued
In his speech, U.S. President Harry Truman states that he will support Greece and Turkey with economic and military aid to prevent them from falling to the communist Soviet Union. -
Truman Creates Federal Employees Loyalty Program
Created when Truman signed Executive Order 9835, the program estblished a political-loyalty review board to determine the "Americanism" of Federal Government workers and help terminate those that are spys for the Soviet Union. This is effectively the beginning of the Red Scare and later era of McCarthyism. -
Truman Signs the Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan provided much needed economic and political aid and support to help revitalize a war ravaged Europe. -
NATO is Formed
U.S. President Truman signed the North Atlantic Treaty, forming the intergovernmental military alliance. -
Germany Splits Into East And West
France, the United Kingdom, and the U.S. merged their territory into the democratic West Germany and the Soviet Union took control of what became known as East Germany. -
McCarthy Accuses U.S. State Department of Employing 205 Communists
His accusations that 205 communist sympathizers were in the State Department had catapaulted him into the headlines and essentially started the era of McCarthyism, where he would continue such accusations. -
Korean War Begins
On this day, North Korean forces surpised South Korea's army by crossing over the 38th parallel and launching an assualt as they headed for Seoul. -
Rosenburgs Conivted of Espionage
They faced charges of passing secrets, mainly about atomic weapons, to the Soviet Union. -
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Dwight Eisenhower's Presidency
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Korean War Ends
After three years of war, the U.S., China, North Korea,and South Korea agree to an armistice, bring an end to the war. However, an official peace treaty was never signed. -
The Vietnam War Begins
Arguably, this date started the war. The U.S. had been giving support to Diem and the South Vietnamese. Northen Vietnam helped to form the Vietcong that would try and spread Ho Chi Minh's authority over all of Vietnam. -
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John F. Kennedy's Presidency
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U.S. Begins Bay of Pigs Invasion
This started the U.S. attempt to overthrow Castro and the communist government in Cuba. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion Fails
The invasion force soon failed as Castro quickly dispensed with it and exposed it to the American public. This made the U.S. look weak and unorganized. -
Berlin Wall Constructed
The Soviets put the Berlin Wall up to separate East and West Germany. -
Cuban Missile Crisis Begins
The U.S. discovered evidence of Soviet nuclear missiles being placed in Cuba and pointed toward Florida. Tensions increase when the U.S. soon sets up a blockade of Cuba to prevent more weopons from being transported there. -
Cuban Missile Crisis Ends
The crisis over Soviet missiles in Cuba came to an end when Kennedy and Khrushchev negotiated a deal. The deal resulted in the Soviets removing their missiles in Cuba and the U.S. removing its missiles in Turkey. Also, the U.S. cannot attempt to invade Cuba again. -
John F. Kennedy Assassinated
President Kennedy was shot and killed as he rode in a motorcade through Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas. The assassin was Lee Harvey Oswald. Lyndon B. Johnson was soon sworn in to replace Kennedy. -
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Lyndon B. Johnson's Presidency
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Richard M. Nixon's Presidency
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U.S. Ends Military Involvement in Vietnam
On this day, the last U.S. soldier leaves Vietnam, leaving the rest of teh conflict up to South Vietnam and the North Vietnamese communists. -
Vietnam War Ends
On this day, Saigon falls and the South Vietnamese surrender to the North's regime. This effectively ends the conflict in Vietnam, even though the U.S. dropped out of the conflict nearly two years before. -
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Ronald Reagan's Presidency
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George H. W. Bush'sPresidency
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The Berlin Wall is torn Down
The Berlin Wall is opened up and soon thereafter torn down. Within the next year, talks between East and West German officals, the U.S., The U.K., France, and the Soviet Union take place to decide on the reunification of Germany. -
Persian Gulf War Begins
The war in the Gulf begins when Saddam Hussein and Iraqi forces invade Kuwait. UN economic sanctions were placed on Iraq and were told to leave Kuwait. When they refused, the coalition used military force, called Operation Desert Storm to drive them out. -
East and West Germany are Reunified
It came after the year the Berlin Wall was torn down. Two months after this day, German election were made to select the Chancellor, which was given to Helmut Kohl. -
Persian Gulf War Ends
After liberating Kuwait and advancing into Iraqi territory, a cease fire is called and the fighting ends. -
The Soviet Union Officially Dissolves
Gorbachev formally announced the end of the Soviet Union, coming after many of its republics voted to become independent and the doubt that the state could keep up with the arms race. -
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Bill Clinton's Presidency
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NAFTA is Established
Bill Clinton sucessfully passed the North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement, which joined the U.S., Canada, and Mexico in a free trade zone. This increased trade across North America. -
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George W. Bush's Presidency
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Terrorists Attack U.S. World Trade Center
Terrorists from the Al-Qaeda group hijack and fly two planes into the World Trade Center towers, killing over 3,000 people. -
War in Afghanistan Begins
As part of the War on Terror, the U.S. began to bomb strategic locations in Afghanistan and worked to overthrow the Taliban, who were Al-Qaeda sympathizers. They succeeded in December 2001. However, the war still rages on to keep control of teh area. -
War in Iraq Begins
The U.S., seeing evidence of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction and possible support of terrorism, teamed up with Great Britain and invaded Iraq. -
Iraq War Ends
Under the Obama Administartion, the U.S. formally declares an end to the War in Iraq and starts the process of sending troops home.
