Cold War Timeline

Cold War Timeline

Period: Jan 1, 1947 to Dec 31, 1961

Truman Doctrine

Mar 12, 1947

President Truman makes this doctrine because it is important to secure the democracies of foreign nations. This speech marked the beginning of the Cold War

Korean Election

Nov 14, 1947

United Nations General Assembly calls for elections in Korea.

Partition Plan for Palestine

Nov 29, 1947

United Nations adopts a plan for the partition of Palestine into Jewish and Arab zones.

Marshall Plan

Apr 3, 1948

The Marshall Plan was an initiative to aid Western Europe. They gave over $12 billion in economic assistance to help rebuild Western Europe after WWll.

Soviet Union Blockades

Jun 24, 1948

The Soviet Union blockades road and rail traffic between Berlin and the West.

Chinese Communist Forces

Nov 11, 1948

Chinese communist forces capture Manchuria.

NATO Founded

Apr 4, 1949

North Atlantic Treaty (NATO) is founded to provide opposition to the Soviet Union.

Federal Republic of Germnay

May 23, 1949

Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) comes into being.

Communist Party Weakens

Oct 16, 1949

Monarchists defeat communists in Civil War in Greece.

Friendship Treaty

Feb 14, 1950

China and the Soviet Union sign a 30-year treaty of friendship.

North vs South

Jun 25, 1950

North Korean forces invade South Korea.

UN Retreats

Nov 26, 1950

Chinese troops enter North Korea and United Nations troops begin to retreat.

Atomic Bomb Threats

Mar 14, 1951

General Douglas MacArthur advocates the use of atom bombs in Korean War.

Atomic Bomb Secrets

Mar 30, 1951

Julius Rosenberg and Ethel Rosenberg found guilty of passing atomic secrets to Soviets.

New Coalition

Oct 9, 1951

David Ben-Gurion forms a coalition government in Israel.

Britain's Bomb

Feb 26, 1952

Winston Churchill announces that Britain has an atom bomb.

Overthrows in Government

Mar 10, 1952

Fulgencio Batista overthrows the Cuban government of President Prio Socarras.

Justice by Execution

Dec 2, 1952

Rudolf Slansky is executed in Czechoslovakia for Titoism.

Diplomatic Relations Crumble

Feb 12, 1953

The Soviet Union severs diplomatic relations with Israel after bombing of embassy in Tel Aviv.

Joseph Stalin's Legacy

Mar 5, 1953

Joseph Stalin dies.

Soviet Union Fights Back

Jun 15, 1953

Soviet troops crush workers rebellion in East Germany.

France Retreats

Jul 20, 1954

France agrees to leave North Vietnam.

Threats on British Troops10

Oct 19, 1954

Gamal Abdel Nasser warns Britain that its troops must leave Egypt on 6th December

Reinforcements to Algeria

Dec 12, 1954

France sends 20,000 troops to Algeria.

Civil War Breaks Out

Apr 28, 1955

in South Vietnam between supporters of Ngo Dinh Diem and Bo Dai.

Economic Help

Jul 7, 1955

China agrees to provide North Vietnam with economic aid.

Diplomatic Relations Restored

Sep 13, 1955

between West Germany and the Soviet Union.

Violent Protests

Jun 28, 1956

74 people are killed during political protests in Poland.

Western Europe Bombs

Oct 31, 1956

British and French planes bomb Egyptian airfields.

Threatening to Intervene

Dec 6, 1956

The Soviet Union threatens to intervene in the war over the Suez Canal.

Effects of the Suez Crisis

Jan 9, 1957

Anthony Eden resigns as prime minister of Britain as a result of the Suez Crisis.

The Soviet's Appeal

May 10, 1957

The Soviet Union appeals to the United States and Britain to cease nuclear testing.

Monarchy Restored

Jul 15, 1957

General Francisco Franco announces that the monarchy will be restored on his death.

Secret Execution

Jun 17, 1958

Imre Nagy, former prime minister of Hungary, is executed after a secret trial.

End of Nuclear Testing

Aug 31, 1958

Nikita Khrushchev meets Mao Zedong in China and call for an end of all nuclear testing.

Troop Withdrawl

Nov 27, 1958

The Soviet Union demands that all foreign troops should be withdrawn from Berlin.

Victorious Troops

Jan 9, 1959

Fidel Castro and his victorious troops enter Havana.

Denied Admission

Sep 22, 1959

Member states vote again against the admission of China to the United Nations.

No Intervention

Dec 13, 1959

The United Nations decide not to intervene in the independence struggle in Algeria.

Aid Cut-off

May 27, 1960

United States ends all aid to Cuba.

New Blockades

May 30, 1960

East Germany imposes blockade of West Berlin.

Condemned Teachings

Aug 25, 1960

The Soviet Communist Party condemn the teachings of Mao Zedong in China.

Cuban Invasion

Apr 17, 1961

Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba.

Promised Support

Oct 11, 1961

United States promises to support South Vietnam against communist aggression.

Proposal Rejection

Dec 15, 1961

The United Nations rejects a proposal by the Soviet Union to admit China.