Cold War Timeline

Mao Zedong

Mar 27, 1920

1. Mao Zedong led communist forces in China.
2. He led a struggle against the nationalist government led by Chiang Kai-Shek

since the late 1920’s.

1. Both sides of the civil war would not agree to stop fighting except to

temporarily fight the Japanese.

1. Mao Zedong got to power by pleasing the lower classes with promises.

Joseph Stalin

Mar 27, 1926

Joseph Stalin- 1926 he became the new Soviet dictator. In 1927 he began a massive effort to industrialize his country. Stalin was known for his most devastating policy; the collectivization of farms within the Soviet Union during the late 1920s and early 1930s. Some estimate that over 30 million Soviet citizens died from starvation as a direct consequence of Stalin's policies.

Containment

Mar 27, 1945

Containment: A policy of keeping communism within its present territory through the use of diplomatic, economic and military actions. This policy rose from Kennan’s idea of how to prevail over the Russians during the Cold War by keeping them from expanding.

United Nations

Oct 24, 1945

The United Nations formation was a turning point in history as it replaced the League of Nations as the largest international group in the world to work to stop wars between countries and provide a platform for national dialogue. In 1942 the United Nations was formed to fight the axis powers. In 1945 the first UN meeting was held with 50 representatives from many countries and the UN Charter was drawn.

Truman Doctrine

Mar 12, 1947

The Truman Doctrine helped stabilize the European economy after World War II, preventing another Great Depression. President Truman set up the Truman Doctrine to help stabilize Europe economically and politically. The Doctrine went into action March 12, 1947, and saved Turkey and Greece’s governments.

Joseph McCarthy (McCarthyism)

Mar 25, 1947

(1946) McCarthy's campaign against Follette Jr. was based on a severe fear of communism (Red Scare). Accusing his opponent of communist affiliations won his election. Americans were in a state of fear and uncertainty of communism, therefore McCarthy's radical accusations drew the attention of many. In 1952, McCarthy became chairman of the Senate, which gave him greater power to voice his radical ideas. McCarthyism became the search for communists based on vague evidence.

Marshall Plan

Apr 2, 1948

Through the Marshall Plan, the US distributed 13 billion dollars over 4 years to European countries, helping to rebuild post war Europe dramatically. George Marshall drew up the recovery plan to help European countries recover from World War II. The Marshall Plan was signed on April 2, 1948, and saved many industries from bankruptcy as well as increasing gross national product for many European countries up to 25%.

Berlin Airlift

Jun 25, 1948

Since it was stated by the U.S. that the Soviet Union was trying to bring down Germany's economy, West Germany was founded. The sour Soviet Union cut all road and rail traffic to West of Berlin. The U.S. was trying not to promote conflict with the Soviets, so President Truman ordered the airlift to begin in 1948. Cargo planes brought food,medicine and supplies to W. Berlin for 11 months. Theis symbolized "American determination to stand by the divided city."

N.A.T.O.

Mar 27, 1949

N.A.T.O (aka) North Atlantic Treaty Organization is a military and political aliance among 28 countries. The countries that are a part of N.A.T.O. all have a democratic government and one person from each country meet at N.A.C (aka) North Atlantic Counsil where they make political decisions.

Korean War

Mar 27, 1950

-American and Soviet forces entered Korea to unarm the Japanese troops at the end of World War 2
-Soviet Union provided extensive military aid to the North Koreans but they built up a large, well -equipped army with 75,000 soldiers.
- Conflict between Communist and non-Communist forces in Korea from June 25, 1950, to July 27, 1953
- In 1948 rival governments were established: The Republic of Korea was proclaimed in the South and the People's Democratic Republic of Korea in the North.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Mar 27, 1953

Dwight D. Eisenhower: Jan 20,1953 Before Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, he was a five star general in the US Army during WWII. He is responsible for planning and supervising the invasion of North Africa. He was also successful with his invasion of France and Germany from the Western Front.

Warsaw Pact

Mar 27, 1955

Warsaw Pact- In 1955 The US and it's allies decided to allow West Germany to rearm and join NATO. The decision alarmed Soviet leaders, who responded by organizing a military alliance known as the Warsaw Pact. It's significant because the it provided stablity between both conflicting forces and was a form of non-nuclear confrontation between the allied Soviet and the United States.

