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Truman Doctrine and Containment
On March 12, 1947, President Harry Truman urges a joint session of Congress to support his doctrine, which calls for U.S. financial and military aid to Greece and Turkey in an effort to protect the countries from Soviet domination. When World War II ended, the Soviet Union was expanding in Eastern Europe. Many Americans felt the best policy was containment which meant stopping the spread of communism. The United States would assist any country that resisted the Soviet Union. -
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was a plan invented by George Marshall in June of 1947. The point of the plan was to help Europe rebuild its economy and resist pressure to turn Communist. Marshall created this because he he feared that Europe's hungry & homeless might support the communist revolutions in Europe. -
The Berlin Airlift
After World War II, the Allies partitioned the defeated Germany into a Soviet-occupied zone, an American-occupied zone, a British-occupied zone and a French-occupied zone. In hopes of capturing West Berlin, they also hoped it would be impossible for people to get food and supplies and to drive Britain, France and the U.S. out for good. This failed and so, what became known as the "Berlin Airlift" took place. The U.S. and it's allies were able to supply millions of cargo for West Berlin. -
The Korean War
On June 25, 1950, the Korean War began when some 75,000 soldiers from the North Korean People's Army poured across the 38th parallel. There was a lot of fighting back and forth across the 38th parallel, the fighting stalled and casualties mounted with nothing to show for them. During the fight, Americans tried to fashion some sort of armistice with North Korea. However, they feared that there would be a wider war with Russia. -
The Red Scare/McCarthyism
In the early 1950s, American leaders repeatedly told the public that they should be fearful of subversive Communist influence in their lives. Senator Joseph McCarthy, a senator from Wisconsin had a lot of investigations into suspected communists. McCarthy accused all kinds of people including government officials and people in the military. McCarthyism ended in 1954 when Congress passed a motion of condemnation. -
The Space Race
After World War II drew to a close, in the mid-20th century, a new conflict began, and it was called The Space Race. Both parties wanted to launch satellites to destroy each other during the space race. This battle pitted the world's two greatest powers against one another. October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched an artificial satellite into orbit that was called Sputnik. The US responded and launched Explorer I in 1958. For the next decade, the two countries tried to outdo each other. -
Berlin Wall
During the Cold War, 3 million East Germans fled to west Berlin in search of a better life. In August 1961, East German soldiers began building a wall of concrete and barbed wire across Berlin, which was the Berlin Wall. The Berlin Wall sealed off West and East Berlin. It became a symbol of the Cold War. -
Fall of Berlin Wall
On the evening of November 9, 1989, East Germany announced an easing of travel restrictions to the west, and thousands demanded passage through the Berlin Wall. Faced with a growing demonstration, East German border guards allowed citizens to cross.
