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Russian Revolution
In 1917, a previously disavowed Vladmir Lenin led the Communist Bolshavik party to power in Russia, overthrowing the Czar in a violent revolution. Lenin and his followers formed the U.S.S.R (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) taking control under false promise of "Peace, Land , and Bread" but instead ruling by fear and oppression. Shortly after Lenin's death, one of his high ranking officers- Joseph Stalin succeeded him to power, and continuing with an even more ruthless hand. -
Potsdam conference
From July 17th to August 2nd of the year 1945, the "big three" Harry S. Truman (United States President), Winston Churchill, (United Kingdom Prime Minister) and Joseph Stalin (Dictator of U.S.S.R) met to discuss the policies of postwar Europe (particularly Germany.) This was the last time the "big three" would ever meet, as Cold War tensions created major conflict between the United States and Soviet Union following World War Two. -
Atomic Bombs dropped on Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
On August 6th 1945,the world was changed forever, when the United States B29 bomber Enola Gay dropped the world's first atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Two days later, on August 8th, a second bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki. This ended World War Two and set the precedent of Nuclear weapons being used in modern warfare. -
Iron Curtain
In the months following the conclusion of World War II, the Soviet Union showed increased aggression in Eastern Europe. Germany in particular was divided between the democratic- U.S controlled West, and Communist-Soviet Controlled East. Winston Churchill (the prime minister of England) first coined the term "iron curtain" which referred to Soviet aggression in Europe. -
Hollywood 10
In Post-WWII America, there was a strong fear of communism during the Cold War. During the 50's in particular, many people in the media industry were investigated under suspected communist conspiracy. This was known as the "Red Scare," during the "Red Scare" -ten well known individuals in media (who were among the accused) protested the government's actions. They became known as the "Hollywood 10." -
Truman Doctrine
President Truman, in 1947, declared a new U.S. Foreign policy to combat the communist aggression of the soviet union in Post-WWII Europe.Under the "Truman Doctrine," the United States promised military and financial aid to any democratic nation which was resisting communism. -
Marshall Plan
In 1948, U.S. Secretary of State George C. Marshall implemented a new economic policy to aid in the rebuilding of war torn Europe. This policy of economic aid from the United States was known as the "Marshall plan" which provided more than 15 billion dollars in reparations to rebuild European cities over a 4 year span. -
Berlin Blockade and Airlift.
In the year of 1948, three years after Allied victory in Europe of the Second World War; a new threat was looming. The Soviet Union, led by ruthless dictator Joseph Stalin, blockaded the West German capital of Berlin from the U.S and East Germany. Alarmed by this aggression, the United States demanded that the Soviets remove the blockade. When the U.S.S.R refused, the U.S along with United Kingdom launched a series of airborne supply drops into Berlin, this was known as the "Berlin Airlift." -
Soviet bomb test
in 1949, USSR successfully tested its first atomic bomb.The atomic explosion, which at 20 kilotons was roughly equivalent to first U.S. atomic explosion during WWII. This frightened many Americans since the aggressive U.S.S.R now had Nuclear capabilities.It was later discovered the Soviet Spies had stole plans from the United States "Manhattan Project" and used them to develop their own atomic weapon. -
NATO
North.Atlantic.Treaty.Organization
United the free democratic nations of the world to act together in order to handle world affairs. -
Korean War
On June 25th, 1950 communist North Koreans invaded the democratic South. The United States acted through the U.N in defensive action to this attack. in the year of 1950, the United States launched an offensive and pushed the Communists out of South Korea. However when they crossed the 38th parallel the war became a stalemate when Chinese forces joined with North Korea. A peace agreement was signed between the U.S and China and Korea was divided between North and South. -
Khruschev Takes over
