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Yalta Conference
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Stalin, Winston Churchill meet at Yalta Conference. Soviet Union takes control of Eastern Europe and Cold War begins. -
Vietnam Independence
Ho Chi Minh proclaimed Vietnam an independent republic. -
Iron Curtain Speech
Winston Churchill condemns Soviet policies throughout Europe. Declares that an "Iron Curtain" has descended upon Europe. -
Marshall Plan
Called the European Recovery Program, collected over $13 billion in order to provide funding and relief for struggling European countries. Sparked economic recovery in Europe. Created a better investment climate in Europe for Americans to invest in. -
Berlin Blockade
One of the first international conflicts of the Cold War. Attempt by the Soviet Union to limit the Western European countries to travel to Berlin. -
NATO ratified
Peacetime military alliance made by the United States, Canada, and several Western European nations. Provided collective security against the Soviet Union. -
Korean War Begins
North Korea and South Korea began to fight. The Soviet Union supported North Korea while the United States supported South Korea. -
KGB established
Committee for State Security, foreign intelligence and domestic security agency of the Soviet Union. KGB’s responsibilities also included the protection of the country’s political leadership, the supervision of border troops, and the general surveillance of the population. -
Warsaw Pact Formed
The Soviet Union and its European satellites establish a mutual defense organization to put the Soviet Union in charge of the armed forces of the member states. -
Sputnik launched into orbit
World's first artificial satellite. Marked the start of the space age and the competition between the United States and the U.S.S.R.
