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Russian Revolution
The overthrow of the Tsar and the start of the Soviet Union. Started on March 8, 1917 and lasted until November 7, 1917. The USA provided aid to Lenin's enemies creating tension. -
Potsdam Conference
Stalin, Truman, and Churchill met in the Soviet Union to discuss how to deal with post war Europe. Churchill and Truman was security, democracy, and freedom while Stalin wants communism. Lasted from July 17, 1945 to August 2, 1945 -
Atomic Bomb - Hiroshima/Nagasaki
On August 6, 1945 the U.S. dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima and 3 days later dropped on on Nagasaki. These bombs worried Stalin as he said that the balance of power was destroyed -
Iron Curtain
The invisible barrier separating Soviet territories and Democratic Western Europe. Churchill gave his iron curtain speech on March 5, 1946 -
Molotov plan
In 1947 the Soviet Union created the Molotov plan which provided aid to Eastern European countries that we economically and politically aligned with the Soviet Union -
Hollywood 10
The Hollywood 10 was a small group from the show business that refused to answer question about communism in from of the House Un-American Activities committee citing the 1st Amendment. They were convicted of contempt and sent to prison. -
Truman Doctrine
Acted as a counter to Soviet expansion and gave aid to free countries such as Greece and Turkey. It was introduced March 12, 1947 and further developed on July 12, 1948 -
Marshall Plan
A plan in which the United States provided over $13 billion to help rebuild the European economy after WWII -
Berlin Blockade
Lasting from June 24, 1948 to May 12, 1949 the Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies railway, road, and canal access under Western control -
Berlin Airlift
Started on June 24, 1948 and ended May 12, 1949. The United States began dropping supplies into Berlin to keep the citizens alive and to combat the Soviet blockade around Berlin. -
Alger Hiss case
Whittaker Chambers, a former communist, appeared before HUAC to denounce Alger Hiss. Alger Hiss was convicted of purjury and sentenced to 5 years in prison. -
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was created as an alliance to provide security against the Soviet Union -
Soviet Bomb Test
On August 29, 1949 the Soviets successfully test an atomic bomb which strikes fear into the hearts of Americans -
Korean War
The Korean war began on June 25, 1950 and lasted until July 27, 1953. The war began when North Korea invaded South Korea. To prevent the spread of communism to South Korea the U.S. began helping South Korea while communists began helping North Korea. -
Rosenberg trial
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were accused of selling U.S. bomb secrets to the Soviets. They were guilty and were sentenced to death by electric chair. -
Army-McCarthy Hearings
A series of meetings to investigate conflicting accusations between the Army and Senator Joseph McCarthy. They lasted from April to June 1954 and ended the era of McCarthyism -
Battle of Dien Bien Phu
The battle that ended the first Indochina war and kicked the French out of Vietnam. The battle lasted from March 13, 1954 to May 7, 1954 -
Geneva Conference
Held in Geneva Switzerland from April 26, 1954 to July 20, 1954 to discuss the issues following the Korean war and the first Indochina war. It was decided that Vietnam would be split at the 17th parallel -
Warsaw Pact
A collective defense treaty between the Soviet Union and 7 Soviet satellites in response to NATO. Signed in Warsaw, Poland -
Hungarian Revolution
A revolt against the communist government of the Hungarian People's Republic. Hungarians were fighting against Soviet policies from October 23 to November 10, 1956. The revolution was crushed by the Soviets -
U2 incident
A United States U2 spy plane was shot down by Soviets while it was flying in Soviet airspace. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
On April 17, 1961 the CIA launched an invasion on the coast of southern Cuba. The force was mostly made up of Cuban exiles but also contained American soldiers. The invasion was a failure and was defeated by Fidel Castro's forces. -
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall began construction on August 8, 1961 and divided West and East Berlin. It kept East Berliners from fleeing to West Berlin. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis began on October 16, 1962 when the Soviet Union placed nuclear missiles in Cuba just 90 miles from Florida. After negotiation the USSR removed the missiles from Cuba and the confrontation ended on October 28, 1962 -
Assassination of Diem
The CIA successfully arrested and assassinated Diem to install a more favorable leader in South Vietnam -
Assassination of JFK
In Dallas Texas President John F. Kennedy was assassinated while riding in a presidential motorcade. -
Tonkin Gulf Resolution
On August 07, 1964 Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution allowing President Johnson to take any necessary actions in maintaining a peaceful Southeast Asia -
Operation Rolling Thunder
Aerial bombardment on North Vietnam that lasted from March 2, 1965 to November 2, 1968. The bombs targeted transportation systems, industrial bases, and air defenses -
TET Offensive
The largest North Vietnamese offensive in the Vietnam war. It lasted from January, 30, 1968 to September 23, 1968 and was crushed by U.S, forces. However it led to more supporters of the anti-war movement. -
Assassination of MLK
Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in a hotel room in Memphis, Tennessee. -
Assassination of RFK
Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated at the Ambassador Hotel in LA. -
Invasion of Czechoslovakia
Warsaw pact forces including the Soviet Union, Bulgaria, Hungary, East Germany and Poland invaded Czechoslovakia.The invasion started on August 20, 1968 and ended on September 20, 1968. The invasion proved to be successful -
Riots of Democratic Convention
Thousands of Vietnam protesters battled police in the streets as the Democratic party was falling apart due to disagreements about their stance on Vietnam -
Election of Nixon
Republican former Vice President Richard Nixon defeated the Democratic nominee and was elected President of the United States -
Kent State
4 students attending Kent state were killed by members of the Ohio National Guard during a mass protest against the U.S. bombing in Cambodia -
Nixon visits China
Nixon in 1972 visits China to improve diplomatic relations. It marked a great relation between the Nixon administration and China -
Ceasefire in Vietnam
On January 15, 1973 President Richard Nixon ordered a ceasefire of the aerial bombings in Vietnam. -
Fall of Saigon
North Vietnam successfully capture the South Vietnam capital Saigon and reunited Vietnam as a communist nation. U.S. helicopters evacuated thousands of South Vietnamese in order to save them from the communist regime -
Reagan Elected
On November 4, 1980 the Republican presidential candidate Ronald Reagan is elected -
SDI announced
Reagan announces the Strategic Defense Initiative aka Star Wars which was a program designed to protect the USA from missiles. It put pressure on the Soviet Union to keep up -
Geneva Conference with Gorbachev
Reagan and Gorbachev meet for the first time in Geneva Switzerland and although no agreements are reached, Reagan and Gorbachev get along swimmingly -
'Tear down this wall' Speech
Ronald Reagan travels to Berlin and gives a speech in front of the Berlin wall where he challenges Mr. Gorbachev tear down the wall -
Fall of Berlin Wall
On November 9, 1989 the Berlin wall was destroyed as the Cold War began to thaw
