-
Vladimir Lennin begins Russia's transition to Communism
This marks the first country to fully adopt communism -
Russian Civil war
This was a fight between the bolshevic "Red-army" and the Anti-communist "White army" it lasted for 5 years casing casualties on both sides over 2.5 million total, this is important to my research as it shows that not all of Russia wanted to adopt the Communist ideals as redily as others. -
Death of Lenin
By the time of Lenin's death Russia had become a strong one-party Communist country having control over the country's economic, social and political affairs, this marks a turning point in Communism, -
Russian famine
The exact date for the start of this can't be known so I just put it as Jan 1st, this is an example of how the Soviet Union covered up things that were happening, the USSR said that the famine wasn't happening, labelled anything disclosed about it "anti-soviet properganda" -
The Great Purge
Stalin tried to eliminate all opposition or rivals to his rule by commiting a "great purge" and killing many members of the Soviet government, he tried to create a lot of fear so others wouldn't appose him claiming others had commited treason. -
Operation Barborossa
Germany tried to invade the Soviet-union which marks the Soviets joining the allies and WW2, staying in ww2 until '45 -
Truman show's his anti-soviet stance
US President Harry S. Truman gives a tongue-lashing to Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov indicating that he was determined to take a "tougher" stance with the Soviets than his predecessor had. -
Chinese civil war resumes
Chinese Civil War resumed between Communist and Nationalist forces, this is important because it marks the blood price of communism being imposed on nations. -
Stalin makes anti-capitalist/anti-imperialist speech
Joseph Stalin makes his Election Speech, in which he states that capitalism and imperialism make future wars inevitable.
This is important because it marks political hostility between the communist soviet union and the capitalist America, it's important today still because there is some truth in his speech many middle-eastern wars have been caused by American capitalist imperialism, however Communism caused just as many if not more wars with Communist expansion and imperialism. -
Clifford-Elsey report
Truman is presented with the Clifford-Elsey Report, a document which listed Soviet violations of agreements with the United States, this is important as it creates more tension between USSR and US. -
US gives $400M to Greece and Turkey
US extends $400 million of military aid to Greece and Turkey, signalling its intent to contain communism in the Mediterranean, this is important as it marks military control by America in Soviet controled areas -
Stalin blockades Berlin
Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin orders the blockade of all land routes from West Germany to Berlin, in an attempt to starve out the French, British, and American forces from the city. In response, the three Western powers launch the Berlin Airlift to supply the citizens of Berlin by air. -
The Red scare
The Red Scare reaches its peak, with the naming of numerous American celebrities as members of the Communist Party. This is a example of how crazy the US got in reguards with communism, even labeling people who helped them defeat the Germans such as Einstein as communist, -
Korean War
North Korea invades South Korea, beginning the Korean War. -
Mutual security act
President Harry S. Truman signs the Mutual Security Act, announcing to the world, and its communist powers in particular, that the U.S. was prepared to provide military aid to "free peoples." This is important because it show's how blatantly the US was telling Soviet countries to rebel against them and will recieve help. -
Eisenhower becomes President
Dwight D. Eisenhower becomes President of the United States. -
SEATO
Foundation of the South East Asian Treaty Organization (SEATO) by Australia, France, New Zealand, Pakistan, Thailand, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Like NATO, it is founded to resist Communist expansion, this time in the Philippines and Indochina. -
Baghdad pact
The Baghdad Pact is founded by Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. It is committed to resisting Communist expansion in the Middle Eas -
Poland violence
in Poznań, Poland, anti-communist protests lead to violence. -
Iraq rebels
A coup in Iraq, the 14 July Revolution, removes the pro-British monarch. Iraq begins to receive support from the Soviets. Iraq will maintain close ties with the Soviets throughout the Cold War. -
Cuban revolution
Cuban Revolution. Fidel Castro becomes the leader of Cuba although refrains from declaring the country Communist. Cuban-inspired guerrilla movements spring up across Latin America. -
Sino-Soviet split
The Chinese leadership, angered at being treated as the "junior partner" to the Soviet Union, declares its version of Communism superior and begin to compete with the Soviets for influence, thus adding a third dimension to the Cold War. -
Apollo
John F. Kennedy announces the US intention to put a man on the moon - kickstarting the Apollo program -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Soviets have secretly been installing military bases, including nuclear weapons, on Cuba, some 90 miles from the US mainland. Kennedy orders a "quarantine" (a naval blockade) of the island that intensifies the crisis and brings the US and the USSR to the brink of nuclear war. In the end, both sides reach a compromise. The Soviets back down and agree to withdraw their nuclear missiles from Cuba, in exchange for a secret agreement by Kennedy pledging to withdraw similar -
Kennedy assasinated
John F. Kennedy is shot and killed in Dallas by Lee Harvey Oswald. There is much speculation over whether communist countries, or even the CIA, were involved in his assassination, but none of it is ever proven. Kennedy's vice-president Lyndon B. Johnson becomes President of the United States. -
Ships fired apon
US President Lyndon B. Johnson claims that North Vietnamese naval vessels had fired on two American destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin. Although there was a first attack, it was later proven that American vessels had entered North Vietnamese territory, and the second attack is proved unfounded. The Gulf of Tonkin Incident leads to the open involvement of the United States in the Vietnam War, after the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. -
Dominican invasion
US forces invade the Dominican Republic to prevent a communist takeover like the one that occurred in Cuba. -
North Vietnam bombings
Richard Nixon announces the beginning of a massive bombing campaign in North Vietnam -
Carribbean Basin Iniative
President Ronald Reagan announces the "Caribbean Basin Initiative" to prevent the overthrow of governments in the region by the forces of communism. -
Soviet atomic bombing aniversary
: Coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Soviet Union begins what it has announced is a 5-month unilateral moratorium on the testing of nuclear weapons. The Reagan administration dismisses the dramatic move as nothing more than propaganda and refuses to follow suit. Gorbachev declares several extensions, but the United States fails to reciprocate, and the moratorium comes to an end on February 5, 1987. -
Reagan and Gorbachev
Reagan and Gorbachev meet for the first time at a summit in Geneva, Switzerland, where they agree to two (later three) more summits. -
Chernobyl disaster
a Soviet nuclear power plant in the Ukraine explodes, resulting in the worst nuclear power plant accident in history. -
Tear down the Berlin wall
During a visit to Berlin, Germany, U.S. President Ronald Reagan famously challenges Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev in a speech: "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" (The Berlin Wall). -
START I
The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty is signed in Washington, D.C. by U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Some later claim this was the official end of the Cold War. Gorbachev agrees to START I treaty.
