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World War II Ends
When the second World War ended, so did the relationship between the Soviet Union and USA. This event led to the unofficial start of the Cold War. This relates to Social 30 because the ending of Hitler's terror and the Cold War are both topics that we discuss. -
Berlin Blockade and Consequent Airlift Increases Tensions
The Berlin Blockade was a wall put up in Berlin by the Soviet Union in an effort to halt transportation of goods into Britain/American controlled West Berlin. These two countries airdropped necessary goods into West Berlin by plane, and this annoyed the Soviet Union and raised tensions between the countries. This connects to Social 30 because it demonstrates one of the factors that led to the start of the Cold War. -
Truman Establishes the Marshall Plan
The Marshall plan was an American initiative to provide foreign aid to Western Europe after World War II. Western Europe was in very bad shape economically after the war, so the United States sent money and resources to Western Europe to help them get back on their feet. The Marshall plan was a policy of containment, attempting to keep a possible harmful situation under control. -
Creation of NATO to Deter Aggression from the Soviet Bloc
NATO stands for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Its purpose is to guarantee the freedom and security of its members through political and military means. It was created to get collective security over threats from the Soviet Union, and deter aggression from the Soviet Bloc, which was was the group of socialist states of Central and Eastern Europe, East Asia, and Southeast Asia under the influence of the Soviet Union and its ideology. -
Korean War Begins
The Korean War began after the USSR failed to show up for veto in the UN. The Korean War was the first proxy war ever fought. A proxy war is a war instigated by a super power, but the super power does not become involved in the war. The Korean War was a proxy war because the USSR started the war, but did not participate. -
Warsaw Pact is Created in Response to NATO
The Warsaw Pact was a collective defense treaty made by the USSR to bring collective defense to all the nations within its sphere of influence to counter NATO. The Warsaw Pact was formed to create a sense of collective security for the USSR and its sphere of influence. Collective security is the cooperation of several countries to strengthen their safety. -
Khrushchev Calls for Peaceful Coexistence
President Khrushchev of the Soviet Union called for peaceful coexistence between the USSR and the US in 1956. Peaceful coexistence is living together in peace rather than in constant hostility. This was an attempt to reduce hostility between the two superpowers and try to prevent a nuclear war. -
Hungarian Uprising Demonstrates That the Warsaw Pact Was Not Unified
A movement in Hungary, called the Hungarian Uprising, was an attempt by Hungarian citizens to attempt to get out of Soviet Control. This event is classified as a liberation movement, which means that it was an organization leading a rebellion. However, the movement was crushed by Warsaw Pact forces. -
The Berlin Wall is Constructed
The Berlin Wall was a concrete barrier that split East and West Berlin. It was built by the Soviet Union to prevent the West expanding their territory in the region. The Soviet Union feared expansionism from the West, which includes political, territorial, and/or economic expansion. -
The Cuban Missile Crisis Nearly Results in Nuclear War
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation between the USSR and US because of a missile base located in Cuba. This event almost lead to a nuclear war because of brinksmanship, which is the act of pursuing a dangerous policy to the limits of safety before putting a stop to it. -
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty is Signed Internationally
The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty was a document signed internationally that prevents the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology. This treaty was created after nuclear scares, such as the Cuban Missile Crisis. -
Prague Spring Ends
The Prague Spring was a period of time when the Czech government wanted to escape the ruling of the Soviet Union, but was ultimately ended when the Soviet Union invaded Prague. Following the Prague Spring, the Brezhnev Doctrine was put forward to call on the USSR to intervene in countries where socialist rule is under threat. -
The Vietnam War Ends
The Vietnam War ended in 1975, which demonstrated the failure of containment and the Domino Theory. The domino theory basically stated if one new country went communist in Asia then it would begin a chain reaction that would cause several more Southeast Asian countries to become communist. The domino theory was the main reason of the US entering the Vietnam War, but turned out to be incorrect. -
Helsinki Accords Are Singed
The Helsinki Accords were an effort to reduce tension between the Soviet Union and the Western Bloc, which provided a degree of détente during the Cold War. Détente is the easing of hostility or strained relations between countries. -
The Soviet Union Invades Afghanistan
The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, pretending to be giving Afghanistan military support as discussed in the Soviet-Afghan Friendship Treaty. Because it was a pretext, the invasion raised tensions. -
Solidarity Trade Union Organizes the Pro-Democracy Movement in Poland
Polish people created a trade union called Solidarity. This union was pro-democracy, meaning they used methods of civil resistance to advocate for workers rights and social change. The government tried to end the movement by use of political repression, but ultimately failed. -
The Berlin Wall is Taken Down
The Berlin Wall was torn down in 1989, and a year later Germany was reunified. -
The Cold War Officially Ends
The Cold War ended due to the collapse of the USSR. When president Gorbachev democratized the nation, communism collapsed and the Soviet Union ceased to exist. -
The Warsaw Pact is Dissolved
When the Warsaw Pact was finally terminated, some of the members wanted to join NATO. -
START is Signed to Reduce the Amount of Nuclear Weapons
START, an agreement for nuclear arms reduction between the US and Russia, as a form of deterrence. Deterrence is the act of discouraging an action by instilling fear for the consequences.