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Why was it called the Cold War?
It was called the "Cold" war because there was no direct military involvement between the USA and the Soviet Union -
Formation of the Eastern Bloc
The Eastern Bloc emerged after ww2 as the Soviet Union estblised communist governments and extended its control over several Eastern European countries. This led to a division of Europe into 2 blocs- the Soviet Eastern Bloc and the Allied Western Bloc. The Eastern Bloc consisted of the Soviet Union and countries like East Germany, Poland, Hungary, and more. There was no direct conflict, but there were political and economic conflicts between the West (capitalist) and the East (comunists). -
Enactment of Marshall Plan
President Truman enacted the Marshall Plan to rehabilitate several European countries after WW2. It was made to minimize trade barriers and modernize/ rebuild the European economy. The Soviet Union refused to participate, fuelling Cold War tensions between them and the United States. -
Berlin Blockade & Airlift
Stalin imposed a blockade around West Berlin to force the Allied powers out. It cut off land and naval transport to the city. The Allies responded by airlifting needed supplies into Berlin. After a year of airlifting, Stalin backed down, realizing that the United States could keep going forever. It ended on May 12, 1949 -
Postwar Occupation & The Division of Germany
After the Potsdam conference, Germany was divided into four occupied zones. Great Britain in the northwest, France in the southwest, the United States in the south, and the Soviet Union in the east. Berlin, the capital city in Soviet territory, was also divided into four occupied zones. -
Korean War
North and South Korea fought after the North attempted to invade the South. The North was supported by The Soviet Union and China and the South was supported by the United States.An armistice treaty was signed, and they were divided among the 38th parallel. -
Chinese Communist Revolution
The Japanese invasion of Manchuria led to the eventual communist revolution in China. Mao Zedong overthrew the government and proclaimed the People's Republic of China. The victory transformed China into a global superpower, a third force involved in the Cold War. The CCP became the largest socialist state in the world. -
Overthrow of the Guatemalan Government
The elected President Arbenz was overthrown in a CIA-backed coup. The USA was suspicious of communist influence in Latin America, so the CIA trained a rebel group to overthrow the government. This gave the elites power and ushered in decades of military dictatorships backed by the USA. -
Cuban Revolution
Led by Fidel Castro, the Cuban Revolution was a social and armed conflict between guerilla revolutionaries and the Bastia government. The Cuban people were unhappy with the militaristic dictatorship imposed by Bastia and supported Castro's communist ideals. The Battle of Santa Clara was a major point in the revolution, with the guerrilla fighters gaining a lot of power. After overthrowing Bastia, Fidel Castro assumed military and political power as Cuba's prime minister. -
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a long, costly battle between the communist forces of North Vietnam against South Vietnam, supported by the United States. The United States aided South Vietnam because they pledged to assist any nation against communism. The USA were technologically superior but didn't stand a chance against the guerrilla tactics used by the not industrialized Vietnamese. The North won the war, uniting Vietnam under communism. -
Hungarian Uprising
A nationwide revolt against the Soviet-led communist government. It started with student protests in Budapest and grew from there. For a brief time, the revolutionaries succeeded in establishing a democracy but were quickly crushed by Soviet Forces. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
The invasion was led by 1,500 Cubans who wished to revolt against Fidel Castro, directed by the CIA. The invasion force was defeated by Castro in 3 days, a major embarrassment to President Kennedy. The failed Bay of Pigs invasion worsened the tensions between the United States and Cuba. -
Building the Berlin Wall
To stop East Germans from escaping to the West, more than 30 miles of barbed wire and concrete were laid through the center of Berlin. Stalin wanted to cease any Western influence on the East, killing any migrants who attempted to pass. -
Rise of the Palestine Liberation Organization
The PLO was founded with the goal of liberating Palestine from Israel. Initially consisting of Palestinian refugee groups, the PLO used guerilla tactics and terrorist attacks against Israelis to bring attention to their cause. The PLO gained recognition as the government of the Palestinian people and carried out peace negotiations. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
In response to the USA's bombs in Turkey, the Soviet Union began building bombs in Cuba. Threatened by the close proximity of the bombs, President Kennedy blockaded Cuba. The confrontation brought the two nations to the brink of nuclear war, the Soviets backing down at the last second. The missiles in Cuba were dismantled, and Kennedy got rid of bombs in Turkey. -
Prague Spring
A period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia led by Alexander Dubeck. Reforms allowed greater freedoms of speech, press, and travel. This was seen as a threat to the Soviet Union and they invaded Czechoslovakia to crush the Prague Spring. Dubeck was removed from office and the reforms were overridden. -
Soviet War in Afghanistan
The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan to support the communist government against rebel groups. It was supposed to be a short war, but it lasted nearly a decade due to USA-backed Mujahideen fighters. Over 15,000 Soviets were killed before the Soviet Union pulled out, which was a powerful victory for the USA. The horrible loss in Afghanistan was a key factor in the end of the Soviet Union. -
Tiananmen Square Massacre
Tiananmen Square was the location of a mass student protest against Chinese leadership. The People's Liberation Army responded to the protests by storming the square with tanks, literally crushing their opposition. The 'Tank Man', an unidentified Chinese protestor, is the face of this event. He faced down several Chinese tanks, becoming a martyr in the process. After the massacre, the Chinese government condemned the protestors, deeming their response necessary. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
The East German government announced that citizens could cross the Berlin Wall freely due to political unrest. This ended the division of Berlin, with people climbing onto and destroying parts of the wall. This event marked the collapse of communist rule in Germany and foreshadowed the end of the Soviet Union as a whole. -
Fall of the Soviet Union
A failed coup against Mikhail Gorbachev triggered many republics to declare independence, leading to the end of the Soviet Union. Boris Yeltsin became the new President of the newly independent Russia. The collapse of this major communist power ushered the world into an age of democracy. -
9/11 Attacks
Terrorists from the Islamic extremist group Al-Qaeda hijacked four United States airplanes and deliberately crashed two of them into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in NYC. Another hit the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and the fourth crashed in Pennsylvania. The attacks resulted in a high death toll and the U.S.'s fight against terrorism, including the War on Terror and the War in Afghanistan.