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Arms Race
A nuclear arms race developed during this. This was one of the main causes that began the cold war. This is significant because nuclear war/ threats were common during this. -
Yalta Conference
This was known as the start of the Cold War. Obviously, this was a HUGE part of the Cold War. The big three met to discuss German terms of surrender and post war occupation of Germany. Stalin promised free elections in eastern Europe. -
Truman Doctrine
The Truman Doctrine was an international relations policy. This stated that the U.S. would support Greece and Turkey with economic and military aid to prevent them from joining the Soviets. This is sometimes known as the start of the Cold War. It's significant because it practically started the Cold War. -
Marshall Plan
This plan was the American Initiative to aid Europe. The plan was in operation for four years. This was a role in the Cold War because the Soviets rejected it. -
Berlin Airlift
USA and British airplanes fly supplies into West Berlin. There were 200,000 fights and 1.5 million tons of supplies. This was significant in the Cold War because it was big in Germany. -
Berlin Blockade
This was one of the first major crises of the Cold War. Their aim was to force the western powers to allow the Soviet zone to start supplying Berlin with food, fuel, and aid. -
Red Scare
The naming of numerous American celebrities as members of the Communist Party. This is significant because they brought American celebs into it. -
Korean War
This war was against North Korea and South Korea. This was a major role in the Cold War because Korea divided into two seperate countries during this time. The United Nations also tried to get involved in this war. -
Joseph Stalin Dies
Joseph Stalin dying was a huge part and impact on the Cold War. He was the leader of the Soviet Union for a long time. With him being dead, he could no longer lead the Soviets. There was a power struggle after his death. -
Nikita Khrushchev comes to power
He was a politician who led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. He was First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. He was responsible for the de-Stalinization of the Soviet Union. This was significant because it stopped that part of the Soviet Union. -
Vietnam War
This war lasted a total of 18 years. This war was a major part in the Cold War. It was in North Vietnam and Cambodia. The goal was to prevent Communism. -
Space Race
The Space Race was a competition between the United States and the USSR for supremacy in spaceflight capability. There were many space-related accomplishments during this time. It was significant because Russia and the USA each accomplished many things during this time. -
Sputnik
This was visible all around the Earth and its radio pulses were detectable. The Soviet Union launched this. This is important because it triggered the Space Race. -
Sputnik 2
Sputnik 2 was launched, with the first living being on board, Laika (a dog). This was significant because it was the first living being on board. -
Gerboise Bleue Bomb
France successfully tests its first atomic bomb, Gerboise Bleue, in the middle of the Algerian Sahara Desert. -
U-2 Incident
U-2 American spy plane shot down by USSR. This was an embarassment to the USA. This made the USSR more angry. The man, Gary Powers, who was the pilot, was sentenced to imprisonment after the incident. -
JFK President
John F. Kennedy becomes President of the United States. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
This was a failed military invasion of Cuba. This was a Cuban victory. This led eventually to the events of the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. The invasion was a major embarrassment for U.S. foreign policy. -
Berlin Wall (start and completion)
This wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic. It completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and East Berlin. This was was role in the Cold War because at first it kept the two seperated, but later on it 'paved the way' for German reunification. -
Hotline with USSR
The United States agrees to set up a hotline with the USSR, thus making direct communication possible. -
JFK shot and killed
John F. Kennedy is shot and killed in Dallas by Lee Harvey Oswald. There was speculation over whether communist countries or even CIA were involved in the assassination, but those theories remain controversial. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
This was a 13-day confrontation in October 1962 between the Soviet Union and Cuba on one side and the United States on the other side. The crisis is generally known as the moment in which the Cold War came closest to turning into a nuclear conflict. -
Border Clashes
Border clashes between the Soviet Union and China. This is significant because it caused problems. -
SALT II
U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Soviet leader, Leonid Brezhnev, sign the SALT II agreement, outlining limitations and guidelines for nuclear weapons. -
Soviet Invasion in Afghanistan
The decade-long war resulted in millions of Afghans fleeing their country. This resulted in the Soviet withrdrawl from Afghanistan. This is significant because there were many forces against each other. -
Spain Joins NATO
Spain joins NATO, This means they'll be part of it just like other countries. -
Chernobyl Disaster
Soviet nuclear power plant in the Ukraine explodes, resulting in the worst nuclear power plant accident in history. This killed many and everyone evacuated the city. There are still nuclear particles there today. -
INF Treaty
This was the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. This is an aggreement between the United States and Soviet Union. The treaty eliminated nuclear and conventional ground-launched ballistic and cruise missles with intermediate ranges. This played a role in the cold war because no one could use these weapons like they had been previously doing. -
German Reunification
A process in 1990 where the German Democratic Republic joined the Federal Republic of Germany to form a reunited nation of Germany. Berlin reunited into a single city. This happened two weeks after the fall of the Berlin wall. It's related to the cold war because this was a major event at the very end of the war. It brought peace. -
Mikhail Gorbachev comes to power
Gorbachev was elected as the first executive President of the Soviet Union. Gorbachev was largely hailed in the West for his 'new thinking' in foreign affairs. January 1986 would see Gorbachev make his boldest international move so far, when he announced his proposal for the elimination of intermediate-range nuclear weapons in Europe and his strategy for eliminating all nuclear weapons by the year 2000. This obviously would've majorly affected the Cold War, even at the end. -
USSR breakup
On August 24th, President Gorbachev resigned as general secretary of the CPSU and ordered all party units in the government dissolved. Five days later, Communist rule in the Soviet Union effectively ended when the Supreme Soviet indefinitely suspended all CPSU activities on Soviet territory. This was the final and most important event in the Cold War. It ended it.
