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The Marshall Plan
The Marshall plan was a program of economic aid provided by the U.S. Stalin refused it immediately. Any country thinking about accepting these reparations from the U.S would be scalded heavily by the Soviet Union. Only western countries accepted the reparations. This event can be connected to the Gaspire theme of economic because there was a transfer of money from nation to nation. -
Forming of NATO
In 1949, communist expansion cause 12 nations including the United States to form the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. These allied countries promised to protect each other during the war, and attempt to keep as much peace as possible. This alignment, can be connected to the Gaspire theme of geographic because each of these countries were spread out, allowing for multiple locations from which different armies from different nations could land to provide backup. -
First Soviet Nuclear Test
The first Soviet bomb was tested on August 29th, 1949 heavily angering the United States because the Soviets stole the U.S technology they were planning to implement in their "Manhattan Project" being a plutonium implosion device. The Soviets in launching the RDS-1 atomic bomb launched a multi-country arms race. This event is connected to the Gaspire theme of psychological because the countries without nuclear weapons began to question their safety at a personal level. -
The Korean War
On June 25th, the Korean war broke out after 75,000 Korean soldiers passed the 38th parallel. This event spiraled two sides being solidified in Asia, being the pro-western Korea, and the northern Korea backed by the Soviet union. This event can be connected to the Gaspire theme of geographic because the 38th parallel defined the begin of this war, and it was a war against both halves of Korea over essentially a turf war. -
KGB Established
The KGB in Russia is essentially the CIA for Russia. When this was established in the Soviet Union, it gave members of their nation a sense of fear because of the private police. The KGB was used as a powerhouse for getting things done within the Soviet Union. This event can be connected to the Gaspire theme of social because the members of the Soviet Union were constantly dealing with censorship and fear within their country. -
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a war fought between north Vietnam and South Vietnam and its ally America. This war was a long, expensive war resulting in 3 million deaths from both sides. America in also fighting Russia at this time had intensified fighting on both sides. This event can be connected to the Gaspire theme of economic because the great cost it was in terms of men, and money for both sides. -
Eisenhower Doctrine
Eisenhower made a policy in response to increasing tension in the middle east. This policy was later called the Eisenhower Doctrine. This doctrine called for a more independent government in the middle east. This event can be connected to the Gaspire theme of religious because during this time, Eisenhower called himself the most religious person he'd ever met, and it was believed that he made many presidential decisions with religion in the back of his mind at all times. -
Sputnik
Sputnik was the first satellite successfully launched into orbit. This event terrified citizens of America because they were unaware of the capability of the satellite. Sputnik was a huge event in the Cold War because it psychologically messed with the Americans looking to solidify their side of the space race. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
United States supported general Fulgencio Batista was overthrown by a Cuban guerilla army led by Fidel Castro. This event spiraled into a couple years of the United States CIA attempting to flush Castro out of power until the U.S attempted to invade Cuba, ultimately resulting in the United states having to surrender after getting overwhelmed by the quantity of men the Cuban army had. This event is connected to the Gaspire theme of political because it was a changing of power from U.S to Cuban. -
U-2 Spy Plane
In May of 1960, members from the Soviet Union shot down an American spy plane called the U-2 brought a new level of tension between the warring nations. In getting "caught" by the soviets, Eisenhower was forced to admit to the Soviets that they had been spying on them for years before they got caught. This event can be connected to the Gaspire theme of economic because losing their U-2 spy plane was extremely expensive because it was a stealth plane. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
After taking control of an island in the Caribbean, the Cuban's under Castro, ended up allying with the Soviet Union. They provided Cuba with nuclear weapons and other weapons to strengthen the Cuban military. The Americans were then faced with a sense of fear greater than any other. The Cubans were now so close, they could launch a missile from Cuba and hit Florida. This even is connected to intellectual Gaspire theme because the new technology Cuba had gave the Americans a great sense of fear. -
The Olympics
Before the Olympic, there was an order to siege Afghanistan from the Soviets. This increased the tensions before the games. Throughout history the U.S had been dominant in basketball, and the Soviets in hockey. Soviets won in basketball and the Americans won in hockey. This event can be connected to the intellectual Gaspire theme because both wins gave each nation a sense of nationalistic pride. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
At midnight in November, the communist party announced that they were allowing all GDR members (German Democratic Republic) to freely cross the border of the Berlin wall. In doing so, this was a crazy action in which there was a large cultural intermixing. This event can be connected to the Gaspire theme of artistic because at this time, many people painted and drew on the wall in celebration. -
Reunited Germany
Western and eastern Germany were finally reunited. The War Saw pact was seen as getting stretched thin. Eastern Germany was no longer communist and was prepared to finally rejoin the other half of Germany. This event can be connected to the Gaspire theme of cultural because after being separated for 45 years, and eastern Germany being communist for 45 years, there was a large amount of cultural blending, despite being the same nation. -
M.A.D
During the Cold War, there was the implementation of a policy called mutually assured destruction. Essentially, it was an agreement that there is enough nuclear bombs in each country to wipe each country entirely. Today, the same policy is in place after countless numbers of nuclear weapons are unaccounted for in Russia, and other places around the world.
