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Formation of Eastern Bloc
After World War II, the Eastern Bloc which refers to a group of eastern European countries that were politically and economically controlled or influenced by the Soviet Union emerged comprising of countries like: Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Albania.... The Eastern Bloc formed due to the Soviet's wanting to protect communism. -
Postwar Occupation and Division of Germany
Germany was under the occupation of the United States, Britain, and France, alongside the Soviet Union after WW2 Things began going wrong when the Soviet Union and Western Allies started disagreeing frequently on how they intended to govern and reconstruct Germany. The tensions led to Germany splitting into two distinct regions in 1949; The Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic, with the first being associated with Western Allies and the later under Soviet influence. -
Enactment of Marshall Plan
On April 3, 1948, President Truman created the Marshall Plan, stating that the United States will provide economic assistance to restore infrastructure of poastwar in Europe. The Marshall Plan provided markets for America, created new trading partners, and supported the development of new democratic governments in Europe. -
Berlin Blockade and Airlift
In June 1948 the Soviet Union controlled the East side of Germany and installed a communist state. When there was no wall people eventually went to the West side where the Allies controlled. Civilians fled because capitalism was a better opportunity for life and prosperity for them. The Soviet Union created a wall in an attempt to force the Allies out and to prevent censor democracy. The Allies responded by airlifting supplies to Berlin, this eventually led to strong tensions with them. -
Chinese Communist Revolution
In China many civilians faced poverty, abuse, starvation, and early death throughout. This frustration was against the Manchu Government embodied by the Qing Court. After not doing anything, two main political sides sprouted, The Chinese Communist Party and the Nationalist Party. This eventually led to China having a civil war between the two, resulting in the CCP winning. Mao, the leader of the Communist Party continued to rule China until his death. -
Korean War
The Korean War began on June 25, 1950, when North Korean forces invaded South Korea. This is because of the separation of nations after WW2. The North wanted to reunify the peninsula under communist rule, backed up by the Soviet Union and China. While the South fought to maintain its new democratic government. The conflict escalated into a war, with the USA intervening on behalf of South Korea. After years of fighting, an armistice agreement was signed on July 27, 1953, with ceasefire and a DMZ. -
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution began with an attack on the Moncada Barracks led by Fidel Castro and rebels. This marked the beginning of trying to overthrow the dictatorial regime of Fulgencio Batista. Batista's government was notorious for its wealth while most Cubans faced poverty, unemployment, and limited access to basic services, ultimately leading to the revolution. Years after warfare against Castro and his supporters and Batista, Castro's forces successfully overthrew the Cuban government. -
Overthrow of the Mossadegh Government in Iran
The CIA and MI6 orchestrated the overthrow of the Mossadegh government in Iran because Mossadegh nationalized the Iranian oil industry in 1951, threatening a British-owned oil company. The CIA and MI6 created "Operation Ajax" to overthrow Mossadegh and on August 19, 1953, pro-shah protesters took to the streets, causing chaos, and Mossadegh was eventually arrested, tried, and convicted of treason. -
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War started in 1955 between the communist government of North Vietnam and the republic government of South Vietnam. North Vietnam led by Ho Chi Minh wanted to reunify the country into communism, while anti-communist forces wanted to maintain division and prevent the spread of communism. The conflict escalated as the U.S. became more involved seeing as communism was spreading. The war ended after the Paris Peace Accords, resulting in the fall of South Vietnam succumbing to communism. -
Hungarian Uprising
The 1956 Hungarian Uprising was a revolt against the Hungarian People's Republic and Soviet-imposed policies, triggered by political repression, economic crisis, and a desire for reform. It began with student protests and it quickly escalated into a revolution. It resulted in Soviet forces using the military to suppress the revolution. In the end, thousands of Hungarians were killed, injured, and imprisoned. The aftermath left Soviet forces in control, and Imre Nagy was arrested and executed. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
The Bay of Pigs invasion was a failed attempt by the United States to overthrow the communist government in Cuba. The origins of the invasion were Cold War tensions and concerns about the spread of communism. On April 17, 1961, Cuban exiles landed at the Bay of Pigs, but the invasion quickly fell due to miscommunication and other obstacles. The aftermath was a humiliating defeat for the United States and increased Cold War tensions. -
Building the Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was built by East Germany, controlled by the Soviet Union, to prevent East Berliners from fleeing to West Berlin. The division of Berlin and Germany after WW2 created differences between the East and West, leading to economic challenges in the East. Before the Berlin Wall, civilians could easily cross borders, but the Soviet Union recognized this quickly and initiated the construction of the Berlin Wall. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
During the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962, the U.S. and the Soviet Union nearly engaged in a nuclear war over the discovery of missiles in Cuba. This was a huge deal as nuclear weapons were very close to American soil, approximately 90 miles away from the Florida coast. The U.S. government decided to implement a naval blockade and demand the removal of the missiles. After two weeks of high tension, Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles from Cuba and the crisis was defused. -
Prague Spring
The Prague Spring was a movement in Czechoslovakia led by Alexander Dubček to implement political, economic, and international reforms. The Prague Spring was concerning for the Soviet Union which feared Czechoslovakia was being influenced by Eastern Europe. The Soviet Union and other War Pact nations invaded Czechoslovakia in 1968 to suppress these reforms, ultimately ending the Prague Spring. The aftermath of this was the end of reform, purge, and suppression, and long-term Soviet dominance. -
Overthrow of the Allende Government in Chile
The overthrow of the Allende government in Chile refers to the military coup that succeeded in overtaking President Salvador. The coup was motivated by ideological opposition, economic crisis, international influence, and more. Armed forces put the country under military control with little government interference, the coup was successful and Chile became a socialist nation. -
Soviet War in Afghanistan
At the end of December 1979, Soviet Union troops were sent to Afghanistan hoping to prop up communism and maintain communist influence in the region. During the short war, the Soviet military faced guerrilla resistance with support from the U.S., Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and other countries. The war had devasting consequences for Afghanistan with destruction and loss of life. Facing casualties and international pressure, the Soviet Union eventually withdrew forces in 1988, completing in 1989. -
Tiananmen Square Massacre
The Tiananmen Square Massacre occurred in Beijing, China, during a pro-democracy protest led by students. The several-week protest called for political reform, freedom of speech, and an end to government corruption. As the protests grew, the Chinese government declared martial law and deployed the military to suppress them. Eventually, the military opened fire on unarmed civilians, killing many. The aftermath of this resulted in increasing censorship, surveillance, and repression of dissent. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall is a symbol of the division between East and West Berlin, it was created in 1961 to prevent East Berliners from fleeing to the West. Fast forward to 1989, when mass protests and pressure for reform led to the sudden opening of the border crossings, providing an opportunity for thousands to make their way to West Berlin. This moment sparked a sequence of events that ultimately resulted in the reunification of Germany. -
Fall of the Soviet Union
Internal political repression, economic stagnation, and dissatisfaction with the communist regime as well as the Soviet Union’s costly military involvement and pressure from allied nations were responsible for the collapse of the Soviet Union between 1989 and 1991. The regime fell from mass protests, the Berlin Wall was brought down and multiple coups tried to overthrow the government. By December 1991, leaders of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus had declared the end of the Soviet Union. -
9/11 Attacks
The 9/11 attacks were a series of coordinated terrorist attacks carried out by the group al-Qaeda against the United States. The attacks involved hijacking four airliners, two flown into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, one plane striking the Pentagon in Virginia, and the fourth plane crashing into a field in Pennsylvania. The motivations behind 9/11 were extreme ideology and hatred towards the United States. After the attacks, security heightened and the War on Terror occurred.