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An Iron Curtain descends across Europe
Phrased by Winston Churchill, the Iron Curtain was an imaginary line separating Europe into two, with one side influenced by the Soviet Union and the other by Western Influence. The wall was formed after World War II and was present until the Cold War ended, which created tensions between the two sides before the war. The Warsaw Pact and NATO were established on the respective sides of the Iron Curtain. -
Berlin Airlift occurs and Czechoslovakia becomes the last Eastern European country to become Communist
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Creation of East and West Germany
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China comes to the aid of North Korea and forces UN troops to retreat
In November 1950, the UN forces, led by General Douglas MacArthur, faced an unexpected large-scale attack by Chinese Communist Forces in North Korea. The CCF caught the UN troops off guard, leading to significant losses.
It is said that it could be due to security concerns and protecting their own interests that pushed China to intervene in the Korean War. -
North Korea invades South Korea
Led by communist leader Kim Il-sung, North Korea invaded South Korea and marked the start of the Korean War. North Korea was backed by the Soviet Union and China, with an aim of uniting the Korean peninsula. US and UN forces join to intervene in the war to support South Korea, while China helps North Korea push south. -
The Korean War ends with a cease fire and Korea remains divided at the 38th parallel and Stalin, leader of Soviet Union, dies
The war brought millions of casualties, and it reached a stalemate as the US, UN, and China came to intervene. While the Korean War didn't end with a formal treaty, both sides suffered a lot and neither side had an advantage. Negotiations were present, and they signed an armistice agreement on July 27, 1953. This agreement stopped the fighting and a buffer zone was established between the two. Meanwhile, Joseph Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union, died. -
The French lose the Battle of Dien Bien Phu and decide to pull out of Indochina
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Nikita Khrushchev becomes Soviet Premier and Austria reunifies under the condition they remain neutral in the Cold War
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Soviets crush a revolt in Hungary while the West does nothing
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Sputnik I is launched
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Construction begins on the Berlin Wall and the Bay of Pigs Invasion occurs
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Cuban Missile Crisis occurs and US increases number of military advisors to South Vietnam to 16,000
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation between the US and the USSR that occurred after the Soviet Union hid nuclear missiles in Cuba near the US. This threatened the US security as the two superpowers almost started a war. As a result, the Soviet Union promised to remove the missiles and the US promised not to invade Cuba. During that period, the US, supporting Vietnam against the Communist party, sent increasing numbers of their army to Vietnam, triggered by the heightened tensions. -
The Gulf of Tonkin Incident occurs and the United States' Congress passes the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution and Leonid Brezhnev becomes the leader of the Soviet Union
On August 2nd, 1964, two US Navy destroyers were attacked by North Vietnamese in the Gulf of Tonkin. The incident happened again two days later, which heightened the US's alert towards the Vietnam War and its influence. This led to the passage of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution by Congress which led to US involvement in the Vietnam War. -
President Lyndon B. Johnson sent the first 60,000 ground troops to Vietnam
As the US got involved in the Vietnam War, they provided aid to Vietnam. To increase US military presence, President Lyndon B. Johnson began sending troops over. With support from Congress and US state governors, Johnson gradually sent more troops and made a statement of pursuing war. -
American U-2 spy plane is shot down by the Soviet Union
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Tet Offensive occurs
The Tet Offensive is considered as a turning point. It was a series of surprise attacks from North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces against South, which occurred during the Tet Vietnamese holiday. They targeted major cities, and brought profound impact towards infrastructure and the people. -
Détente begins
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United States and North Vietnam agree to a cease fire
The cease-fire was represented by the Paris Peace Accords, signed on January 27, 1973 that included US withdrawal, release of prisoners of war, and the National Council of National Reconciliation and Concord that ensured democratic practices in South Vietnam. With signatures from all sides during the war, it was a multi-party agreement. -
The last combat troops leave South Vietnam and the nation falls to Communist North Vietnam
In April 1975, the last American combat troops left South Vietnam. This led to the fall of South Vietnam, which meant reunification with communist North Vietnam. On March 29, 1973, the Paris Peace Accords were signed, which promised the leave of US troops. After that, North Vietnam forces quickly took over the nation as the South gave in. -
Soviet-Afghan War begins
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Josip Broz Tito, president of Yugoslavia, dies and Lech Walesa establishes the Solidarity Movement in Poland
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Mikhail Gorbachev becomes the leader of the Soviet Union
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The Soviet Union withdraws troops from Afghanistan, Romanian uprising ousts Nicholae Ceausescu with his wife, and the USSR allows the dismantling of the Berlin Wall
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Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania declare their independence and East and West Germany reunite under Chancellor Helmut Kohl
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Soviet republics of Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Belarus, Moldova, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan declare independence and Gorbachev resigns and Boris Yeltsin becomes the first president of Russia
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Czechoslovakia becomes the Czech Republic and Slovakia
