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The Russian Revolution
The Russian Revolution was a communist revolution in Russia in 1917. This set up the ideological differences between democratic/capitalist America and communist Russia. -
Potsdam Conference
Meeting between Truman, Churchill, and Stalin. They discussed the control of defeated Germany, post war boundaries, winning the war with Japan, and securing lasting peace in Europe. The meeting outlined the divide between the US wanting democratic freedom Europe, while USSR wanting totalitarian control. -
Atomic bombing on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
The US bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki in an attempt to force Japan to surrender. The Soviet Union become upset that the US was willing to use such a destructive weapon, thus pushing the USSR to build its own atomic weapons. Warfare was changed massively from all-out infantry battles to pushing a single button. -
Iron Curtain
A metaphorical wall or border between the democratic and free countries of Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. Further drove the divide and tensions between the USSR and the US and UK. -
Truman Doctrine
US Foreign policy to give aid and money to countries fighting off Communistic expansion. It proved that the US was willing to spend millions of dollars to contain the Soviets. -
Marshall Plan
US loaned $12 billion to aid in the rebuilding of both Western European countries and their economies to keep communism from spreading between countries facing extreme hardship. US was willing to spend billions to withhold Soviet ideological expansion. -
Molotov Plan
A system created by the Soviets to give aid to the Eastern European countries that were aligned with the Soviet Union. This was main created in response to the US's Marshall plan. The soviets were will to give aid to any country that was communist in nature to better their image. -
The Hollywood 10
During the HUAC hollywood hearings, a total of 10 actors, directors, and screenwriters all pleaded the 5th. These people were arrested with contempt of congress and blacklisted from hollywood by being labeled as communist. continues the Red Scare. -
Berlin Blockade
The Soviet Union had blockade the US controlled city of Berlin in Soviet held East Germany to starve Berlin and to push the US out of it. The Soviets had tested to see if the US was willing to go to war for a single city. -
Berlin Airlift
During the Berlin Blockade, the US sent millions of tonnes of cargo to keep the city of Berlin alive. Proved that the US was willing to sacrifice a few of its own people to help save millions of others. -
Alger Hiss Trail
Former US communist party member, Whittaker Chambers, accused Alger Hiss of being a communist during his service in the state department. Created the mass hysteria and paranoia that drove family, friends, and neighbors to believe that someone could be a communist. -
NATO
The US signed a treaty with other democratic countries within close vicinity to the Soviet Union as a promise to defend those countries in case of a Soviet invasion. US was willing to spend American lives to stop the spread of Communism -
Soviet Bomb Test
The Soviet Union successfully detonated its first Atomic bomb. Now the main Super powers of the world had atomic bombs, plunging the world into a mass hysteria and paranoia of atomic war. -
The Korean War
Soviet and Chinese backed North Korean troops invaded the Democratic country of South Korea. The US supported South Korea via equipment, aid, and American troops. US was willing to fight a war to fight communism. -
Rosenburg Trail
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were accused of providing the Soviets with US atomic weapon secrets. They both were convicted and sentenced to the electric chair. They both were executed on July 19, 1953. This caused furthered the idea that anyone could be a communist in disguise -
Battle of Dien Bien Phu
French forces and Ho Chi Minh's forces, the Viet Minh, had fought over control for Indochina. The French were defeated and the conflict was resolved in the Geneva Conference of 1954. -
Army-McCarthy Hearings
Senator Joseph McCarthy had made the accusation of there being communist withing the US Army. These hearings resulted in the downhill action of McCarthy's reliability and credibility. Thus, leading to the end of McCarthyism. -
Geneva Conference of 1954
A conference in Geneva, Switzerland from 4/26/1954 to 7/20/1954. This conference was on the subject of the Korean War and the separation of French Indochina. -
Warsaw Pact
A coalition of the USSR and it's satellite countries to defend against invasion from the West. Created in retaliation to the West's NATO. This defined the sides of the Cold War. -
Hungarian Revolution of 1956
A uprising in Hungary that started with a student protest against the communist government. When a student delegation entered the state radio building, they were arrested. When the protesters outside called for the delegation's release, they were fired upon by the state police. This resulted in the death of a student, and the start of the revolution. The new government was set on free elections and leaving the Warsaw Pact. -
1960 U2 Incident
