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Russian Revolution
The 1917 Russian revolution was a violent revolution that was the end of the Romanov dynasty and centuries of Russian Imperial rule. The Bolsheviks, led by Vladimir Lenin, seized power and destroyed the traditional rule creating the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. -
Atomic Bomb- Hiroshima/Nagasaki
During World War ll the US needed to put an end to the Japanese power and end the war with them. August 06, 1945 the first bomb was sent over in a B-29 bomber and dropped on the city of Hiroshima. It killed 80,000 people and wiped out almost all the city. The Japanese still have not surrendered and 3 days later US sent another one over and dropped it on Nagasaki killing 40,000 people. On August 15, Emperor Hirohito announced his country's surrender. -
Potsdam Conference
The conference was held to talk about the riff and tension between the 3 countries, Great Britain, United States, and the Soviet Union, and the postwar of Germany. The tension was that Truman and Churchill wanted to secure political freedom and democratic governments through Europe. Stalin on the other hand was looking to decimate all of Europe and add communism on all it's nations. -
Battle of Dien Bien Phu
The battle of Dien Bien Phu was the first engagement in the First Indochina War. It was between the French and Viet Minh forces for control of a small mountain outpost on the Vietnamese border. -
Iron Curtin
In one of Winston Churchill’s speeches in which he said that an iron curtain has descended across Europe.Meaning the boundary line that divided Europe in two different political views areas. Western Europe had the political freedom and Eastern Europe was under the Soviets rule. -
Molotov Plan
The Molotov Plan was created by the Soviet Union in response to the U.S Marshall Plan in 1947. The Soviets plan to aid and help rebuild the countries in Western Europe that were politically and economically involved with the soviet union. Same idea as the Marshal Plan. -
Hollywood 10
In October 1947, members of the film industry that were alleged communist. These people were screenwriters and directors for Hollywood Studios, who became known as the Hollywood Ten. They received jail sentences and were banned from working for the major Hollywood studios. Many other people at this time were also blamed for being a communist. -
Truman Doctrine
This represented a dramatic change in U.S foreign policy. And to try and help the spread of communism and the expatiation of Soviet Union. The doctrine helped supply items to countries in Europe. Provided food, money for rebuilding, coal, construction equipment and many other things. -
Berlin Wall
Berlin was split into sectors. The Soviets took the eastern half, while the other Allies took the western. Soviets build wall to make the inside suffer. Again tensions in 1958. Next three years, Soviets emboldened by the successful launch of their Sputnik satellite. Embarrassed by the seemingly endless flow of refugees from east to west blustered and made threats. The refugees were in floods around the city. -
Berlin Airlift
With the Berlin Blockade in place the Soviets are starving the people of all of Berlin. The Soviets have blocked all highways and roads off in and out of Berlin. The only way is the air. The US sent many planes in with cargo of the things the people needed. The airlift lasted for more than a year and carried more than 2 million tons of cargo into Berlin. -
Marshall Plan
The plan provided massive economic assistance. The purpose revival of a working economy in the Western Europe by giving them 13 billion dollars in aid like money, food, and equipment after the end of World War 2 to help restore their economies. -
Berlin Blockade
In 1948 the Berlin Blockade was put in by the Soviet Union. They disabled the French, US, and Great Britain to travel to their sector of Berlin. The blockade was a major issue as in World War ll just ended and not thinking to start another one. -
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization also known as NATO was formed in 1949. It was a treaty made between the U.S, Canada, and other European nations. It was in place for the placement against the Soviet Union. When needed they would join forces to take on the Soviets and other Communist countries. -
Soviet bomb test
In Kazakhstan Russia, August 29, 1949 the Soviet Union test there first atomic bomb code named as "first lightning". Evidence was found that a German scientist that helped U.S build the first atomic bomb gave blueprints to the Soviets which helped them run tests and build it successfully. -
Korean War
June 25, 1950, North Korea extends over the 38th parallel which was a boundary set between the Soviet Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to the north and the pro-Western Republic of Korea to the south. Fighting on the 38th parallel was constant. The fear of a bigger as in WWlll would start. The war ended in 1953 and Korea is still divided today. -
Alger Hiss Case
Alger Hiss worked as a former State Department employee. He was accused of being a spy for the Soviet Union during World War 2. He served jail time for 4 years. Whitaker Chambers assumed Hiss of being a communist and passing on top secret reports. The trial went on for a long time and became a victim of the anti-communist age. The case caused fear in people because the communist could be anywhere or anyone. -
Rosenberg Trial
Ethel and Julius Rosenberg were accused of selling and in connection to pass on U.S bomb secrets to the Soviet Union. They were persecuted as Jews and for their views. They were convicted and sentenced to death in the electric chair. -
Army-McCarthy hearings
The Army–McCarthy hearings were a series of hearings held by the United States Senate. From April to June of 1954, they were to investigate conflicting accusations between the United States Army and U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy. -
Geneva Conference
April 26, 1954, all representatives from the U.S., Soviet Union, China, France, and Great Britain meet in Geneva to discuss problems in Asia. An agreement was made that France remove its troops from North Vietnam. Then Vietnam would be temporarily divided at the 17th parallel and that no foreign troops enter in a 2 year period as they elected their own rule.But U.S and France did not sign the agreement. -
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact was formed by the Soviet Union and seven of its European satellites. They signed a treaty establishing a mutual defense organization that put the Soviets in command of the armed forces of the member states.Giving the Soviets full power if war did happen again. -
