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Yalta Conference
Churchhill, Rosevealt and Stalin met in Yalta to disucss many things. One of which was how Germany would be devided. Another was that Russia wanted cotroll of Poland so that no country could go through Poland to attack them any more. In addition Stalin wanted 10 billion dollars in reparation costs from germany, though this was giving to a review board to determine the sum they should get. -
Potsdam Conference
Stalin, Truman, and Atlee were the main three members of this conference. Germany had been defeated but the war with Japan was stll raging. Russia had promised to join the war three months after the defeat of Germany, though the U.S.A. had developed the H-Bomb so it looked like there would be no need. Russia was aminly concerned in getting economic help fo the country, in the form of repartion compensation from Germany. But since the H-Bomb was made there was no need, Stalin felt betrayed. -
Truman Doctrine
Harry Truman, President of teh United States, gave a speak saying that the US army would provide assistance in Greece and Turkey against the communists parties there. This came after Britain pulled out of both wars. $400,000,000 was also provided to aid the Greek and Turkish governments.
The reason the U.S.A. did this was to prevent the U.S.S.R. from having any influence over those countries. -
Marshall Plan/ European Recovery Plan
Over the span of 3 years the US gave Western Europe a total of $12,500,000,000 to help it to rebuild. This came right after the Truman Doctrine which sot to fight agaisnt communism in Europe. -
Russian Bloackade of Western Berlin
The USSR blocked off any means of tranportation through the west Berlin, this was done in an attempt to force the Western Countries out of Berlin. Stalin expected to negotiate with Britain, the US, etc. For controll over Berlin. Instead they made air drops into Berlin with the needed supplies for people there. Stain called off the blockade May 12, 1949 -
Founding of NATO
The U.K., Canada, France, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Italy, Portugal, Netherlands, Denmark, and Luxembourg all join the new organization called NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization). This treaty said that any attack against one ofthe countries, means that all other member must react to it. Nato is all about democracy. Though NATO and Russia were never enemies, some think that they created this so that Russia would not attack. -
Korean War
After Japan was defeated in 1945, Korea was devided along the 38th Parallel. South Korea went to the US and Russia, and CHina got the North. In 1949, the US pulled out of South Korea. Kim Il-sung, Dictator of communist North Korea, took this as his opporitunity to attack South Korea. 15 countries sent troops into Korea to fight. The troops regained control of South Korean Souel, but China sent 180,000 troops to help North Korea. Which allowed them to recapture Souel. -
Rosenburg Spy Case
Julius and Ethel Rosenburg were tried and convicted of passing information of the US atomic bomb to Russia. They were Jewish Communists who lived in the US. They were exucuted in Sing Sing prison in New York on June 19, 1953. -
Korean War Continued
The UN troops finally halted teh North Korean attack 60 miles South of the 38 parallel. After they retook the rest of South Korea, they began peace talks. An armistice was signed on July 27, maintaining the division of North and South Korea. -
Veitnam War
The Veitnam War officially started in 1955, but it was in 1963 that teh US sent in troops to help defend South Veitnam agaisnt its Northern counter part. The war ramped up when the leaders of both suoth Veitnam and the US were assassinated. The US and South Veitnam eventually lost the war with the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975. -
Sputnik Satellite Launch
Sputnik, a Russian satellite about the size of a beach ball was the first satellite in space. Sputnik won the great space race for the Soviet Union agaisnt the United States of Amerca. Sputnik took 98 minutes to orbit the Earth, the Satellite lasted 21 days in space. -
U-2 Crisis
A US spy plane plioted by Gary Powers was shot down and landed in the U.S.S.R. Eisenhower and Khrushchev met in Paris to disucss this on may 16, 1960. The Soviet leader demanded an appology from Eisenhower, though he argued that the CIA had done this without his permission (not true) and would not appologize. The Soviets sentenced the spy to 3 years in jail and 9 years hard labor. Yet only 1 year 9 months into his sentence, Powers was later traded for a Soviet spy the US had captured. -
Bay of Pigs
The Bay of Pigs was a CIA failed attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro adn his communist government. This was done by training Cuban exhiles, to fight. However somehow Castro saw it coming and was waiting for the attack. It was considered an embarssment to the United States goverment, and President Kennedy. -
Building of the Berlin Wall
The Berlin wall was built to prevent the people of Soviet-East Berlin from escaping to the parts of Berlin controlled the British, Americans and French. The wall was built in only 24 hours, after aound 1,500 people were fleeing Soviet Berlin everyday. -
Cuban Missle Crisis
When United States President J.F.K. realized that the Soviets were sending ships to Cuba, he began to investigate. His spy planes revealed that they were setting up nuclear weapons in Cuba. He set up a naval bloackade to stopthe Russians. Nikita Khrushchev sent Kennedy a note saying that he would ull out of Cuba so long os Kennedy did not invade it. Later he got another note saying that teh US has to demolish their nuclear bases in Turkey. He agred and a nuclear disaster was avoided. -
Moon Landing
On July 20, 1969 the world fovever changed, when Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon. This was a huge step in the spcae race. The Russians had won the race to get a craft in space with Sputnik, but now the US had won and had the first man to ever step on the moon. -
Reagan Doctrine
Much like the Truman Doctrine the Reagan Doctrine was designed to hepl countries establish democracies. and eliminate communist governments. Counries from Asia, Africa, and LAtin America were included. Most of which were Soviet Supported Countries. -
Gorbachev Comes to Power
When Mikhail Gorbachev came to power he immediately began to change the USSR. He let people have the freedom of speech he released political prisoners. and he is one of the main reasons for the end of teh cold war, and teh end of the USSR. Many people gaev him severe criticism, but he says "remember, I was the one who gave you the right to shout." -
Reagan, Gorbachev Missile Treaty
This was the day that both Presidents agreed to stop production adn get rid of all intermediate nuclear missiles. 1 year later another agreement saw the medium and short missiles stopped as well, leading to the end of the cold war. -
The Berlin Wall Falls
When the Berlin wall came down it was a sign of reunification for Berlin and for Germany. Many people known as "wall woodpeckers" came the day after demolition started to take down a piece of the wall as a souvenir. -
Fall of the USSR
The day teh USSR fell the 15 republics all became their own independant Countries again. Under the leadership of Gorbachev they instituted elections and greater democracy. Then Gorbachev resigned on December 25, 1991 and the USSR was offically done. This marked the official end to the Cold War.