a United States U-2 spy plane was shot down by the Soviet Air Defense Forces while performing photographic aerial reconnaissance deep into Soviet territory. This caused the collapse of a Summit conference between the USSR, the US, The UK, and France. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
A botched invasion of 1,400 CIA backed Cuban paramilitary members to take over Cuba and overthrow the increasingly more Communist leader, Fidel Castro. The leading intelligence agency of one of the world's largest superpowers failed in an attempt to contain communism. -
Berlin Wall
The USSR built a wall around Western Berlin and cut the city off from East Berlin and East Germany. This wall stood all the way until 1990. -
The Cuban Missile Crisis
Confrontation between the US and the USSR about the building of nuclear missile silos in Cuba. This was a direct result of the failed Bay of Pigs invasion and the US having Jupiter silos in Turkey and Italy. Closest the world came to escalating into all-out nuclear war. -
Assassination of Ngo Dinh Diem
The President of South Vietnam, Ngo Dinh Diem, was arrested and assassinated in a successful, CIA-backed, coup d'état. The CIA then attempted to cover up the assassination. -
Assassination of JFK
The assassination of U.S. President, John F. Kennedy. He was shot while driving through Dallas, Texas. One of the most powerful men in the world was killed, and his Vice President, LBJ, Gained that power without election until 1964. -
Tonkin Gulf Resolution
A resolution passed by Congress that gave President LBJ the power to use conventional US forces in Southeast Asia without the need for a Declaration of War. -
Operation Rolling Thunder
Operation that consisted of constant aerial bombardment throughout Vietnam by the US and South Vietnamese. Used to demoralize the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong. This lasted from 3/2/1965 to 11/1/1968 -
Tet Offensive
North Vietnamese and Viet Cong headed a massive surprise attack against South Vietnam. The North Vietnamese was decimated and the Viet Cong were destroyed. It is strategically a victory for the US but is seen as a loss by the media. The news spreads -
The assassination of MLK Jr.
Civil rights activist, Martin Luther King Jr., was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. His killer, James Earl Ray, had shot MLK Jr. while he was walking along a balcony of his hotel. America looks like it is tearing at the seams. -
The assassination of Robert F. Kennedy
Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated shortly after he was declared the winner of the South Dakota and California presidential primaries for the 1968 election. America looks to be tearing at the seams. -
Invasion of Czechoslovakia
Joint invasion of Czechoslovakia by the Soviet Union, Poland, Bulgaria, East Germany, and Hungary. Resulting in the death of 137 Czech civilians, and 500 severely wounded civilians. Communist wing of Czechoslovakia gains more control over the country. -
1968 National Democratic Convention riots
During the 1968 National Democratic Convention, protesters rioted against the Vietnam War. This resulted in mass arrest and violence in Chicago. Continued disapproval of the War. -
The election of Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon won the presidential election of 1968. He was the 37th president. This marked the beginning of the US withdrawal from Vietnam. -
Kent State Shootings
During an anti-Vietnam protest, Ohio state guardsmen opened fire on protesters. This resulted in the death of four students. Continued disapproval of the War. -
Nixon visits China
Nixon surprised the world when he announced on live television that he was going to visit the PRC. This was the first time in 25 years that the US and China had diplomatic relations. Shows that Nixon is willing to have diplomatic relations with communist countries. -
Ceasefire in Vietnam
President Richard Nixon sign a ceasefire of all aerial bombardment of North Vietnam. Continued deescalation of Vietnam and the US withdrawal. -
Fall of Saigon
Saigon is invaded by Viet Cong and NVA troops. Last US diplomatic and military personnel evacuated from Vietnam. US officially ends Vietnam War. -
The election of Ronald Reagan
Republican candidate, Ronald Reagan, won the 1980 election for the US president. He followed policy of destroying communism rather than containing it. -
The announcement of the SDI
President Reagan announced the creation of the Strategic Defense Initiative. This initiative's goal was to create a Space-based laser defense system to destroy Soviet ICBM's before they reentered the atmosphere. The Soviets tried to replicate the system but inevitably failed because they had exhausted their economic funds and didn't have the research to do it. -
"Tear Down This Wall!" Speech
Against his advisers wishes, Reagan traveled to the Berlin Wall to call the USSR to tear down the wall. Shortly after, Gorbachev announced to the UN that the right of choice was a right to be held by everyone. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
West and East Berliners broke through the Berlin Wall after Gorbachev announced that the right of choice was a right of everyone. Several other Warsaw Pact controlled countries did the same and opened borders, tore down regimes, as well as appointing publicly voted officials. -
Dissolution of the Soviet Union
Gorbachev's last action as the leader of the Soviet Union, He dissolved the Union and recognized each of the Union's countries as sovereign nations.
