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Yalta Conference
The leaders of the Allied countries in WW2 all met to discuss what would happen to Germany. It was decided that the Allies have no duty towards Germany other than to provide the minimum they need to live and operate. It was at the Yalta Conference that is was decided the Germany would be divided into four section, each controlled by a different country such as Russia, US, France, and Britain. https://www.britannica.com/event/Yalta-Conference -
Potsdam Conference
The Allies of WW2 all met to discuss the substance and procedures of the peace settlements in Europe but did not write any treaties, the left that up the the Council Of Foreign Ministers. Their main concern going into the conference was were the administration in Germany, the Soviets Role in Eastern Europe, and further reparations against the Axis countries. https://www.britannica.com/event/Potsdam-Conference -
Hiroshima Bomb
The Bombing of Hiroshima was the first use of an Atomic weapon. This was seen as the only was to end WW2. On the initial impact of the Bomb 10,000 people were killed and tons more would die as a result of radiation poisoning. https://www.britannica.com/event/atomic-bombings-of-Hiroshima-and-Nagasaki -
Nagasaki Bomb
The Bombing of Nagasaki was the second use of an Atomic weapon. This was seen as the only was to end WW2 and one day after this bomb was dropped the Japanese government surrendered. On the initial impact of the Bomb 10,000 people were killed and tons more would die as a result of radiation poisoning. https://www.britannica.com/event/atomic-bombings-of-Hiroshima-and-Nagasaki -
Molotov Plan
The Molotov Plan was created by the USSR as a way to help countries in Eastern Europe that were struggling to rebuild after WW2. The Soviet's did this to keep countries around them as "Buffer Countries" so the if the US wanted to force communism out of Russia they would have time before they reached Russia itself. https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Molotov_Plan -
Truman Doctorine
The Truman Doctorine came into effect when Britain could not longer aid Mediterranean countries such as Greece and Turkey and help protect them from the threat of communism. With the west fearing the the Soviet's would turn the Mediterranean countries communist so the US vowed to provide financial and military aid to keep communism out. https://www.britannica.com/event/Truman-Doctrine -
Brussels Treaty
The Brussels Treaty was an agreement signed by Britain, France, The Netherlands, and Luxembourg. They would later turn into NATO and the Western European Union which is military alliances which provide safety to every country involved, if one country were to be attacked, all countries in the agreement would go help defend them. https://www.britannica.com/event/Brussels-Treaty-European-history-1948 -
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was designed to give financial aid the countries struggling after the end of WW2. However, the conditions of the loan other than having to pay is back was that you had to align or become aligned with the American capitalist sphere of influence. If you did not agree the become or remain capitalist you would not receive the loan. https://www.britannica.com/event/Marshall-Plan -
Soviet Development Of Nuclear Weapons
After the Americans dropped their atomic bomb on Japan, Stalin ordered the Soviet Nuclear Bomb to be finished as quickly as possible. Finally, in 1948 the first nuclear bomb was designed and assembled almost 3 years after the Americans dropped theirs on Japan. https://www.britannica.com/technology/nuclear-weapon/The-Soviet-Union -
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Berlin Blockade
The Berlin Blockade started when the Soviet Union cut off all land access to the western powers (Britain, the US, and France) portions of Berlin, resulting in many Germans wanting to flee the capital. The US started to airlift supplies into the capital to stop the Germans from leaving Berlin. Eventually, Stalin saw that the blockade had failed and reopened the land crossings. https://www.britannica.com/event/Berlin-blockade -
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is a military treaty founded to provide security from the Soviet armies stationed all over Europe post WW2. It ensures that everyone involved in the organization would have all other countries come to their aid if they were ever attacked or go help another country if they were attacked. https://www.britannica.com/topic/North-Atlantic-Treaty-Organization -
Soviet Creation Of Nuclear Weapons
The Soviet Union created its first nuclear bomb on June 19, 1948, and refined its design until the first test was carried out on August 29, 1949. https://www.britannica.com/technology/nuclear-weapon/The-Soviet-Union -
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Korean War
The Korean War was when North Korea wanted to reunite with South Korea. What started small soon turned into a proxy war between the USSR and the United States. Throughout the war, 2.5 million people lost their lives and by the time the war had ended, the border had not moved at all. https://www.britannica.com/event/Korean-War -
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Fidel Castro Take Over
In 1952 Fidel Castro ran for parliament but was unsuccessful. Then in 1953, he led 160 men in a desperate and unsuccessful raid on the Santiago army barracks. He hoped the attack would cause an uprising, but it never happened. Later in 1956, he let 81 men on a yacht from Mexico to try and start another uprising but soon after landing, most men were either killed or captured. -
