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The Russian Revolution
The Russian Revolution was when the two political parties the Mensheviks and the Bolsheviks both wanted control of Russia. The Mensheviks believed in democracy and the Bolsheviks wanted Communism. They fought and the U.S. supported the Mensheviks, who would ultimately lose to the Bolsheviks. This would lead to Russia becoming a communist country. Significant because this would create a divide between the Soviets and the U.S. -
Potsdam Conference
The Potsdam Conference was a meeting between the U.S., Britain, and Stalin discussing what would happen to Europe Post- WWII. They talked about control of Germany, Peace in Europe, Post-war boundaries, and winning war with Japan. Tensions arose because Stalin control over Europe and to spread Communism, while Britain and the U.S. wanted democracy and freedom. Significant because this would lead to the separation of Eastern and Western Germany. -
The Atomic Bomb
The Atomic Bomb also known as " The Manhattan Project" was a top secret weapon that could destroy entire cities. Two of them were dropped in Japan, in the cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. The Soviet Union was shocked the U.S. actually dropped the bomb and Stalin felt threatened so he decided to make his own. The Atomic Bomb would change the future of wars, because instead of battles the wars were built on constant fear. -
Iron Curtain
Non-physical boundary separating Europe into two separate areas. Soviet Union vs. The Capitalist countries. (France, U.S., Great Britain). Significant because it showed the divide that was happening between countries which carry onto the Cold War. -
Molotov Plan
Plan to provide aid to rebuild the countries aligned with the Soviet Union. Significant because it provided aid to countries in need. -
Hollywood 10
Prominent Hollywood figures who refused to give testimony in front of HUAC. The Hollywood stars said it violated their civil rights. They were all convicted and sent to jail. The Hollywood 10 are significant because they defied HUAC, and it also represented people's fear that communism was being spread in the U.S. -
Truman Doctrine
Foreign Policy that opposed the Soviet Unions expansion of Communism. Truman asked the Congress to provide money for Greece and Turkey so they could avoid becoming communist countries. Significant because Truman was trying stop communism from spreading -
Marshall Plan
Provide aid to Western Europe for countries who suffered from WWII. The U.S. wanted to give opportunities for countries who were endanger of giving into Communism. Again,U.S. is helping countries stay away from Communism -
Berlin Blockade
The Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies access to the city of Berlin. Signifcant because it made the Soviets and Western Allies divide even further, plus the blockade was being used to starve innocent people. -
Berlin Airlift
U.S. provided aid to Soviet Union blockade. Food, water, and medicine were distributed. It was significant because made the Allies realized they had a common goal and it made the U.S. and the Soviet Union's relationship more tense. -
NATO
North Atlantic Treaty Organization was an alliance between 29 countries. Soviet Union refused to be apart of NATO. -
Soviet Bomb Test
Research program developed by Joseph Stalin to catch up to the U.S. in building a "super weapon." First successful bomb test was in
Kazakhstan. It was significant to the Cold War because it made the Soviet Union almost equal to the U.S. because both have nuclear weapons that could cause lots of damage. -
Alger Hiss Case
Alger Hiss was a U.S. State Department official convicted of being a spy for the Soviet Union. Hiss was charged with perjury. He denied being a spy,until is death in 1996. This case was significant because it showed that government employee in the United States were corroborating with the Soviet Union, this scared people. -
Korean War
War between North and South Korea. North Korea was supported by China and the Soviet Union. The U.S. supported South Korea, these conflicting sides wanted control. Korean War was significant because it was proxy war. -
Rosenberg Trial
The Rosenburg Trial was about Ethel and Julius Rosenburg who had given nuclear secrets to the Soviets. They were found guilty of espionage, and were sentenced to death via electric chair. The Rosenbergs were significant because they fed secrets to the Soviets which helped them create their first atomic bomb. -
Army-McCarthy Hearings
Hearing about how a man named Joseph McCarthy who used improper influence to get former staff member preferential treatment. McCarthy was known for claiming to having 205 names of supposed Communists in the government. That was later to be found not true. -
Battle of Dien Bien Phu
French defeat. The French wanted to cut off Viet Minh supplies, however they had underestimated the Viet Minh's military. Significant because France withdrew control from Vietnam and split country at 17th parallel. -
Geneva Conference
Conference where several nations discussed the Korean and Indochina Wars. France withdrew itself from Vietnam, and Vietnam was split at the 17th parallel. Significant because Vietnam was split and the two countries had different beliefs. One was more democratic and one was Communists. -
Warsaw Pact
Treaty signed that was a counter alliance to NATO. The treaty included the Soviet Union and seven Eastern Bloc satellite states of Central and Eastern Europe. It is significant because it was the other alliance besides NATO. -