Vietnam War

Nov 1, 1955

1. The Vietnam War is significant to our history because we were trying to stop the spread of Communism and we failed, losing many American lives.
2. The Vietnam War started because the French and allied forces were fighting the north to contain communism.
3. It started Nov. 1, 1955 and ended April 30, 1975

Nikita Khrushchev

Mar 27, 1956

Nikita Khrushchev- 1956 Khrushchev became the leader of the Soviet Union. He gave a speech to the Soviet leaders and attacked Stalin's policies and insisted there were many ways to build a Communist society.

John F. Kennedy

Mar 27, 1960

John F. Kenndedy
20 Jan 1961 Born May 29th,1917 in Massachusetts. Elected as president in 1960. He provided federal support for the growing civil rights movement. Kennedy proposed the naval block in Cuba after hearing about the missile crisis. He was againt communism.

Berlin Wall

Mar 27, 1961

*symbolized the lot of East Germany
* Physical division between West Berlin and East Germany. Symbolized boundary between demo. & com.
*1961-1989 people were injured, families ruined, separated, works gone, communists were discredited suffering intense fighting etc.

Cuban Missile Crisis

Mar 27, 1962

Cuban Missile Crisis- 1962 it was the most terrifying crisis of the Kennedy era. American intelligence agencies learned that Soviet technicians and equipment arrived in Cuba. Kennedy ordered a naval blockade to stop the Soviets from delivering more missiles and wanted to put a halt to Cuba. It is significant because the missile crisis brought the world closer to nuclear war than at any time since World War II

Lyndon B. Johnson

Mar 27, 1963

Lyndon B. Johnson: 22 November 1963
Johnson first took power after Kennedy was assassinated. Johnson focused on creating his version of the “Great Society.” This included many anti-poverty and pro-Civil Right bills. These bills and programs included: the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Act of 1965, Medicare, Medicaid, Project Head Start (for impoverished schoolchildren), Upward Bound (for impoverished teenagers seeking a college education), the Immigration Reform Act of 1965

Harry S. Truman

Mar 27, 1965

Truman doctrine
*to provide military and economic aid
* Any country threatened by communism or any totalitarian ideology
*crystallized the emerging cold war between U.S and soviet, prod aiming that the united states must play a leading role in shaping international politics.

Mikhail Gorbachev

Mar 25, 1980

Soviet leader in 1985 and decided to continue the arms and control talks with the U.S. because they did not want to start any dispute with he U.S President Reagan and Gorbachev met multiple times to discuss political issues. Reagan forced Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall, which divided Europe, in order to promote a prosperous E. Europe. In 1987 Gorbachev and Reagan signed the International- Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.
- this marked the beginning of the end of the Cold War

Ronald Reagn

Jan 25, 1981

Reagan's work in Hollywood brought him notoriety and experience with he political world by voicing about communism in the Un-American Activists Committee(1980). Reagan's election was successful because he proposed an amendment to ban abortion and promised to cut taxes and increase defense spending. Reagan's priorities were the economy and getting Americans to believe in themselves again.

Iran Contra Scandal

Mar 27, 1986

Iran-Contra Scandal
1986 A political scandal in the US were officials secretly sold arms to Iran. In exchange for the weapons, Iran released American hostages being help in the middle east.

George H. W. Bush

Jul 25, 1988

He won Republican nomination in 1988.
- his priorities were focused on domestic issues
-Bush guided America through the period after the Cold War
-foreign policy was key to dealing with issues in Russia, China, Panama and the Persian Gulf.

Fall of Berlin Wall

Mar 27, 1989

Fall of Berlin Wall
1. This is significant because it signifies the end of segregation in WWII
2. People from around east and west Germany broke down the wall.
3. Happened on November 9, 1989 and it allowed east and west Germans to reunite.

Collapse of Soviet Union

Dec 25, 1991

1991 E. Europe began to abandon communism and communist officials were outraged and arrested Gorbachev. These officials sent troops into Moscow in order to overthrow Gorbachev's government. These officials who overthrew were known as the coup. yeltsin. the Russian president went against the coup with the support of President Bush. The coup was defeated, which prompted 15 soviet republics to declare their independence and Gorbachev returned to Moscow.
-(1991) Gorbachev announced the end of Union