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United Nations Formed - Oct 24, 1945
The world wanted peace after World War II. Representatives of 50 countries gathered to create a diplomatic and political international organization with a purpose to maintain peace. -
Truman Doctrine - Mar 12, 1947
President Harry S. Truman presented an address before the Congress. His address, known as the "Truman Doctrine" was a request for assistance in Turkey and Greece. He feared they would fall to communist rule; he wanted to stop the spread of communist ideas. -
Hollywood 10 - Nov 24, 1947
This is the day that ten writers and directors were cited for contempt of Congress for refusing to testify before the HUAC. The 10 were Alvah Bessie, Herbert Biberman, Lester Cole, Edward Dmytryk, Ring Lardner, Jr., John Howard Lawson, Albert Maltz, Samuel Ornitz, Adrian Scott, and Dalton Trumbo. The HUAC asked these people: “Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?” -
Marshall Plan - Apr 3, 1948
The Marshall Plan was a US. program that was designed to restore economies for 17 western and southern European countries. This was to create stable conditions in which democratic institutions could survive in the aftermath of World War II. -
Soviets Invade Afghanistan - Dec 24, 1949
The Soviet Union sends thousands of troops to Afghanistan, immediately assuming complete military and political control. The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in hopes to bolster the newly established communist regime and suppress the ongoing rebellion against the government. -
NATO Formed - Apr 4, 1949
Also known as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO was created to provide a form of collective security against the Soviet Union. It was the first peacetime military alliance the United States entered outside of the Western Hemisphere. NATO currently has 32 member countries today. -
Korean War - Jun 25, 1950
Sparked from tensions in Korea, on June 27, 1950, the United States officially entered the Korean War. The U.S. supported the Republic of Korea (South Korea), in repelling an invasion from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea). Concerned that the Soviet Union and Communist China might have encouraged this invasion, President Harry S. Truman committed United States to join the battle. -
Space Race / Sputnik - Aug 2, 1955
This was a competition began on 2 August 1955, when the Soviet Union responded to the US announcement of their similar intent to launch artificial satellites. On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched the earth's first artificial satellite, Sputnik-1. -
U.S officially enters Vietnam War - Nov 1, 1955
President Eisenhower deploys the Military Assistance Advisory Group to train the Army of the Republic of Vietnam. The conflict in Vietnam took root during an independence movement against French colonial rule and evolved into a Cold War confrontation. -
Bay of Pigs - Apr 17, 1961
The Bay of Pigs invasion was an invasion of Cuba by around 1,500 Cuban exiles who opposed Fidel Castro. The invasion was financed and directed by the U.S. government. The main goal was to overthrow Castro and the establishment of a non-communist government friendly to the United States. -
Berlin Wall goes up - Aug 13, 1961
A 155-kilometer-long wall started construction on August 13, 1961. It cut through the middle of the city center, as it surrounded West Berlin. The Wall was designed to prevent people from escaping to the West from East Berlin. -
Berlin Wall comes down - Nov 9, 1989
During the night of November 9, 1989, crowds of Germans began dismantling the Berlin Wall. This was a barrier that had symbolized the Cold War division of Europe. By October 1990, Germany was reunified, triggering the swift collapse of the other East European regimes.