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Venona Papers
The Venona Papers was a counter-intelligence program. It was iniciated by thhe United States. The program attempted to decrypt messages from the Soviet Union intelligence service. During the four decades that the program was up and running approximately 3,000 messages were decrypted.The project was one of the most sensitive secrets of United States intelligence. It remained secret for over a decade after it ended. -
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Cold War
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Iron Curtain
The Iron Curtain was the phycal boundary dividing Europe into seperate areas. This Iron Curtain began since WWII ended until the Cold War ended as well. Soviey Union began its efforts to block itself from open contact with the west and non-Soviet-controlled areas. The east side of the Iron Curtain were the countries that were connected or influenced by the Soviet Union. The events that slowly began to demolish the Iron Curtain began with the discontent in Poland. -
Truman Doctrine
The Truman Doctirne was a foreign policy to stop Soviet imperialism during the Cold War. On March 12, 1947 Harry Truman announced that he pledge to contain Societ threas. The Doctrine implied American support for other nations threatened by Soviet communism.It became the foundation of American foreign policy. It lead to the formation of NATO. A military alliance that is in effect to this day. -
Marchall Plan
The Marshall Plan brought in $13 billion to finance the economy recovery in Europe from 1948 to 1951. This plan meet its objective of restoring the confidence of the European people. Americans viewed the plan as a generous subvention to Europe. The Soviets on the other hand refused to participate. The Soviets also prevented Poland and Czechoslovakia for entering the plan. The plan promoted European economic integration and federalism. -
Berlin Blockade and Airlift
The Russians wanted to drive off all of Britain, France and U.S out of Berlin. To do so they close off all highways, rialroads and canals; therefore, not letting any food or supplies come into Berlin. Instead of driving them away the U.S and its allies supplied food to their sectors from the air, also known as the Berlin Airlift. This lasted for more than a year. -
Containment policy
The containment policy is basically the military strategy to stop the expansion of an enemy. The United States and its allies used this policy to prevent the spread of communism. This policy was a response to a series of moves by the Soviet Union to enlarge communist influence in Eastern Europe. Containment represented a middle-ground position. -
Rosenburg Trial
The Rosenburg Trail lasted about a month. On April 6 the Rosenburgs were senteced to death row. Ethel and Julius had given the S0viet Union highly confidential information on how to make atomic weapons. The Soviets exploded their first atomic bomb on September 1949. The only evidence that they had to link the Rosenburgs to this crime of being spies was the confession of Greenglass. Whom had provided Rosenburg with explicit detail on how to make atomic weapons for the Soviets. -
Sputnik
On December 17, 1954 chief Soviet rocket scientist proposed a development plan for an artificial satellite. President Eisenhower announced on July 29, 1955 that the U.S would launch an artifial satellite. Sputnik was the first aritificial Earth satellite. The Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1 on October 4,1957. The surprising success initiated the space race, a huge part of the Cold War. The launch led to new political, military, technological and scientific developments. -
Bay Of Pigs Invasion
On January 1, 1959 Fidel Castro, Cuban nationalist, drove his guerilla army into Havana. Thus, overthrowing General Fulgencio Batista. He was the nation’s American-backed president. For the next two years the U.S. State Department and the Central Intelligence Agency attempted to push Castro out of power but failed. On April 17, 1961 the U.S leaders decided to launch a defenitive strike. The invaders were completely outnumbered by Casro's troops. The invaders surrendered in under 24 hours. -
Berlin Wall
On September 13, 1961 the Communist government or East Berlin began to build a "antifacist bulwark". This wall coonsisted of concrete and barbe wire. The prpose of the Berlin was to keep Western facism from entering East Germany. The Berlin wall stood until November 9, 1989. The East Germany Communist Party announced that citizens should be able to cross the border whenever the wanted. That night many citizens crossed freely, while others began to demolish the wall by hand.