-
1991 BCE
the Soviet Union collapsed.
the Soviet Union collapsed. -
1989 BCE
The fall of the Berlin Wall
-
1985 BCE
Mikhail Gorbachev came to power
In 1985, the USSR began to change its policies. Mikhail Gorbachev came to power and brought some changes. -
1980 BCE
Ronald Reagan
In 1980 Ronald Reagan was elected president of the USA and the period of détente ended. -
1975 BCE
Saigon had been captured by the Vietcong
By 1975 Saigon (the South capital) had been captured by the Vietcong. -
1972 BCE
the USSR and the USA
In 1972, the USSR and the USA agreed to limit their nuclear weapons and they signed the strategic Arms Limitation Talks Agreement (SALT 1). They planned more arms limitation but the USA refused to sign the SALT 2 agreement (in 1979) after the soviet invasion of Afghanistan. -
1964 BCE
Civil Rights Act
there were mobilizations in favor of civil rights for black people led by Martin Luther King against racial segregation. Civil Rights Act was finally passed in 1964. -
1964 BCE
Leonid Brezhnev led the USSR
Leonid Brezhnev led the USSR between Khrushchev’s death in 1964 and 1982. He stopped all Khrushchev’s reforms. -
1961 BCE
John Fitzgerald Kennedy
The Democrat John Fitzgerald Kennedy became the president in 1961 and tensions with the eastern bloc were reduced. -
1961 BCE
Berlin Wall
In Berlin, 2,5 million people left East Berlin for the West, half of them were young people. A 30 mile barrier (wall) was erected (13th August 1961) across the city of Berlin dividing the Eastern sector from the West. -
1961 BCE
Castro with USSR
The USA cut off diplomatic relations with Cuba. Castro began to cooperate with the USSR.In 1961, President Kennedy authorised an invasion of Cuba by rebels trained by the CIA. They landed in the Bay of Pigs, but they were defeated. -
1959 BCE
Overthrow of government
In 1959, Castro began a guerrilla war and soon marched on Cuba´s capital, Havana, and overthrew the government. -
1957 BCE
Treaty of Rome
It constituted the creation of the European Economic Community (EEC) or Common Market. It was signed by West Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. It also involved the creation of Euratom (European Atomic Energy Community) for the development and research of the nuclear energy with pacific goals as well as creating a common market of nuclear fuels. -
1956 BCE
Invasion of Hungary
Soviet tanks invaded Hungary, killed a lot of people (20,000 Hungarians) and the new Primer Minister, Kadar, was loyal towards Russia. -
1956 BCE
Fidel Castro
In 1956, a rebel named Fidel Castro attempted to overthrow the government, but was defeated and forced into exile. -
1954 BCE
French forces were completely defeated
Chinese support helped to establish a Communist government in North Vietnam. South East Asia had been controlled by France, but French forces were completely defeated by the North Vietnamese in 1954 (Dien Ben Phu) -
1954 BCE
France withdrew from Indochina
By the Geneva Agreement of 1954 France withdrew from Indochina, losing their Empire. -
1953 BCE
Death of Stalin
he was succeeded by Nikita Khrushchev, who began a process of De-Stalinization to fight the abuse of power of cult of personality of the previous leader. He allowed some level of freedom and speech. The relations with the capitalist bloc enhanced a lot in this period. However there were some critical moments due to Cuba or Berlin. -
1953 BCE
Truman looked for peace and a cease-fire was agreed on.
Truman looked for peace and a cease-fire was agreed on. -
1951 BCE
Treaty of Paris
It involved the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) It was signed by France, Western Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. It created a free-trade area for coal and steel in the signing countries. -
1950 BCE
the creation of a common market
The French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Robert Schuman, proposed on 9th May 1950 the creation of a common market of coal and steel to avoid rivalries and to be more competent. Hence, that day is commemorated as the Day of Europe since it is considered the foundations of the European Union. -
1949 BCE
two new states were formed
In 1949 two new states were formed: the German Federal Republic (West Germany) and the German Democratic Republic. The frontier between Eastern and Western Europe had been drawn in Berlin. -
1949 BCE
the Western Powers formed NATO
In 1949, the Western Powers formed NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) against the communist threat. The Eastern Bloc formed the Warsaw Pact (1955). -
1948 BCE
Benelux Customs Union
It was an agreement that was signed by Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg in order to remove customs and to promote free movement of capital, goods, and workers. -
1948 BCE
Communist governments controlled by USSR (Stalin)
Poland, Hungary, Romania, Czechoslovakia, Albania and Bulgaria had pro-soviet Communist governments controlled by USSR (Stalin). Under this goverments big companies and banks were nationalised and heavy industry was developed. The land was distribute among the peasents. -
1947 BCE
the Truman Doctrine
the period between 1947, the year the Truman Doctrine (a U.S. policy pledging to aid nations threatened by Soviet expansionism) was announced. -
1946 BCE
the USA and the USSR as a leading nation
Some European democracies agreed on the foundation of some common institutions to create a European identity: The British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, suggested in 1946 that Europe could compete with the USA and the USSR as a leading nation. -
1945 BCE
Anti-communist measures
Between 1945 and 1960 there were many anti-communist measures implemented by the Republican presidents Harry S. Truman and Dwight Eisenhower. A blacklist was drafted with all those likely communist sympathizers within the USA. It is the so-called McCarthyism or Witch-Hunt.