Stalin's Death
Once Stalin died, the Soviet Union was left without a leader, leaving the country in a struggle with who would be the new person to lead Russia. Khrushchev was eventually voted in and made drastic changes to Russia's foreign policy and domestic programs that changed the direction of the USSR. He established a detente with the Western superpower and relaxed the tight control the government had on the country. https://www.britannica.com/place/Russia/The-Khrushchev-era-1953-64 -
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact was the Soviet response to NATO and gave Russia more control as they could now put Soviet military outposts in their satellite states as the countries involved in the Warsaw Pact had a military alliance. As well as protecting Russia by building a buffer around them. The USSR also aimed to increase Soviet Bargaining power and to strengthen its hold over its satellite states. https://www.britannica.com/event/Warsaw-Pact -
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Vietnam War
The Vietnam war was a Proxy war between the United States and the Soviet Union. North Vietnam was under the Soviet Sphere of Influence and the south was under the US's sphere of influence. The United States thought that like in the Korean war they could go in and contain the spread of communism but that was not the case. The war consisted largely of guerrilla warfare. After many losses, the United States pulled out and the Northern State won. https://www.britannica.com/event/Vietnam-War -
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Hungarian Revolution
The Hungarian uprising came after Soviet leader Khrushchev criticized a period of Stalin's rule. Encouraged by the new freedoms that Khrushchev had given to the people in the USSR, a rise of discontent and unrest broke out. Rebels won the first phase but eventually, the soviet military invaded Hungary, thus stopping the revolution. https://www.britannica.com/event/Hungarian-Revolution-1956 -
NORAD
North American Aerospace Defense Command or NORAD is an organization involving multiple countries and its purpose is to protect against missile strikes and any air born threat to our nation. -
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Bay Of Pigs
In 1961 the US government funded 1500 Cuban exiles who opposed Fidel Castro to fight him out of power. The US supplied the now soldiers with weapons and a director. Of the 1500 men sent over around 1100 were captured and held prisoner. The invasion was unsuccessful. https://www.britannica.com/event/Bay-of-Pigs-invasion -
Building Of The Berlin Wall
In 1961 the Soviet government ordered that a wall be built to separate east and west Berlin. This was done to keep the American sphere of influence out of the Soviet sphere of influence. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Berlin-Wall -
End Of Cuban Missile Crisis
The Soviet government promised to help defend Cuba and once the American government found out the Soviets had Nukes in Cuba, they sent a Navy fleet to surround the island so nothing could get in or out. Eventually, the leaders of the superpower involved talked it out and the Soviets removed the nukes and the Americans moved their navy fleet. https://www.britannica.com/event/Cuban-missile-crisis -
Nuclear Arms Treaty
The treaty was created so that the world, especially Russia and the United States could begin Nuclear disarmament. The goal was to promote peaceful ways to use such a powerful energy source. https://www.un.org/disarmament/wmd/nuclear/npt/ -
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Soviet War In Afghanistan
The Soviets intervened in Afghanistan to help the Afghan communist government. Eventually, the United States got involved with the noncommunist side of the war and it turned into a proxy war with the Americans fighting for capitalism and the Soviets fighting for communism the country. https://www.britannica.com/event/Soviet-invasion-of-Afghanistan -
Solidarity In Poland
This was the first self-governing trade union in Poland. It remained until 1981 when it became heavily suppressed by the Polish-Soviet government and was disbanded in 1989 and became the first opposition movement to participate i the free election. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Solidarity -
Fall Of The Berlin Wall
In 1989 the spokesman for the communist party in East Berlin announced that the city's relations with West Berlin would change and starting at midnight that day, all citizens would be free to cross the border between East and West Berlin. https://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/berlin-wall#:~:text=at%20high%20speeds.-,The%20Berlin%20Wall%3A%20The%20Fall%20of%20the%20Wall,to%20cross%20the%20country's%20borders. -
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Czechoslovakia Revolution
Also known as the Velvet Revolution, protesters took to the streets in protest of the communist government. That day marked the 50th anniversary of the Nazi takeover and that same day, they saw 1200 students sent to concentration camps. The country had been ruled by the communists since the end of WW2 and allowed no anti-government speech but finally, the people were fed up and wanted a communist party gone. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/velvet-revolution-begins-in-czechoslovakia -
End Of The Cold War
On December 26th, 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed, thus marking the end of the cold war. https://americanhistory.si.edu/subs/history/timeline/end/