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WW2 Ends
Ended September 2nd, 1945. This was important because it meant that many lives would be saved, but it also started a Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union, leading to many more “surrogate wars”. "World War II | HistoryNet." HistoryNet. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2016 -
United Nations
October 24th, 1945. The United Nations was made to maintain international security, and to investigate and settle disputes between countries that might lead to international friction. "Security Council, SC, UNSC, Security, Peace, Sanctions, Veto, Resolution, President, United Nations, UN, Peacekeeping, Peacebuilding, Conflict Resolution, Prevention." UN News Center. UN, n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. -
Chuchill's Iron Curtain Speech
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Truman Doctrine
March 12th, 1947. The Truman Doctrine was the American policy in 1947 of providing economic and military aid to Greece and Turkey because they were threatened by communism. It was the start of the containment policy to stop Soviet expansion; it was also a major step in beginning the Cold War. "https://www.boundless.com/.../the-truman-doctrine-and-the-marshall-plan-1172-9755/ N.p., n.d. Web." -
Marshall Plan
April 3rd, 1948. The Marshall Plan was an American initiative to aid Western Europe, in which the United States gave $13 billion in economic support to help rebuild Western European economies after the end of World War "Marshall Plan." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. -
Berlin Airlift
June 24th, 1948. The Berlin Airlift. After the Second World War, Germany was divided into four zones and occupied by Britain, France, the United States, and the Soviet Union. Between 1947 and 1948, cooperation between these powers broke down. The west decided to create a separate government in their zones. "The Cold War Museum." Cold War Museum. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. -
NATO
In 1949, the prospect of further Communist expansion prompted the United States and 11 other Western nations to form the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The Soviet Union and its affiliated Communist nations in Eastern Europe founded a rival alliance, the Warsaw Pact, in 1955. History.com Staff. "Formation of NATO and Warsaw Pact." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 01 Jan. 2010. Web. 10 May 2016. -
USSR's First Atomic Bomb Test
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China's Civil War
Began in April of 1927 and ended in May of 1950. The war was between the Chinese Communist and the Chinese Nationalist. The war began because both sides wanted to control each other’s territory. This war was important because it resulted in the establishment of the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan. "The Chinese Civil War (April 1927 – May 1950) – Summary & Facts." Totally History Chinese Civil War Comments. Totallyhistory.com, n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. -
Korean War
Began on June 25, 1950. It began when 75,000 soldiers from the North Korean poured across the 38th parallel. This was important because it was the first military action of the cold war History.com Staff. "Korean War." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 01 Jan. 2009. Web. 10 May 2016. -
H-Bomb
This event ends America's monopoly of atomic weaponry and launches the Cold War. In the 1950's, The Arms Race became the focus of the Cold War. America tested the first Hydrogen (or thermo-nuclear) bomb in 1952, beating the Russians in the creation of the "Super Bomb" The Cold War." - Nuclear Arms Race. Nuclear War Zone, n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. -
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Bringing to the Presidency his prestige as commanding general of the victorious forces in Europe during World War II, Dwight D. Eisenhower obtained a truce in Korea and worked incessantly during his two terms (1953-1961) to ease the tensions of the Cold War. "Dwight D. Eisenhower." The White House. The White House, 29 Dec. 2014. Web. 10 May 2016. -
Stalin's Death
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the leader of the Soviet Union from the mid-1920s until his death in 1953. "Joseph Stalin." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. -
End of Korean War
The Korean War was started when North Korea invaded South Korea. The United Nations, with United States as the principal force, came to aid of South Korea. China, along with assistance from Soviet Union, came to aid of North Korea. Wiki Staff. "Korean War." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. -
SEATO
President Dwight D. Eisenhower to put together an alliance to contain any communist aggression in the free territories of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, or Southeast Asia in general, Secretary of State John Foster Dulles forges an agreement establishing a military alliance that becomes the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) History.com Staff. "SEATO Established." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. -
Warsaw Pact
A military alliance of communist nations in eastern Europe. Organized in 1955 in answer to NATO, the Warsaw Pact included Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and the Soviet Union. Dictionary.com. "The Definition of Warsaw Pact." Dictionary.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. -
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (1955–75) was a Cold War conflict pitting the U.S. and the remnants of the French colonial government in South Vietnam against the indigenous but communist Vietnamese independence movement, the Viet Minh, following the latter's expulsion of the French in 1954. "Chegg.com." Definition of Vietnam War. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. -
MAD Plan
Mutual Assured Destruction. When the Soviet Union achieved nuclear parity with the United States, the Cold War had entered a new phase. Staff. "Mutually Assured Destruction Plan." Www.nuclearfiles.org. Nuclearfiles.org, n.d. Web. -
Sputnik
Sputnik 1 was the first artificial Earth satellite. The Soviet Union launched it into an elliptical low Earth orbit on 4 October 1957. It was a 58 cm diameter polished metal sphere, with four external radio antennae to broadcast radio pulses "Sputnik 1." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. -
Eisenhower Doctrine
In the Cold War period after World War II, U.S. foreign-policy pronouncement by President Dwight D. Eisenhower promising military or economic aid to any Middle Eastern country needing help in resisting communist aggression. "Eisenhower Doctrine." Www.britannica.com/event/Eisenhower-Doctrine, n.d. Web. -
When did Fidel Castro take over Cuba?