When the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin died in March of 1953, Nikita Khruschev replaced him as premier leader of the U.S.S.R. Khruschev was vicious and ruled similarly to Stalin, he led the Soviet Union for long span of the Cold War. He crushed a revolution in Hungary and in one instance even waved his shoe at the United Nations in disrespect. -
Eisenhower’s Massive Retaliation Policy
Similar to "brinkmanship" the U.S. Government, under president Dwight D. Eisenhower declared the policy of "massive retaliation" that if the Soviet Union showed aggression, the United States would retaliate with a complete nuclear response. -
Army-McCarthy hearings
Already well known for his former interrogations of suspected Communists. Senator Joseph R. McCarthy began an even more unreasonable "communist hunt" when he turned his investigations to army security. This backfired on McCarthy when the Army responded by charging him with the use of improper influence. While he was was acquitted, McCarthy's popular support tanked, not long after, his political career failed. -
Warsaw pact
The Warsaw Pact was the Communist response to free world's creation of N.A.T.O (North Atlantic Treaty Organization.) It was signed in Warsaw, Poland, and included the U.S.S.R, along with seven Soviet cooperative states throughout Europe during the cold war. -
Hungarian Revolution
A national uprising that began Hungary during the year of 1956. However it failed horribly, only lasting 12 days, as it was crushed by the Soviet Army. Thousands of people were killed or wounded. Forcing close to a quarter-million Hungarian to flee the chaos. -
U2 Incident
In May of 1960, the Soviet Union shot down an American U-2 spy plane over U.S.S.R air space. Its pilot, Francis Gary, Powers was captured and the Soviet Union confronted the U.S. with the evidence of espionage, President Dwight D. Eisenhower was forced to admit to the Soviets that the CIA had been flying spy missions over the USSR since the late 40s. Powers was sentenced to 10 years in prison. However, after roughly 2 years, he was released to the U.S in exchange for a captured Soviet agent. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
in April of 1961, the CIA launched a full-scale invasion of Cuba by 1,400 American-trained Cubans. However, the invasion went poorly, the invaders were badly outnumbered by communist troops and surrendered after less than twenty four hours of fighting. -
Berlin Wall
On August 13, 1961, the Communist government of the German Democratic Republic (GDR, or East Germany) began to build a barbed wire and concrete “Antifascistischer Schutzwall,” or “antifascist bulwark,” between East and West Berlin. The official purpose of this Berlin Wall was to keep Western “fascists” from entering East Germany and undermining the socialist state, but it primarily served the objective of stemming mass defections from East to West. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
During the Cuban Missile Crisis, leaders of the U.S. and the Soviet Union engaged in a tense, 13-day political and military standoff over the installation of nuclear-armed Soviet missiles on Cuba,
President JFK made it clear the U.S. was prepared to use military force if necessary to neutralize this perceived threat to national security.However, nuclear disaster was avoided when the U.S.S.R agreed to remove nukes in Cuba in exchange for the removal of U.S. missiles from Turkey. -
The Vietnam War
Beginning in 1961, after over a decade of tension in South Asia, the United States went to war against Communist North Vietnamese forces. This was in response to extreme aggression and brutal treatment of South Vietnam by the North Vietnamese regime. The United States sent the armed forces to protect South Vietnam which led to a roughly 10 year conflict. Over 58,000 U.S. Soldiers died during the war, ultimately the North Vietnamese were pushed back and the country remained divided. -
The Reagan Doctrine
In his State of the Union address, President Ronald Reagan defined some of the key concepts of his foreign policy, establishing what comes to be known as the “Reagan Doctrine.” The doctrine served as the foundation for the Reagan administration’s support of “freedom fighters” around the globe.
Reagan began his foreign policy comments with the dramatic pronouncement that, “Freedom is not the sole prerogative of a chosen few; it is the universal right of all God’s children.” -
Reagan’s Berlin Wall Speech/ and the Fall of the Berlin Wall (1989)
In one of his most famous Cold War speeches, President Ronald Reagan challenged Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall. Two years later (in 1989), elated East and West Germans destroyed the hated barrier between East and West Berlin.