Hungarian Revolution
Nationwide revolution against Soviet imposed policies. It started as a student protest, but quickly spread and made the government collapse. Then a new government was formed, and they declared their intentions of leaving the Warsaw Pact. It is significant because it was the first threat to the Soviets since WWII. -
U2 Incident
United States spy plane was shot down by the Soviets. The pilot survived and was taken prisoner. At the first the U.S. did not admit they were spying on the Soviets, but then later they had to admit they were. This made the U.S. and the Soviets relationship deteriorate even more. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
Failed invasion of Cuba by the CIA. Their goal was to overthrow communist leader Fidel Castro by training and using Cuban exiles. They were defeated in 3 days. Event severed ties with Cuba -
Berlin Wall
Wall that separated Western and Eastern Germany from 1961-1989. Significant because Western and Eastern Germany were cut off from each other the whole Cold War. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
U.S. found out that the Soviets had given missiles to the Cubans in order to stop the U.S. from invading. Significance was that it was the closest the U.S. and the Soviets got to a nuclear war. -
Assassination of Diem
Diem was the President of Southern Vietnam. He was arrested and killed by a CIA backed operation. This was to basically remove Diem. He was killed in the back of the vehicle that was transporting he and his brother. -
Assassination of JFK
JFK was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald while he was visiting Dallas, Texas. Significance was the U.S. lost it's President. -
Tonkin Gulf Resolution
Resolution allowed the president to do whatever necessary to assist any member of the South East Asia Collective Defense Treaty. Significant because President Johnson was given authority of the military in South East Asia without formally having to declare war. -
Operation Rolling Thunder
Aerial Bombardment by the U.S. on North Vietnam during Vietnam War. Significant because it was the most intense air and ground assault during the Cold War. -
Assassination of MLK
Martin Luther King Jr. was a civil rights leaders active in the 50's and 60's. He was shot at a hotel in Memphis, Tennessee. Significant to the U.S. because the civil rights movement lost a key leader -
Assassination of RFK
Robert Kennedy had just won democratic primary elections in California and South Dakota. He died 26 hours after he was shot, due to his injuries. This led to the U.S. to use Secret Service to provide protection to Presidential Candidates. -
Invasion of Czechoslovakia
Countries in Warsaw Pact invaded Czechoslovakia. This invasion helped strengthen Communism. -
Riots at Democratic Convention
Protesters were against Vietnam War. Protesters clashed with policemen, and it quickly got bloody. Democrats were deciding who the candidate would be since Lyndon Johnson announced he was not running for another term. Significance is that people were fed up with the war and were protesting and that it quickly escalated and got violent -
Election of Nixon
Nixon was elected and became the 37th President. He would be known for taking troops out of Vietnam and for the Watergate Scandal. Significant because he took troops out of Vietnam and returned them home. -
Tet Offensive
Largest military attack launched by the Viet Congs. Named after Tet (Vietnamese New Year). Significance is that it was largest military assault done by the Viet Cong on the U.S. and Southern Vietnam -
Kent State
Anti-Vietnam protest that ended in students being shot at by Ohio National Guard. 4 students were killed. This shocked the nation and a photographer who took a picture at the event won a Pulitzer. -
Nixon visits China
Nixon visits China after 25 years of the U.S. having no communication or diplomatic ties to China. This led to strengthening the relationship of the U.S.and China. -
Ceasefire in Vietnam
Nixon ordered ceasefire of aerial attacks on North Vietnam. Significance is that the Ceasefire didn't work because both sides kept attacking each other. -
Fall of Saigon
Viet Cong took over Saigon and renamed it Ho Chi Minh City. Americans and Southern Vietnamese fled. Significant because it ended Vietnam War. -
Reagan Elected
Reagan is elected in 1981. Reagan was once a movie star and Governor of California. Very against Communism, unlike other Presidents he would rather have it obliterated and not contained. Significance is he the 40th President. -
SDI
Missile Defense System to protect U.S. from oncoming nuclear attacks. Nicknamed Star Wars. Significant because Soviet Union was threatened. -
Geneva Conference with Gorbachev
Reagan and Gorbachev discussed arms race and were trying to improve Soviet Union and U.S. relationship. Gorbachev wanted Reagan to stop SDI. Reagan refused. Significant because the U.S. and Soviet Union were trying settle differences they had with each other. -
Tear Down this Wall speech
Line from speech where Reagan demands Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall. Significant because Reagan called out Gorbachev and it later lead to the wall actually being taken down. -
Fall of Berlin Wall
Soviet Union finally takes down the wall that separated Western and Germany for years. Significant because it marked the end of the Cold War.