Established the first communist state in the Western Hemisphere after leading an overthrow of the military dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista in 1959. He ruled over Cuba for nearly five decades, until handing off power to his younger brother Raúl in 2008. History.com Staff. "Fidel Castro." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 01 Jan. 2009. Web. 10 May 2016. -
Francis Gary Powers
Francis Gary Powers, 1960. On May 1, 1960, the pilot of an American U-2 spyplane was shot down while flying though Soviet airspace. Staff. "U-2 Overflights and the Capture of Francis Gary Powers, 1960." Milestones: 1953–1960. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. -
John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy in Cold War: Cuban Missile Crisis to Detente. John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) was the 35th president of the United States. Elected in 1960 at the age of 43, he became the youngest person ever to be voted into the White House. Kennedy served from 1961 until his assassination in November 1963. Shmoop Editorial Team. "John F. Kennedy in Cold War: Cuban Missile Crisis to Detente." Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 10 May 2016. -
Berlin Wall
Fortified concrete and wire barrier that separated East and West Berlin from 1961 to 1989. It was built by the government of what was then East Germany to keep East Berliners from defecting to the West. Dictionary.com. "The Definition of Berlin Wall." Dictionary.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. -
Bay of Pigs
The Bay of Pigs Invasion, known in Latin America as Invasión de Playa Girón, was a failed military invasion of Cuba undertaken by the CIA-sponsored paramilitary group Brigade 2506 on 17 April 1961. "Bay of Pigs Invasion." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Bay of Pigs Invasion, known in Latin America as Invasión de Playa Girón, was a failed military invasion of Cuba undertaken by the CIA-sponsored paramilitary group Brigade 2506 on 17 April 1961 "Bay of Pigs Invasion." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 10 May 2016 -
When JFK was killed
Shortly after noon on November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated as he rode in a motorcade through Dealey Plaza in downtown Dallas, Texas. By the fall of 1963, President John F. Kennedy and his political advisers were preparing for the next presidential campaign. Staff. "JFK Assasination." Http://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/JFK-in-History/November-22-1963-Death-of-the-President.aspx. Http://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/JFK-in-History/November-22-1963-Death-of-the-President.aspx n.d. Web -
Lyndon Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson, often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States from 1963 to 1969, assuming the office after serving as the 37th Vice President of the United States under President John F. Kennedy, from 1961 to 1963. "Lyndon B. Johnson." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. -
Richard Nixon
Though Nixon was a staunch anticommunist, he set out to ease tensions with the Communist block after becoming president. The arms race with the Soviets had grown dangerously out of control during the 1960s. In part, this was due to a new strategic doctrine embraced by the United States. Nixon and the Cold War. Http://tdl.org/txlor-dspace/bitstream/handle/2249.3/193/12_nix_cld_wr.htm?sequence=6, n.d. Web. May-June 2016. -
NASA's First Moon Landing
On July 20, 1969 Neil Armstrong took the first step onto the moon. This was important because it was a huge technological advancement, and led to many more discoveries. "Armstrong Walks on Moon." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. -
SALT Treaty
Nixon and Soviet General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev signed the ABM Treaty and interim SALT agreement on May 26, 1972, in Moscow. For the first time during the Cold War, the United States and Soviet Union had agreed to limit the number of nuclear missiles in their arsenals. "Strategic Arms Limitations Talks/Treaty (SALT) I and II." Milestones: 1969–1976. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. -
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. was an American politician who served as the 38th President of the United States from 1974 to 1977. "Gerald Ford." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. -
Jimmy Carter