Hungarian Revolution
The 1956 Hungarian Revolution was nationwide revolt against the government of the Hungarian People's Republic and Soviet power imposed policies, lasting from 23 October until 10 November 1956. -
U2 Incident
On May 1, 1960 during the presidency of Eisenhower an American U-2 spy plane was shot down while over Soviet airspace and captured pilot Powers was then was sentenced to ten years in prison for espionage Powers then was exchanged for a soviet spy. -
Bay of Pigs invasion
On April 17, 1961, 1400 Cuban exiles launched what was an invasion at the south coast of Cuba. Known better as the Bay of Pigs invasion. In 1959, Fidel Castro came to power in an armed revolt that overthrew Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was the Soviet Union armed Cuba with missiles. Leaders of the U.S. and the Soviet Union engaged in a tense standoff wondering what move to make. In a TV address on October 22, 1962, President John Kennedy notified Americans about the presence of the missiles, explained his decision to enact a naval blockade around Cuba and made it clear the U.S. -
Assassination of JFK
John F. Kennedy, the 35th president was assassinated on November 22,1963. While driving through the streets of Dallas, Texas, Lee Harvey Oswald allegedly fired the shots. Later president Kennedy was pronounced dead at age of 46. Vice President Lyndon Johnson sworn in as President that same day. -
Assassination of Diem
November 2, 1963 Ngo Dinh Diem was arrested and killed by a group of soldiers. When the news hit streets it was political chaos among the nation. -
Tonkin Gulf Resolution
August 7, 1964 Congress passed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution or also known as the "blank check" which allowed president Johnson to take any measures he believed were necessary to keep international peace and security among southeast Asia. -
Operation Rolling Thunder
The US needed to put pressure on the North Vietnam’s communist leaders because the US was backing South Vietnam. Operation Rolling Thunder was the code name for an American bombing campaign during the Vietnam War. US aircraft bombarded all throughout North Vietnam from March 1965 to October 1968.This was the first sustained American assault on North Vietnamese territory and showed the US involvement with South Vietnam. -
Tet Offensive
North Vietnam, the Viet Cong, attacked Southern Vietnam from January 30, 1968 to September 23, 1968. Attacks happened in over 100 cities in South Vietnam. With the Tet Offensive North Vietnam wanted to have the U.S to withdraw from Vietnam. They both had many casualties but their move was successful in the U.S removing from the area. President Johnson then limited the bombing of Vietnam and then called for a negotiation. -
Assassination of MLK
Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee King was one of the biggest influences of the Civil Rights movement using a combination of impassioned speeches and nonviolent protests to fight segregation and achieve significant civil-rights advances for African Americans. National mourning had spread across the world, he died at the age of 39. -
Assassination of RFK
Robert F. Kennedy was shot on June 5, 1968 in a Hotel in Los Angeles. He had just won the California Presidential primary. RFK was shot by Sirhan. Kennedy was in the position to receive the Democratic nomination and then face off against Richard Nixon in the general election. -
Invasion of Czechoslovakia
On August 20, 1968, the Soviet Union led Warsaw Pact troops in an invasion of Czechoslovakia. They intended to crack down on reformist trends in Prague. The Soviet’s action successfully halted the pace to reform in Czechoslovakia. -
Riots of Democratic convention
On August 28, 1968 Democratic National Convention was in Chicago and thousands of Vietnam War protesters riot against police in the streets. While the Democratic Party falls apart over an internal disagreement concerning its stance on Vietnam. -
Election of Nixon
November 5, 1968, Richard Nixon is elected as the 46th President of the United States. -
Kent State
On May 4, 1970 four Kent state students were killed and nine were injured when the Ohio National Guard attacked a group of protesters outside Kent State. These type of protests would happen all over in university's , shops, and many other places. -
Nixon visits China
February 21, 1972 U.S President Nixon takes a step toward normalizing relationships with the communists in China. This re-established diplomatic relations between the U.S and China. -
Ceasefire in Vietnam
January 28, 1973 at 8:00 pm a cease fire went into effect and because of this Saigon controlled about 75 percent of South Vietnam’s territory and 85 percent of the population, both sides violated it. South Vietnamese forces continued to take back villages occupied by communists. -
Fall of Saigon
April 30, 1975 was the fall of Saigon was the capture by the People's Army of Vietnam they captured the capital of South Vietnam, Saigon. Fall of Saigon was the result of the North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong forces pushing the South Vietnamese to surrender and marking the end the war. -
Reagan Elected
Ronald Reagan was elected in 1980 as the 40th President of the United States from 1981 to 1989 . He was a politician as well an actor. -
SDI announced
On March 23, 1983 the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) or STAR WARS was announced by President Ronald Reagan. The program was to develop a sophisticated anti-ballistic missile system in order to prevent missile attacks from other countries such as the Soviet Union. This was US answer to the threats for afar. Showing that the US does have "defense weapons". -
Geneva Conference with Gorbachev
November 19, 1985 In a meeting in Geneva, President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev meet and hold a summit conference nothing produced no earth-shattering agreements. However, the during the meeting two men engaged in personal talks and seemed to develop a close relationship. -
‘Tear down this wall’ speech
June 12, 1987 U.S President Ronald Reagan went to West Berlin asking for Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to take down the Berlin wall that divided West and East Germany since 1961. Reagan took a risk on saying the speech knowing that it might not work, but ultimately it would contribute to the end of the cold war and there was pressure on the Gorbachev which made him fall. -
Fall of Berlin Wall
After the cold war was over President Reagan gave a speech made to Gorbachev about the Berlin Wall and that it needed in be taken down. November 9, 1989, more than 2 million people came to celebrate the removal of the wall
