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The Cold War Era
This period in time was known as the "Cold War Era," a period in our history in which there was a competition between the Soviet Union and the United States of America. -
Yalta Conference
The Yalta Conference took place during World War II. Attending the Yalta Conference was Frankling Rosevelt, U.S Presedant at the time, Great Britian's Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and the Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin. These three got together to discuss the world after WWII and the progress of WWII. -
Postdam Conference Begins
The Postdam Conferece was held towards what would be the end of WWII. "The Big Three" that attended this conference were the Soviet Union, Great Britian, and of course The United States. The Postdam Conference was made so that the "Big Three" could discuss what they were going to do with the threatning Japan and how to divide up Germany. They also discussed about post-WWII reparations. -
Iron Curtain Descends on Europe
On the 5th of March in the year of 1946, British Premier Winston Churchill delivered his famous Iron Curtain speech. Within this speech he stated, "From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent." In brief, Winston Churchill was saying how the European nations were falling under Communism and under the Soviets rule. -
Soviet Announces Withdrawal from Iran
The Soviet Union announced that within six weeks from March 25, they would make their troops withdraw form Iran. This marked history because the tension in the Iranian Oil crisis was getting bigger and bigger. The Soviets left Iran only after signing an agreement with Iran that favored the USSR. -
Truman Doctrine
The Truman Doctrine was created by the one and only President Harry Truman. The Truman Doctrine not only declared but established that the United States would aid in economic, political, and military assistance to all the Democratic Nations in threat of internal and external forces. -
Israel's Birth
On this Day David Ben-Gurion, the Jewish Agency's Chairman at the time, proclaimed that the Jewish state in Palestine be called Israel. The proclomation was given at the Art Museum in Tel Aviv. The United States was one of the first Major Powers to recognize this small Jewish state. -
Marshall Plan
On June 5, 1947 Secratary of State George C. Marshall announced the European Recovery Program(ERP). However, the EPR wasn't effective until April 3, 1948. The EPR, also known as the Marshall Plan, was created to help ease the economic troubles both in the United States and Western Europe following the years after WWII . -
Berlin Air Lift Begins
The Berlin Air Lift was the response that the Allies gave to the Soviet's Berlin Blockade. The Berlin Air lift sent needed supplies to West Berlin, such as water and food. At first the Berlin Air lift was supposed to be a direct military response, but the United States' President Harry S. Truman didn't want to start WWIII. -
NATO is Founded
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was founded on the 4th of April in the year of 1949. NATO was founed because of the threatning Soviet Union. NATO was also founded to stop Soviet expansion, stop a Nationalist Military from being formed again, and to encourage an integration in European Polotics. NATO was fromed from 28 independent countries, which amongst them is the United States. -
USSR Test an Atomic Bomb
The Soviet Union successfully tested and blew up an Atomic war-head on August 29, 1949. This test shocked the world, especially the United States. The United States recieved the greatest shock because they didn't expect any other country to possess nuclear warhead so soon, like the ones they had. This test made America cower for thier own safety. -
President Truman Approves Project H-Bomb
This impacted history bigger then an H-bomb explosion. The H-bomb, compared to the regular Atomic bomb, was considered to be superb and even more powerful, and that's why it marked history with quite an impact. Truman's approval gave the United States a huge leap in the Arms Race agianst the USSR. -
Korean War Has Begun
The Korean War started when North Korea invaded the borders of the Republic of Korea, which is actually South Korea. This invasion of 75,000 men was the first actual militaristic action of the Cold War. The United States only joined South Korea's behalf only to protect the world from Communism. -
Suez Crisis
The Suez crisis was first marked by the attack by the Israeli forces on the Suez Pennisula. France and Great Britain both wanted to take back what was once theres, the Suez Canal. The only way that Egypt would let them have the Suez Canal was though war. France and Great Britain were told to back off because there actions were seen as imperialistic, both nations agreed to leave the Suez Canal alone. -
Sputnik 1
On this day the first man-made satellite entered Earth's orbit. This satellite was launched by the Soviets, giving them advantages in polotical, military, technological, and scientifc developements. Because the launch was successful the United States and the Soviot Union had begun what's now known as the Space Race too. -
Sputnik II
They did it once, and they did it once again. The Soviets had launched yet another spacecraft into Earth's orbit, but this time it was also the first biological spacecraft. This spaceship was a huge improvement form Sputnik I, this one had all kinds of radio transmitters, and scientific instruments. -
NASA Is Established
NASA stands for National Aeronautics and Space Administration. This administration showed that the United States really wanted to defeat the Soviets in the Race to Space. NASA's sole purpose was to win the space race, the United States put in BILLIONS of dollars into this program for American Pride. -