The Cold War’s brief respite came to an end during Carter’s presidency. Denouncing the Soviet Union’s human rights violations against dissidents and favoring a policy of confrontation, Carter and National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski ended Nixon’s policy of détente. "Carter and the Cold War." Carter and the Cold War. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. -
Soviets invade Afghanistan
The Soviet–Afghan War lasted over nine years from December 1979 to February 1989. Insurgent groups fought against the Soviet Army and allied Afghan forces. "Soviet–Afghan War." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. -
U.S. Boycott Summer Olympics
On March 21, 1980 Carter announced the Olympic boycott. This happened because the Soviet Union didn’t comply to his deadline to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan. This was important because it symbolized the commitment americans felt to fighting the Oppressive, Anti-democratic Soviet Regime. "Carter Announces Olympic Boycott." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. -
Miracle on Ice
February 22nd, 1980. 'Cold War on a Sheet of Ice': Political Legacy of 'Miracle on Ice' Hockey Win. Thirty-five years of hindsight provide fresh perspective on the “Miracle on Ice,” the improbable 1980 victory by a group of U.S. college hockey players over the powerful Soviet team in the Lake Placid Winter Olympic Games. Klein, Rick. "'Cold War on a Sheet of Ice': Political Legacy of 'Miracle on Ice' Hockey Win." ABC News. ABC News Network, n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. -
Ronald Reagan
January 20, 1989. Ronald Wilson Reagan was an American politician and actor who was 40th President of the United States from 1981 to 1989. "Ronald Reagan." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. -
STAR WARS - Strategic Defence Initiative
The Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), also known as Star Wars, was a program first initiated on March 23, 1983 under President Ronald Reagan. The intent of this program was to develop a sophisticated anti-ballistic missile system in order to prevent missile attacks from other countries, specifically the Soviet Union. "The Cold War Museum." Cold War Museum. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. -
When did the Soviets leave Afghanistan?
Then, from 15 May 1988, the Soviet troops started to leave Afghanistan. This continued until 2 February 1989. On 15 February 1989, the Soviet Union announced that all its troops had left Afghanistan. "Soviet War in Afghanistan." - Simple English Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 May 2016. -
George Bush Senior
During his presidency, President Bush devoted much of his time to foreign affairs, an area over which Presidents generally have more latitude than they do with domestic affairs. In his first inaugural address, Bush spoke of unity between the executive and legislative branches in foreign affairs, presenting a united front to the rest of the world MIllerCenter Editorial Team. "George H.W. Bush." Http://millercenter.org/president/biography/bush-foreign-affairs, n.d. Web. -
Tiananmen Square
The Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, commonly known as the June Fourth Incident or '89 Democracy Movement in Chinese, were student-led popular demonstrations in Beijing which took place in the first. "Tiananmen Square Protests of 1989." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. -
Berlin Wall Falls
On November 9, 1989 it was announced that people could now freely cross the border. This was important because it allowed refugees to cross as they please. History.com Staff. Berlin Wall Falls. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. -
When did Gorbachev come to Power?
Mikhail Gorbachev, in full Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev (born March 2, 1931, Privolye, Stavropol kray, Russia, U.S.S.R.) Soviet official, the general secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) from 1985 to 1991 and president of the Soviet Union in 1990–91. Staff. Http://www.britannica.com/biography/Mikhail-Gorbachev. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 May 2016. -
Boris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was a Russian politician and the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999 "Boris Yeltsin." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 11 May 2016. -
Fall of the Soviet Union
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics abbreviated to USSR or shortened to the Soviet Union, was a socialist state on the Eurasian continent that existed between 1922 and 1991 Wiki Staff. "Collapse of the Soviet Union." Https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Union, n.d. Web.
