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Arms Race
US creates a plan to make a hydrogen bomb. Soviet Union hears and works in order to meet these goals -
Berlin Blockade
East Germany demands that their allies leave West Berlin. The allies refuse and Stalin ordered blockade hoping to starve the allies out of the city. But US and British planes drop food, water, medicine and other supplies. The blockade was removed after 10 months. -
Korean War
North Korea, armed with soviet tanks and weapons, invades South Korea. The intention was to unite the country under a communist government. -
Vietnam War begins
After winning its independence from France, the communists of Northern Vietnam waged a guerilla war with South Vietnam. The US military advisors in South Vietnam rose to 16000. -
Warsaw Pact is created
West German called for military cooperation among the soviet union, Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Rumania and East Germany. They promised that if one of the countries was attacked, one of the others will come to their defense. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
1400 Cuban exiles land on a beach in the Bay of Pigs. Nothing went as planned and as a result, the invaders were either killed of captured. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
US spy planes locate secret missile bases in Cuba, built by the Soviets. If launched, they could reach the US in a matter of minutes. -
Gorbachev takes over the Soviet Union
Gorbachev comes into power, hoping to reform the communist system and began the policy of glasnost, which led to increased freedom in press, speech and religion. He also made the perestroika, which was supposed to improve the economy -
Poland Elections
Poland freely elects a non-communist government. -
Second Russian Revolution
The suppoters of a demcratic government overthrow the communist government.