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Yalta Conference
A conference between Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin to decide the outcome of Germany after their loss in World War II. The country of Germany as well as the city of Berlin will be separated into four different parts which will be occupied by the United States, United Kingdom, Soviet Union, and France. This four-way split eventually led to the Western Allies and the Soviets splitting into two country’s know as East Germany and West Germany. -
Potsdam Conference
The Yalta conference stated that Germany would receive minimal help and their military will be weakened, military equipment will be taken, and they will become a weak military country. Western Allies wanted the Germans demilitarized but still strong enough to become self sustained. Soviet powers had major disagreements with the idea and wanted to keep the Germans on their knees after the loss of WWII. This led to a blockade in the city of Berlin and a political battle that lasted for many years. -
Truman Doctrine
The Truman Doctrine was created to provide economic aid to any democratic country who was in need of help. It promised to try its best in stopping the spread of communism. All while providing military assistance to country’s who were threatened by the communist Soviets or their allies. This doctrine set the stage for the next 40+ years as America and the Soviet Union battled out their differences throughout the countries of North and South Korea, as well as the city of Berlin. -
Marshall Plan
While the Marshall Plan was originally set to aid and help with recovery of European country’s. General Marshall had planned for the rebuild to stop the spread of communism through out the country’s. By giving the foreign country’s money to help rebuild, the industrialized US was the perfect place for the people to spend there money. The Marshall Plan is looked back upon as a huge success due to the aided recovery it played for European country’s, as well and the economic boom it gave the US -
Berlin Blockade
The Berlin Blockade was the start to the Berlin Wall and the symbol for the Iron Curtain across Europe. This Soviet blockade separating Berlin in half had put a limit on the border agreements made at the Yalta conference. This event made giving supplies to the Eastern side of Germany very difficult as it could only be supplied via plane. Soviets were making their attempt of blocking out Western Allies to spread communism across Eastern Germany. -
Formation of NATO
NATO is a combined organization of countries who fought against the spread of communism, working towards ending the Cold War. The alliance stated that country's involved in NATO would help one another out if they were to be attacked or over-ruled by Soviet forces. While the formation of NATO was a major security factor for Western Allies, the idea gave off an uneasy feeling to Eastern Communists. Thus leading to the formation of the Warsaw Pact, an eastern group of country's coming together. -
End to American Atomic Bomb Monopoly
Russia’s successful attempt of a nuclear bomb ended the leverage that the Americans held over the world. With more then one country now in possession of the worlds most devastating weapon, the Cold War became a gate way to World War III. America along with there allies were both protected from any form of attack and stopped the Cold War from becoming a bloody war in my opinion. A war has yet to be started, but the factor of two enemies holding such power had created a sense of fear in everyone. -
Korean War
The Korea war, like most wars during this Cold War time period, was a fight between the Soviets and the Americans, who used satellite country’s instead of there own. The war was due to the separation which made up North and South Korean. After the totalitarian leader of North Korea got the go ahead to invade South Korea, a large battle sprung between the Western Allies and the Koreans, Chinese, and Soviets. The outcome of this battle led to a stand still that is still going on to this day. -
Warsaw Pact
Following the formation of NATO, European countries under the Soviets power, formed a similar military alliance know as the Warsaw Pact. Fearing the strong growing alliances in the west, the Soviet Union gathered to protect from any possible western attacks. The Warsaw Pact grew to it’s role of spreading communism in eastern states rather then defending attacks. This became important when Hungary attempted to exit the group, but was met by communist forces which forced them to stay involved. -
Cuban Missel Crisis
Secret Soviet missiles were found on Cuban soil one day by a US telegraph plane. With such powerful weapons so close to America’s border, the two countries were on the bridge of a Third World War. America decided to surround the country of Cuba and threatened to raid and neutralize the Soviets base if an attack were to happen. Soviets eventually pulled their missiles from the island with the agreement that no Americans would attack. This followed by America pulling their miss lies from turkey. -
SALT Treaty's
SALT I, an agreement to limit the size, and production of both militaries nuclear weapons. Both sides agreed to have two defense sights and a set number of nuclear bombs. SALT II was much more controversial, with both still furious from the first treaty. A set of rules came out of SALT II but it was never ratified. While the idea brought out some good in limitation of nuclear weapons. It was known on both sides that a treaty agreement won't prevent there different beliefs for the future ahead. -
Fall of Berlin Wall
On the east side of the wall was Soviet ran Berlin, and on the west was Western Allies. The Soviets plan to stop the western allies from bringing in supplies was countered by the allies responding with the stop of trading any supplies out of Eastern Germany. This plan failed for the Soviets and it led to the destruction of the Berlin Blockade. This was very important to the city of Berlin, as well as Germany because it gave the sense that the Iron Curtain across Europe was beginning to fall. -
Germany Reunification
Following a 45 year separation of East and West Germany, Soviet powers began to loose power over the people of East Germany. knowing the end of an era was near, the Soviet Union pulled it's men from the split state and Western Allies took over. Discussing reunification in the country, western powers provided aid in political structure such as an election which took place two months after reunification. Some seen this event as an end to the Cold War because it showed the Soviets on the fall back. -
Destruction of USSR
The fall of the USSR was majorly due to the Soviets flawed economic system which led to low growth and economic instability. The weakened economy couldn't keep up to globally growing economies around the world and their ideas of spreading communism were forced to come to an end. Having fought for many of the last decades just to wipe yourself out economically, Western Allies gained the feeling of victory over the Soviets. For the first time since the Atomic Bomb Monopoly, America had leverage.