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The Marshall Plan
Secretary of State George C. Marshall called for American assistance in restoring the economic infrastructure of Europe - Europe was in horrible condition - full of famine and economic issues due to the war. The plan was a success and George C. Marshall was credited with a Nobel Peace Prize. -
Berlin Airlift
The United States set up airplanes that brought food and supplies into West Berlin, which was filled with famine, in an attempt to break the blockade. -
NATO
NATO was the North-Atlantic Treaty Organization that was a military alliance between approximately 28 states. Its main purpose was to defend each other from the possibility of communist Soviet Union taking control of them. It still is in place today. -
Korean War
North Korea (aided by the USSR and allied with communist China) invaded South Korea (aided by the UN). A truce was negotiated in 1953, but both North and South Korea are still not truly "friends" - Korea is still split in two. -
Rosenberg Spy Case
Spying is a very serious act, and occured a lot during the Cold War from both sides. Russia developed a bomb that shocked the US, because the US didn't think they could come up with the technology that fast. Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were both arrested for allegedly passing on important atomic secrets to Russia. They were both sentenced to death under the Espionage Act of 1917. -
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War lasted from the mid 1950's until around 1975. US troops entered South Vietnam, where communism was supported by some. The US bombed Laos. In 1973, the US troops retreated and were replaced by Southern Vietnam troops. The war ended due to the defeat of South Vietnam. -
Creation of the Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact is very similar to NATO, but with the opposite countries.. It was a treaty signed by the Soviet Union, Albania, Poland, Romania, Hungary, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, and Bulgaria. It was formed for the defense of any member attacked by an outside force - if one member was attacked, the other nations back it up. -
Soviet Launches Sputnik
Sputnik was the world's first artificial satellite. It triggered the Space Race, a 'race' between the Soviet Union and the US to explore further and further into space. It caused the US to increase their funding for space programs. -
Bay of Pigs
The US attempted to invade Cuba and overthrow their ruler: Fidel Castro. However, Castro's army defeated the US army. The US wanted to overthrow Castro because after he took control of Cuba in January of 1959, he took over US oil refineries in Cuba, and took over all of US business in Cuba, and he was DUN DUN DUN a communist. -
Berlin Wall Goes Up
This wall cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin. It was a high security area, allowing next to no one to pass from one side to the other. The wall mainly served to prevent the massive emigration after WWII. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Soviet Union began to build secret missile bases in Cuba. President Kennedy saw photos of these and addressed that any attack coming from Cuba would be treated like an attack from the Soviet Union. He then issued a naval blockade of Cuba to stop the construction of the sites. On October 26, the sites were dismantled becaused the president agreed they would not invade Cuba. -
US sends a man to the moon
On July 16, 1969, the US launched Apollo 11, which the sole mission of landing a man on the moon. Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins were the crew of Apollo 11. When Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon, it essentially ended the Space Race. Some say the Space Race didn't end there, other say it did. However, it showed that the US was more advanced in government and technology than the Soviet Union. -
1972 Basketball Game
In September of 1972,the USSR played the USA in the Olympic basketball game. With three seconds left to go, the USA was down 48-49. Collins threw a free throw and made it, putting the score to a tie. Collins then threw a shot as the buzzer sounded, making the shot, causing the US to win, 50-49. This finish was very controversial - many people believe that the buzzer sounded before he made the shot. This started even more debate and controversy between the US and the Soviet Union. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
On November 9th, 1989, an East German gov official made an announcement that stated the borders were open and permanent relocations can be done through all border checkpoints. It was then demolished by many people, to keep a piece as a memory of the wall. On October 3rd, 1990, East and West Germany reunified into a single German state. -
Collapse of the Soviet Union
In December of 1991, the Soviet Union fell apart into 15 seperate countries. "Its collapse was hailed by the west as a victory for freedom, a triumph of democracy over totalitarianism, and evidence of the superiority of capitalism over socialism.Its collapse was hailed by the west as a victory for freedom, a triumph of democracy over totalitarianism, and evidence of the superiority of capitalism over socialism." This event ended the Cold War.
