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Potsdam Conference
The Potsdam Conference was held in Potsdam. It lasted from July 17 to August 2 to 1945. The conference was attended by the U.S president, Harry S. Truman, the British prime minister Winston Churchill, and the Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin. The leaders discussed peace settlements for Europe. They wanted to give the German people the opportunity to prepare for the eventful reconstruction on a democratic basis. At the end of the conference each country was concerned with its own self interest. -
Chinese Revolution
On October 1, 1949 the Chinese communist leader, Mao Zedong, declared the creation of the People’s republic of China (PRC). This was meant to end the civil war between the Chinese communist party and the Nationalist party. Due to the fall of mainland China, U.S suspended diplomatic ties with PRC. A group of revolutionaries in southern China led a revolt against the Qing Dynasty, which was successful and led to ending the imperial system. -
Korean War
The Korean War began on June 25, 1950 when the North Koreans, who were supported by the Soviets, attacked across the southward across the 38th parallel. The Korean war was the first major battle over communism. The Soviets refused to allow the people in their section to vote a new government. The war lasted three years and ended on July 27, 1923. North and South Korea remain separate and they occupy the same amount territory from before the war began. -
Nato/Warsaw Pact
On May 14, 1955 the Warsaw treaty was signed by the Soviet Union, Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Romania, and Hungary. The Soviet Union wanted to establish a strong defense alliance against any potential military or economic strengthen the hold of the Soviet Union. The presence of the soviet troops led to a revival of nationalism and expression of hostility toward the Soviet Union. The treaty was signed and renewed for 10 years in 1975. Later in 1990 East Germany withdrew. -
Vietnam War
The Vietnam war was a long conflict in Southeast Asia that started in 1955 between South Vietnam and North Vietnam. This war began because North Vietnam wanted to reunite the country under communism but South Vietnam did not want this to happen. Later on, South Vietnam fell apart and North Vietnam launched a massive invasion in South Vietnam. Communist won and in 1976 South Vietnam and North Vietnam formed into 1 country called Vietnam. -
Suez Crisis
On July 26, 1956 the Egyptian president Nationalized the Suez Canal. The Suez crisis was provoked by an American and British decision to not finance egypt’s construction of the Aswan High Dam, as they had promised. Due to this crisis the British and France lost their influence in the middle east. Israel did not win freedom to use the canal but they do have shipping rights. Nasser came out as a hero after the crisis because he cause the nationalism of Arabia and Egypt. -
Space Race/ Sputnik
On October 4, 1957 the Soviet Union launched their 1st satellite, Sputnik-1. The launch shocked people because they expected the United States to accomplish this scientific advancement first. After the launch the U.S military fell behind developing technology. This led to the competition of superiority. The success of Sputnik led to President Dwight Eisenhower pouring additional funds and resources into the space program and the U.S policymakers to accelerate space and weapons programs. -
Cuban Revolution & Missile Crisis
On October 22, 1962, John F. Kennedy notified the Americans about the missiles and a 13 day political and military stand off over the installation of nuclear armed soviets missiles on Cuba. The Soviets were installing nuclear armed missiles on Cuba, 90 miles away from U.S shore. This led to Cuba to start relying on the soviets for military and economic aid. Afterwards the soviets offered to take down the missiles if the U.S didn't invade Cuba. -
Six Day War
The Six day war also known as the June war started on June 5th and ended six days later on June 10th, 1967 and took place in the middle east. This war was the 3rd war of the Arab-Israeli wars. This war was against Israel and the neighbouring states of Egypt (Jordan and Syria). There was a massive attack from the three Arab States. LAter on, Israel launched extensive air strikes on Egyptian air force warplanes and bases, which was known as a preemptive strike. At the end, Israel claimed victory. -
Glasnost/Perestroika
In the late 1980’s the soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, instituted the soviet policy of open discussion of political and social issues which began the democratization of the soviet union.Gorbachev believed that opening up the political system by democratizing it. Gorbachev launched this policy to reconstruct the soviet economic and political party. The Glasnost enlarged individual freedom of expression in the country and fundamental changes to political structure of the soviet union.
