Cold War

By trinitypm

  • Four powers divide Germany

    Four powers divide Germany
    This split is the one of the first occurrences that causes friction between the US and the Soviet Union. Three motorways and air-corridors entering West Berlin were permitted since half of Berlin belonged to the West. Of course, Stalin didn't like having Western capitalists in "his" Berlin, so he tried to evict them in a variety of methods, including the Berlin Blockade and the construction of the Berlin Wall, neither of which improved ties between the East and the West.

  • American-Soviet cooperation ends at end of WWII

    Increased tensions

  • U.S. announces “Containment”

    Increased tension

  • U.S. announces Marshall Plan

    U.S. announces Marshall Plan
    Increased tensions

  • Berlin Airlift

    Berlin Airlift
    Increased tension

  • NATO set up

    NATO set up
    Increased tensions

  • Korean War

    Korean War
    Increased tensions

  • U.S. develops H-Bomb

    Increased tensions. The creation of hydrogen bombs escalated a competition between the superpowers to acquire the most powerful nuclear weapons and the most effective delivery systems. The increasing arms race, which helped to militarise both sides and brought conflict closer, heightened tensions significantly. Nuclear weapons became a big part of the Cold War as tensions increased with the competition and decreased with treaties that required cooperation.

  • Soviet Union develops H-Bomb

    Increased tensions

  • France pushed out of Vietnam

    France pushed out of Vietnam
    Increased tensions

  • Creation of Warsaw Pact

    Creation of Warsaw Pact
    Increased tensions

  • Hungarian Revolt

    Hungarian Revolt
    Increased tensions

  • Khrushchev calls for “peaceful co-existence”

    Khrushchev calls for “peaceful co-existence”
    Decreased tensions

  • Sputnik is launched

    Sputnik is launched
    Increased tensions

  • U-2 incident and Paris Peace Summit

    U-2 incident and Paris Peace Summit
    Increased tensions

  • Bay of Pigs Invasion

    Bay of Pigs Invasion
    Increased tensions

  • Berlin Wall is built

    Berlin Wall is built
    Increased tensions

  • Cuban Missile Crisis

    Cuban Missile Crisis
    Decreased tensions. The Cuban Missile Crisis pushed the world powers to the brink of war. It is an important event because it was a point of extremely high tension during the Cold War and was the closest the superpowers came to nuclear conflict. However, it did lead to better communication and to reduction in their nuclear programs, resulting in a period of decreased tensions.

  • American-Soviet hotline established

    American-Soviet hotline established
    decreased tensions

  • Partial Test Ban Treaty signed

    Partial Test Ban Treaty signed
    Decreased tensions

  • Czech uprising (Prague Spring)

    Czech uprising (Prague Spring)
    Increased tensions

  • U.S. votes to admit Communist China into U.N.

    U.S. votes to admit Communist China into U.N.
    Decreased tensions

  • SALT treaty signed

    SALT treaty signed
    Decreased tensions

  • Helsinki Accords

    Helsinki Accords
    Decreased tensions

  • Vietnam War

    Vietnam War
    1957-1975
    Increased tensions

  • Soviet invasion of Afghanistan

    Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
    Increased tensions

  • Polish “Solidarity” uprisings

    Polish “Solidarity” uprisings
    Increased tensions

  • U.S. Star Wars research begins

    U.S. Star Wars research begins
    Increased tensions

  • I.N.F. Treaty signed

    I.N.F. Treaty signed
    Decreased tensions

  • Berlin Wall is torn down

    Berlin Wall is torn down
    Decreased tensions

  • Germany is reunited

    Germany is reunited
    Decreased tensions

  • Iron Curtain collapses

    Iron Curtain collapses
    Decreased tensions

  • Soviet Union ceases to exist

    Soviet Union ceases to exist
    Decreased tensions

  • START is signed

    START is signed
    Decreased tensions

  • Warsaw Pact dissolves

    Decreased tensions