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Beginnings of the Cold War
The United States and the Soviet Union entered an era of tension and hostility, which became known as the Cold War. It was a struggle for power between two nations with different forms of government. -
The Truman Doctrine
The Truman Doctrine was a pledge to provide economic and military aid to oppose the spread of communism. The United States was committed to help free peoples resist take over by armed minorities. -
Berlin Airlift
Western leaders organized the Berlin airlift, a massive effort to supply West Berlin by air. The Berlin airlift was a success, and the Soviets called of the blockade of Berlin in may 1949. -
The Arms Race
The two superpowers were locked in an arms race, a struggle between nations to gain an advance in weapons. The United States soon had more nuclear weapons than the Soviet Union. -
NATO and Warsaw Pact
The United States, Canada, and Western Europe countries joined together in a military alliance called NATO. NATO was designed to counter soviet power in Europe. The Soviet Union and Communist nations formed the alliance known as Warsaw Pact. -
Communism in Cuba
In 1959, rebels under the leadership of Fidel Castro overthrew Cuba's dictator and installed a Communist government. Once in power, Castro established a centrally planned economy and forged close ties with the Soviet Union. -
Another Crisis in Berlin
By 1961 as many as 1,000 people a day were making the daily trip between their homes in East Germany and jobs in West Berlin. To stop this exodus, East Germany began erecting a tall barrier between the two halves of the city. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
In April 1961 this force came ashore at the Cuba's Bay of Pigs. America officials had believed the Bay of Pigs invasion would start a massive Cuban uprising of Castro. -
The Cuban Missile Crisis
In 1963 cam the Cuban missile crisis, a confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union over the installation of the Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba. After a two week standoff, Soviet leaders removed the missiles when the United States removed U.S. missiles from Turkey. -
End of the Cold War
By the end of 1991 , the Soviet government had ceased to function. After more than 40 years of tension and conflict, the Cold War was finally over.
