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Start of the Cold War
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Winston Churchill’s “Iron Curtain” speech
The speech made by Winston Churchill at Westminister College in Fulton, Missourri. He used the famous phrase "Iron Curtain" to symbolize the division of Europe from the USSR. -
Truman Doctrine/Containment
This was an international relations policy made by President Truman. Under this policy, the US would support Greece and Turkey with military and economic aid to help them from falling into the influence of the Soviet Union. This is also called the Truman Containment because it was designed to help "contain" the Soviet expansion. -
Marshall Plan
It was an American program to aid Europe, in which the United States gave economic support to help rebuild European economies. The goals of the United States were to rebuild a war-devastated region, remove trade barriers, modernize industry, stop the spread of Soviet Communism and make Europe prosperous again. -
Berlin Blockade and Airlift Begins
It was one of the first major international crises of the Cold War. The Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies' railway, road, and canal access to the sectors of Berlin. Their goal was to force the western powers to allow the Soviet zone to start supplying Berlin with food, fuel, and aid, which would give the Soviets control over the entire city. -
Creation of NATO
NATO stands for North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It is an military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on 4 April 1949. Its member states agree to mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party. The headquarters are in Brussels, Belgium, this is one of the 28 member states across North America and Europe. -
Korean War Begins
It was a war between the Republic of Korea (South Korea), supported by the United Nations, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea). North Korea was at a time supported by the People's Republic of China and the Soviet Union. It was the result of the political division of Korea by an agreement of the Allies at the end of the Pacific War at the end of World War II. -
Korean War ends
The United States suffered 33,686 battle deaths, along with 2,830 non-battle deaths. South Korea reported some 373,599 civilian and 137,899 military deaths. The PVA suffered about 400,000 killed and 486,000 wounded, while the KPA suffered 215,000 killed and 303,000 wounded. In 1953, South Korea and the United States concluded a Mutual Defense Treaty. -
Vietnam War starts
It was a military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. It was fought between North Vietnam—supported by the People's Republic of China and other communist allies—and the government of South Vietnam—supported by the United States and other anti-communist countries. The U.S. government viewed involvement in the war as a way to prevent a communist takeover of South Vietnam. -
Launch of the Sputnik 1
The Soviet Union launched the first artificial Earth satellite. The success caused the American Sputnik crisis, the Space Age and the Space Race. -
Construction of the Berlin Wall
It was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) that completely cut off West Berlin from East Germany and from East Berlin. The barrier included guard towers placed along large concrete walls, anti-vehicle trenches and other defenses. -
Cuban missile crisis starts
The Cuban Missile Crisis is considered to be one of the major confrontations in the Cold War that came closest to turning the war into a nuclear war. -
Cuban missile crisis ends
To end the threat, the US blockaded Cuba and Cuba was forced to reach an agreement: The soviet's would dismantle their weapons in Cuba and return them to the Soivet Union and in return, the US agreed to never invade Cuba. The confrontation ended on October 28, 1962. -
Creation of the Internet
At first the internet was used as a government weapon in the Cold War. Scientists and researchrs compared data with the internet but as time progressed, the public tokk notice and now, almost everyone in the world uses the internet. -
Vietnam War ends
On 2 July 1976, North and South Vietnam were merged to form the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. 195,000–430,000 South Vietnamese civilians died in the war. 50,000–65,000 North Vietnamese civilians died in the war. 791,000–1,141,000 war-related deaths for all of Vietnam. 200,000 and 300,000 Cambodians died in the war, 60,000 Laotians and 58,220 U.S. service members. -
GPS announced to public
After the civilian airliner KAL 007 that strayed into prohibited airspace because of navigational errors, killing all 269 people on board, U.S. President Ronald Reagan announced that GPS would be made available for civilian uses. -
Dismantling of the Berlin Wall
At midnight, East Germany's Communist rulers gave permission for the gates along the wasll to be opened after hundreds of people converged on crossing points. -
Gulf War Begins
A war waged by a U.N.-authorized force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait. -
Gulf War Ends
About 3,500 Civilian deaths from bombing, and 100,000 from the war's other effects. Iraq had between 20,000 and 35,000 fatalities. There was 358 Coalition deaths. -
Soviet Union Collapses
The world watched in amazment as the Soviet Union broke up into 15 different countries. This ended the cold war which has scared the world since WWII. -
The Cold War Ends
Malta summit ends Cold War. No one really "won" the cold war. The US spent trillions of dollars arming themselves and thousands were killed. Most Americans found it difficult to get used to the idea of no Cold War.
