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Start of the Cold War
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The Yalta Conference
The Fig Three met at Yalta and divided Germany into occupation zones that would be controlled by Allied forces. They decided that the US, Great Britain, and France would take the western side, and the USSR would take the eastern side of Germany. The USSR said there would be free elections for Germany here as well. This was a political event because it was deciding which governments would govern which parts of Germany and how they would do it. It was also Geographic because it split up Germany -
The Truman Doctrine
President Harry Truman used a speech to ask Congress for foreign aid for Turkey and Greece in their wars to stop the domino effect. Congress granted $400 million to aid Turkey and Greece. This was a political event because the only reason President Truman wanted to aid these countries was to stop the spread of Communism. It was also an economic event because the US used their resources to convince these countries to not be communist. -
The Marshall Plan
George Marshall, the Secretary of State, proposed that the US should give to the needy European countries in order to keep them from becoming communist since it had worked with Turkey and Greece. It was a $12.5 billion program which Congress approved right when Czechoslovakia became communist. This was political because it was out of fear of Communism and it was economic because it providing other countries with our own resources and money. -
Formation of Comecon
The Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (Comecon) was established in 1949 in response to the Marshall Plan. The plan was to provide aid to communist nations so that they would not take money and resources from the US and become democratic. This a political event because it was in response to the US's attempt to stop communism. It was economic because they were providing aid to communist countries with their resources. -
Start of the Korean War
The Korean War was started because the Soviet Union turned North Korea into a communist country. They then crossed the 38th parallel and started the Korean War. The USSR helped the North Koreans and the democratic South Koreans were helped by the USA. Eventually NATO forces (South Korean) who were lead by the US forces pushed the north Koreans to the Chinese border. It ended in 1953 due to a stalemate at the 38th parallel where the boarder was established. -
Start of The Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was started in 1955 because the north Vietnamese (communist) wanted the south Vietnamese (democratic) to become communist and unite into a single Vietnam. This is a political issue since it all started because of a difference in political policies. -
The End of the Cuban Revolution
Fidel Castro overthrew a corrupt government on January 1st 1959. He then tool control over and installed a totalitarian communist regime with the support of the USSR. This was a Political event becasue it had to do with a new form of government forming in a country. -
The Bay of Pigs Invasion
The US trained over 1000 Cubans who were exiled to overthrow the communist Castro government. This overthrow was attempted in April 1961 and failed miserably. This cut all ties with Cuba. -
First Man in Space
Yuri Gagarin of the USSR was the first man in space. This was in response to the space race. This event is connected to the GASPIRE theme of intellect becasue it was a huge step in our technological advances to be able to get a man to space. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
In the summer of 1962, the USSR sent nuclear missiles to the now communist country, Cuba. The US blockaded the island of Cuba in October. John F. Kennedy demanded the missiles be removed or they would declare war. The Khrushchev removed the missiles on October 28th. This was a physiological event because it caused fear in many Americans that they would be bombed. This was also connected to Culture becasue everyone was in fear so they started to live differently (bomb shelters and bomb drills) -
The start of the Cultural Revolution
The Cultural Revolution in china started in May 16, 1966 and ended on September 9, 1976. They used the Red Guards, or students to protest against the arts and individuality. This is related to the theme Artistic because it takes away the right to have art in China during this time period -
First Man on the Moon
On July 20, 1969 Neil Armstrong of the USA was the first man on the moon. This was in response to having the first man in space during the space race. This event relates to intellect because it was a huge step for human's technology to be able to get a man to the moon -
USSR Wins Gold Medal
In 1972 the USSR beat the USA in basketball in the Olympics. This was a huge loss for the US since they had not lost a game since 1936. This was a physiological event because it hurt the USA's pride and sparked more competition between the two nations. -
Glasnost
This was a policy made by Mikhail Gorbachev in the Soviet Union that allowed more open mindedness. Churches were allowed to open again, banned authors could publish books again, and reporters could investigate problems and criticize officials. This was an event connected to Religion because it allowed churches to open again and people to practice religion once again in the Soviet Union unlike there were previously able to. -
Perestroika
This was meant to reform the Soviet Union's system and lead to economic restructuring with elements of Capitalism. This included some private ownership and businesses were allowed to keep profits. It was designed to increase worker motivation and boost the Soviet Economy. This event relates to Social becasue it shows that the government no longer has all the power and the workers now have power and the ability to keep their own money instead of giving it away to the government. -
North Korea' Threats (current event)
North Korea has threatened a nuclear war if we were to attack them. This is due to the tension caused by the Korean war where we helped the democratic South Koreans against the communist North Koreans.
