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The Iron Curtain Speech
Winston Churchill declares in a famous speech that an iron curtain has descended across Europe. Churchill's speech is considered to be the start of the Cold War. -
The Molotov Plan
The Molotov Plan was created by the Soviet Union in 1947, to provide aid to eastern European countries that were politically and economically aligned by the Soviets -
The Truman Doctrine
The Truman Doctrine was established to provide political, military and economic assistance to nations resisting communism. It reoriented the United States's foreign policy from isolationism to intervention in foreign conflicts. -
The Marshall Plan
Due to agricultural production disruption and economic corruption from the war, many European populations were in terrible living conditions, starving. The Marshall Plan was the "European addition to the Truman Doctrine," providing economic and political assistance to European nations. -
Hollywood Ten Hearings
The Hollywood Ten Hearings were when 10 members of the Hollywood film industry public denounced the strategies employed by HUAC. They were interrogated regarding communist influence in their films. These 10 screenwriters and directors became known as the Hollywood 10. They were sentenced to jail and banned from working in hollywood studios. -
The Berlin Blockade
The Berlin Blockade was an attempt by the Soviets to isolate east Berlin from the western forces (France, Great Britain, and the U.S.). It was the first major conflict of the Cold War. -
The Berlin Airlift
The Berlin Airlift was in the U.S. response to the Berlin Blockade. The U.S. kept eastern Berlin alive, since the soviets and cut off all railroads, highways, and canals. The United States would import goods to east Berlin via aircraft over the course of 15 months. -
Alger Hiss Case
Alger Hiss testified before HUAC that Hiss had secretly been a communist, though not a spy, while in federal service. After producing evidence, Hiss was convicted of perjury -
NATO
North Atlantic Treaty Organization was a military alliance established by 12 western nations, in order to provide a collective self-defense against Soviet aggression. The alliance greatly increased American influence on European Nations -
Soviet Atomic Bomb Test
The soviets successfully detonated their first atomic bomb on August 29th, 1949. It came as a great shock to the United States because they did not expect them to develop the atomic bomb that fast, and it sparked a great deal of fear into the hearts of American citizens. -
China Falls to Communism
As the result of the Chinese revolution in 1949, communist leader Mao Zedong came into power. China's "fall" to communism led the United States to suspend diplomatic ties with the PRC for decades. Many American people formed a negative opinion toward president Truman because he "let" China fall to communism. -
The Korean War
Beginning in 1950 a civil war took place in Korea. North Korea invaded South Korea, supported by China. After the war, the country got divided along what is known as the 38th parallel, North Korea became communist, and South Korea became nationalist. Truman sent troops into Korea in attempts to prevent more communism. 45,000 people were killed in Korea. -
The Rosenburg Case
Julius Rosenburg was arrested in 1950, just after the start of the Korean war. He was executed with his wife, Ethel, convicted of "conspiracy to commit espionage" meaning they were held accountable for giving away the secret of the atomic bomb. Their trial took place in March of 1951. -
Battle of Dien Bien Phu
The battle of Dien Bien Phu was the first Indochina war between the french and the Viet-Minh. The battle took place from March through May of 1954. The French defeat influenced decisions involving Indochina in the future of Geneva. -
Army-McCarthy Hearings
The Army McCarthy hearings were held by the U.S. state senate's committee of investigations. The purpose for these hearings was to investigate the conflicting accusations between the U.S. Army and Joseph McCarthy. The army accused McCarthy of being involved in the communist party, posing security risks to the army. -
Geneva Conference
The purpose of the Geneva Conference was settle the issues involving the Korean Peninsula and discuss possibly restoring peace in Indochina. The Soviet Union, the United States, France, The U.K., and China all had representatives present at the conference. The aspect about Korea ended without adding any declarations or proposals. On Indochina, the conference produced the Geneva Accords, a set of documents that were agreements to temporarily divide Vietnam into two zones. -
The Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact was a collective defense treaty created between the Soviet Union and seven other soviet satellite states existing during the cold war. It caused the reaction in Western Germany, leading to the creation of NATO. -
Invasion of Hungary
A movement against the Hungarian Government and its Soviet policies began October 23rd 1956. What began as a student demonstration of protest turned into a disorderly and violent revolution in Hungary. The violence died down when government announced it would withdraw from the Warsaw pact. A large Soviet force invaded Budapest and other regions of the country. The Hungarian resistance continued until November 10th. Over 2,500 Hungarians and 700 Soviet troops were killed. -
U2 Incident
The U2 Incident occurred during the Cold War, when a United States U-2 spy ship was shot down in Soviet Airspace. The aircraft was flown by Central Intelligence Agent Francis Gary Powers, who was captured. The U.S. tried to cover planes purpose and mission but were forced to admit it when the Soviets presented the captured pilot and remaining spy technology from the plane. -
Bay of Pigs
The Bay of Pigs was a failed military invasion of Cuba. An army made up of Cuban exiles who came to the U.S. after Fidel Castro took over invaded Cuba. They intended to overthrow the increasingly communist government led by Fidel Castro. -
The Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall divided the sectors of Germany The initial purpose of the Berlin Wall was to keep western fascists from entering East Germany. The allies took the western half and the Soviets took the eastern half. The wall stood until November 9, 1989 -
The Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis took place over 13 days, in a tense political and military stand off between the United States and the Soviet Union. It involved nuclear armed soviet missiles in Cuba. In a television announcement, Kennedy notified Americans about the missiles and explained his decision of a naval blockade. Many feared we were on the brink of nuclear war. It was resolved when Soviet leaders promised to remove the missiles in exchange for the U.S. to not invade Cuba. -
The Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis took place over 13 days, in a tense political and military stand off between the United States and the Soviet Union. It involved nuclear armed soviet missiles in Cuba. In a television announcement, Kennedy notified Americans about the missiles and explained his decision of a naval blockade. Many feared we were on the brink of nuclear war. It was resolved when Soviet leaders promised to remove the missiles in exchange for the U.S. to not invade Cuba. -
Assassination Of Diem
Ngô Đình Diệm was the president of South Vietnam, arrested with his younger brother after the overnight siege by the Army Republic of Vietnam. Discontent with their leader had been smothering under the surface in south Vietnam causing the Buddhist Protests against the religious discrimination and the boy who set himself on fire. The brothers escaped the palace but were caught and promised to surrender if they were granted safe exile, instead they were executed after being arrested. -
Assassination of John F. Kennedy
President John F. Kennedy was assassinated at 12:30 p.m. central standard time, in Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas. He was shot by Lee Harvey Oswald while traveling with his wife. A ten month investigation was launched, concluding that Oswald acted alone and that he had been shot by Jack Ruby who also acted alone. -
Tonkin Gulf Resolution
The Tonkin Gulf resolution gave president Lyndon Johnson authorization for the use of conventional military force on Southeast Asia, without formal declaration from congress. It was passed in response to the Tonkin Gulf Incident, which drew into the vietnam war. -
Operation Rolling Thunder
Operation Rolling Thunder was the name of a sustained aerial bombardment campaigned by the US 2nd Air Division, US navy, and Republic of Vietnam Air force, against the Democratic Republic of {North} Vietnam during the Vietnam war. The goal was to boost the moral of Saigon regime, to persuade North Vietnam to stop supporting communism, to destroy North Vietnam's transportation system, industrial base, and air defenses, and to stop the flow of men and materials into South Vietnam. -
Tet Offensive
A large scale campaign launched by Viet Cong and North Vietnam forces against South Vietnam and it's allies. Attacks took place against over 100 cities in South Vietnam. Even though U.S. and South Vietnam forces managed to hold off the attacks, they further lowered morale and U.S. military support. -
Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was shot at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. He was rushed to St. Joseph's Hospital where he was announced dead that evening. James Earl Ray was arrested for the crime and died in prison at the age of 70. The King Family believes the assassination was the result of a conspiracy involving the U.S. government. They had a lawsuit during which they presented pieces of evidence of a conspiracy. The jury concluded that there was a conspiracy to kill king. -
Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy
Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated around midnight in Los Angels, California, during the 1968 presidential election. After winning the South Dakota primary for the democratic nomination, Kennedy was fatally shot while exiting through the kitchen of his hotel. -
The Invasion of Czechoslovakia
A joint invasion by the four Warsaw Pact nations. Approximately 250,000 invaded Czechoslovakia that night. 108 Czechoslovakian civilians were killed and 500 were wounded. The invasion stopped Alexander Dubcek's Prague Spring liberalization reforms and strengthened the authority of the communist party of Czechoslovakia. -
Riots at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago
The convention was held during a year of violence and civil uprising. 10,000 protesters gathered in Grant Park for a demonstration. A young man lowered the american flag that was there. Police broke through the crowd and began beating the young man, meanwhile the crowd pelted the police with food and rocks. The protesters changed their chant to "pigs are whores" -
Election of Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon was elected on election day in 1968, the republican candidate. The election marked the assassination of civil rights activist Martin Luther King, subsequent race riots across the nation, the assassination of the democratic candidate Robert F. Kennedy, and the widespread opposition of the Vietnam War. -
Kent State Shootings
At Kent State University in Ohio, the Ohio National Guard was involved in the shootings of unarmed college students. 28 soldiers admitted to firing. 67 rounds were fired over 13 seconds, killing four students, wounding 9, one of which was permanently paralyzed. -
President Nixon Visits China
This visit greatly improved diplomatic relations with the PEople's Republic of China. This is often viewed as one of the greatest achievements of Nixon's presidency, as China had seen the United States as an enemy for many years. -
Ceasefire in Vietnam
When the ceasefire went into effect, Saigon controlled about 75% of South Vietnam Territory. The South Vietnamese army continued to receive aid from the United States after the ceasefire was in effect. Both sides violated the ceasefire, resulting in an endless chain of retaliations. -
Fall of Saigon
The fall of Saigon took place when the capital was captured by the Viet Cong. North Vietnam began the attack on April 29th, with heavy military attacks. By afternoon the next day the Viet Cong occupied most important cities in south Vietnam. The capture of the city was preceded by the evacuation of almost all the American civilian and military personnel in Saigon. The event marked the end of the Vietnam war and marked the start of the formal reunification of Vietnam under the Socialist Republic. -
Election of Ronald Reagan
In the the 49th presidential election of the United States, republican Ronald Reagan defeated the democratic Jimmy Carter by a staggering 440 electoral votes. This would be the first time since 1955 that republicans had control of America. Ronald Reagan's election launched the "Reagan Revolution", an era where conservative views dominated politics. -
Strategic Defense Initiative
President Ronald Reagan announced the Strategic Defense Initiative, the development of technology to defend against strategic nuclear weapons such as intercontinental missiles. A system like this would free the world from the fear of Mutually Assured Destruction. -
The Geneva Summit
A meeting held between President Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev. During the meeting the two world leaders discussed the arms race and diplomatic relations.The two leaders held similar meetings over the next few years to further discuss the topics -
"Tear Down This Wall" Speech
The Berlin Wall, referred to by the President in this speech , was built by Communists in August 1961 to keep Germans from escaping Communist-dominated East Berlin into Democratic West Berlin. The wall stood as a stark symbol of the decades-old Cold War between the United States and Soviet Russia in which the two politically opposed superpowers continually wrestled for dominance -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
After much tension along with widespread political demonstrations, several border crossings were created along the Berlin Wall. This led to the eventual demolition of the wall which took many weeks.