Fidel takes over Cuba
At the young age of 32, Fidel Castro becomes the youngest prime minister to hold power in Cuba. Fidel Castro comes into power after the previous Prime Minister mysteriously re-signs. -
France Test Their First Atomic Bomb
France delivered a shocking 70 kilotons of nuclear power in the Sahara Desert on this day. This Atomic bomb was four times stronger then the United States' famous Hiroshima bound Atomic bomb. For France's first nuclear test, this bomb was way to advanced, -
The U-2 Incident
The 1st of May, in the year of 1960, a spyplane, the U-2, to be exact, was shot down within the natonal boundaries of the USSR. The Soviet Union wanted the president to confess that it was their spyplane. Of course, the United States denied everything, until real, hard evidence could prove otherwise. Former Soviet leader, Khrushchev, brought out an almost-in-tact spyplane and a live US pilot. With guilt and embaressment, the president of the United States of America had to accept the accusation. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
The Bay of Pigs Invasion was an invasion that attempted to overthrow the commuist government along with Fidel Castro. The Bay of Pigs Invasion was led by the United States CIA. The U.S CIA trained former Cuban exiles and armed them in Central America. The Bay of Pigs Invasion was a complete fail, it only increased the tension between nations. To start off, the cuban exiles had a terrible landing site so that was a terrible start. The exiles couldn't disable the Cuban Air force. -
Berlin Wall
On the 23 of April, 1961, the construction of the Berlin Wall had begun. The Berlin Wall was used as a physical and symbolic boundary. The physical division was between West Berlin and East Germany ; the symbolic boundary was between communism and democracy. This wall was not built to keep people from entering East Germany but to keep the people from leaving it. -
Cuban Missle Crisis Begins
The Cuban Missle Crisis began on October 14 of the year 1962. This missle crisis resulted because the Soviets had nuclear, medium-range warhead missles located 90 miles away from American Coastline, in Cuba. This missle crises only grew the Tension between the United States and the Soviets that much greater. -
Vietnam War (U.S Involvment)
On the 9th of February in the year of 1965 President Johnson orders the U.S Marine Corps deployed to Da Nang, South Vietnam. This was the first involvement coming from the United States in the Vietnam War. This was a very tough decision for the United States to do because the Soviet Union and China threatened that if the U.S got involved, they would too. -
USS Pueblo Incident
The USS Pueblo Incident was an incident that took place within international waters. North Korea's navy and air forces attacked the USS Pueblo, and ended up capturing 82 surving crew members holding them hostage for eleven months. -
SALT 1 Negotiation Begins
The Strategic Arms Limitation Talk, or SALT, began on the 17th of November. This Arms Limitation talk was being done by both the United States and the Soviet Union. The main "debate" was over Anti-ballistic Missles, and Multiple Independent re-entry Vehicles. The U.S and Soviet Union agreed to limit their defensive and offensive efforts. -
SALT 2 Signed
SALT II had the same intentions as SALT I, slow down the arms race. SALT I had left many open gaps and spaces as to nuclear warhead. SALT II was made to close those gaps. Although SALT II actually limited the United States and the Soviets on there Nuclear Weapons Delivery System and MIRV missles, it was a fail. It didn't really slow down the arms race, it just limited some factors. -
Iran Hostage Crisis
A mob full of angry Islamic revolutionaries took over a Unitd State's Embasy located in Tehran, Iran. They also took hostage more than 60 Americans. -
United States Boycott Olympics
On the 21st of March, 1980, former United States President Jimmy Carter announced that the United States' athletes will boycott the olympics that were to be held in Moscow, USSR. There reason for this "boycott" was because the USSR had invaded Afghanistan, revivng the tension between the USSR and US in the Cold War. -
Soviet's Olympic Boycott
On the eight day of May in the year of 1984, the Soviet Union announced that they will not participate in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. According to the Soviet Commitee the Soviets didn't accept going to the Olympics because they feared for the safety of there former competitors. This act was of course, a little sweet revenge for the United State's boycott in the year of 1980. -
Tiananmen Square Massacre
This massacre took place in the center of Beijing, China in the Tiananmen Square. Chinese troops stormed in and brutaly killed and arrested thousands of pro-democratic protesters. This horrible act of China left both its Cold War allies and enemies shocked. -
Taking Down the Berlin Wall
This was a major event that took place during the cold war. When spokesperson for Berlin's easter Communist party proclaimed that at midnight, November 9th, people could cross the country's borders. That day more than 2 million citizens from Berlin's Eastern side visited West Berlin. -
Germany Unifes
On October 3rd in the year of 1990, the Democratic Republic annd the Federal Republic of Germany unified as one single government. Both parties ended up agreeing on one single Federal Government. -
USSR Falls Apart
15 regions of the USSR had already announced , a couple days earlier, that they were no longer part of the USSR. That marked down history as when the USSR started to fall apart. On the 25th of December in the year of 1991, the former Soviet leader resigned form his office and gave up all his power. The threatning reign of the USSR was now over.