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Yalta Conference
Yalta PictureThe Yalta Conference was intended to prevent any future world war. It split up Germany into democracy and communism. This foreshadows the future of the two countries as this was the first major event they were split. -
Japanesse Surendering
Atomic BombThis is the first instance that the US ever used the atomic bomb. It dropped two in Japan devastating thousands. This also created an atomic monopoly after the war. This monopoly put pressure on the other superpower, the USSR, to develop their own. Finally, it incrdeased tensions between the countries. -
Marshall Plan
Devastation In EuropeThe Marshall Plan was introduced to aid the fight against communism. It funded milliions and millions of dollars into Europe in hopes that an economical Europe would be a democratic Europe. Some of the major recipients include important countries like France and England, or needing countries such as Turkey and Greece. This caused, again, tension between the two as the USSR did not receive any money (due to their own actions). -
Berlin Blockade
Berlin AirliftBeing split and immersed in the Soviet Zone, Berlin was a major city in the US's eyes. If it fell, Germany falls. If Germany falls, so does Europe. When the democratic East Berlin was blockaded, the US airlifted supplies there to show the USSR that the US was incredibly determined to drive out communism. -
Ratification of NATO and the Warsaw Pact
NATOWhen the United States joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to combat against communism, the USSR formed it's own power-house organization, the Warsaw Pact. This shows another major division of the two superpowers as they clearly oppose each others' intentions. -
Mao Zedong Take Power
Mao ZedongMao Zedong overthrew the Republic of China in 1949 and set up a communist regime. It's no surprise that this new government worried the US. With a complementary power to the USSR and a major industrial country gone to communism, the idea of containment was even more prevalent in the years following because it showed the US may not be able to stop worldwide communism. -
Soviet Bomb Invented
Soviet BombThis was the first time that the United States' atomic monopoly was ever tested. While it still had the majority of the nuclear arms, this event put the USSR back on level playing field and could now compete with any other country in a nuclear standoff. -
McCarthy Witch Hunt
McCarthyIn response to Soviet spies being inspected in America, Joseph McCarthy began accusing people of congressional importance of being communist spies. The Rosenburgs were the largest scandal at the time. However, it was also a huge deal breaker for the cause because many Americans felt it was an unfair trial and punishment. Ultimately, Joseph McCarthy lost support when he attacked the army. This pretty much ended the era of Mccarthism -
Korean War Begins
KoreanWhen the North Koreans crossed into South Korea, the Korean War began. America sent troops to defend the democratic South Korea while the USSR sent money to defend the communist North Korea. This was arguably the first armed indirect conflict between the two superpowers. -
Warsaw Pact Forms
Warsaw PactAfter NATO was established without the USSR, communist countries in Eastern Europe formed their own alliance known as the Warsaw Pact. The standoff between these two would last until the USSR disbanded. -
Sputnik Launched into Orbit
Sputnik was the first satellite launched into orbit by either country. It was launched in the USSR and put the space race under way. In later years, the US would have to play catch up to put the first man on the moon. -
U2 Spy Plane
A U2 spy plane flown by Gary Powers was shot down in Russia. It was the US spying on Russia, but refused to admit it. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
President Kennedy and the CIA aided a rebellion in Cuba hoping to overthrow the communist governement. It failed because Kennedy did not want to send in an airstrike along with the invasion. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
Nuclear war heads appeared on the island of Cuba. Kennedy ended up blockading the island and put diplomatic pressures on Russia to remove them. USSR removed the missiles in exchanged for removing missiles from Turkey -
Test Ban Treaty
USSR and the US signed the Test Ban Treaty to prevent both countries from TESTING other nuclear weapons. It helped USSR reduce the rising national debt -
First man on the moon
The first men on the moon were launched into orbit in the the summer of 1969. Neil Armstrong landed first and Buzz Aldrin second. Both of these men were from the USA -
Detente
Beginning in 1969, a series of talks between Nixon and Brezhnev began and the purpose was disarmament. These talks led to SALT I and II. -
SALT I
As a result of Detente's, the Strategic Arms Limitations Talks began. This was aimed at disarmement and lowered the number of nuclear warheads in each country -
Vietnam Ends
In 1975, after US troops vacated the country, North Vietnam officially conquered South Vietnam and established a communist governement. -
Iranian Hostage Crisis
A few hostages were kept in Iran during Carter's administration. This was the most significant black eye on his campaign. They were released on the first day of Reagan's oresidency. This increased tensions between the two sides. -
Brezhnev Dies
Leonid Brezhnev, the last great leader of the USSR dies. After his death, more democratic leaders come into power and the Soviet Union becomes more (but still very little) mixed government. -
Star Wars
Under the Reagan administration, the president suggested that startegic defense initiative could be used to deter soviet missiles. This was far beyond his time period, but still posed a threat to the USSR and forced them to increase millitary spending. -
Berlin Wall Falls
This symbolizes an end to Soviet rule over Eastern Europe. It foreshadows the death of the USSR. -
Satellite States Begin to Fall
Along with the Berlin Wall falling, this marked the end of the Soviet Empire. It would only be 2 years until the country itself fell. -
Soviet Union Falls
In 1991, two years after the Berlin wall fell, the Soviet Union collasped causing an end to the cold war.
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