Cold War and Beyond

Harry Trumans presidenty

Apr 12, 1945

April 12, 1945 – January 20, 1953

Red Scare

Sep 2, 1945

People began to fear the spread of communism after WWII. The red scare lasted till the early 1950s.

United Nations

Oct 4, 1945

Founded to prevent war and keep peace. The Unite Nations replaced the League of Nations.

Truman Doctrine

Mar 12, 1947

The Truman Doctrine provided $400 million in economic and military aid to Turkey and Greece to protect from the direct threat of communism.

Marshall Plan

Apr 3, 1948

Provided financial aid to postwar Europe to prevent from the threat of the spread of communism into Europe.

NATO

Apr 4, 1949

NATO was an alliance formed between the US and Wester European countries in efforts to prevent the spread of communism.

McCarthyism

Feb 1, 1950

Senator Joseph McCarthy started to accuse people of being communists with little to no evidence to back his accusations. This lead to a long and relentless witch hunt, creating paranoia and uneasiness throughout the nation.

Korean War

Jun 25, 1950

The Korean War was a battle between communist North Korea and democratic South Korea. The US sent in troops to help South Korea in order to stop the spread of communism.

Dwight Eisenhowers presidency

Jan 20, 1953

January 20, 1953 – January 20, 1961

Vietnam War

Nov 1, 1955

The Vietnam War was a fight against communism that the US got involved in. After the US troops got pulled out Vietnam fell to communism.

John F. Kennedys presidency

Jan 20, 1961

January 20, 1961 – November 22, 1963

"Bay of Pigs" Invasion

Apr 17, 1961

A failed attempt to overthrown the communist Cuban government in which the US trained Cubans for the attack.

Cuban Missile Crisis

Oct 16, 1962

USSR placed missiles in Cuba so they could be closer to the US in case that wanted to attack. This was extremely close to causing a nuclear war.

Lyndon B. Johnsons presidency

Nov 22, 1963

November 22, 1963 – January 20, 1969

Kennedy's Assasination

Nov 22, 1963

John F Kennedy was assassinated while making a public appearance in Texas.

Richard Nixons presidency

Jan 20, 1969

January 20, 1969 – August 9, 1974

Ronald Reagans presidency

Jan 20, 1981

January 20, 1981 – January 20, 1989

Fall of Communism in Easter Europe

Jan 1, 1989

Communist countries began to fall and change their way of governing.

George H. W. Bushs presidency

Jan 20, 1989

January 20, 1989 – January 20, 1993

Persian Gulf War

Aug 2, 1990

The Persian Gulf War was fought to ensure the flow of oil from the middle east to US and it allies.

Collapse of the Soviet Union

Dec 26, 1991

The Soviet Union's communist government fell.

William Clintons presidency

Jan 20, 1993

January 20, 1993 – January 20, 2001

NAFTA

Jan 1, 1994

NAFTA opened trade up between the US, Canada, and Mexico.

George W. Bushs presidency

Jan 20, 2001

January 20, 2001 – January 20, 2009

September 11th Terrorist Attack

Sep 11, 2001

Four US commercial planes were hijacked. Two went into the Twin Towers in New York City, One hit the Pentagon Building, and the other crashed into a field in Pennsylvania.

War in Afghanistan

Oct 7, 2001

In response to the 9/11 Terrorist Attack, US sent troops into Afghanistan.

War in Iraq

Mar 20, 2003

As the threat grew, the US sent troops into Iraq to protect the security of the US.