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Yalta Conference
Meeting between Winston Churchill, Joseph Stalin, and Franklin Roosevelt to discuss the reorganization of countries and territories in post-war Europe. This increased tensions of the Cold War as the Soviet Union and Western countries differed on the establishment of governments in these countries. -
Berlin Airlift
The Berlin Airlift was an effort made by the United States to bring food and aid to counter those affected by the Soviet blockade of Berlin. The United States brought over 2 million tons of aid to West Berlin -
Creation of NATO
The North Atlantic Trade Organization was created in attempt to halt the further expansion of communism. It is a millitary and government alliance system created by many western countries. The Soviet Union created the Warsaw Pact to counter this. -
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Korean War
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Geneva Accords
The Geneva Accords were a set of agreements that seperated Vietnam into two parts. The north part of Vietnam was to be under communist rule while the souther portion was of democratic rule. -
The Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact was a defense treaty that involved 8 communists states. The treaty was made in response to the creation of NATO and its purpose was to try and maintain peace throughout Europe. -
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Vietnam War
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Launch of Sputnik
The Soviet lanch of the satellite Sputnik was the first satellite to be put into orbit around the earth. Sputnik began an era called the space race between the Soviet Union and the United States. This event also contributed to the Cold War. -
U-2 Incident
An American U-2 spy plane is shot down over Soviet Union airspace. This incident prevented a summit meeting between the two countries from occuring. President Eisenhower had to publicly admit that the plane was, in fact, a US spy plane. -
Bay of Pigs
The Bay of Pigs was a failed invasion of Cuba attempted and carried out by the C.I.A. The invasion was aimed to overthrow the communist regime led by Fidel Castro. The invasion lasted only 3 days and was a disaster for the United States. -
Berlin Crisis
Beginning on June 4 and lasting untile November 9, the Berlin Crisis began when the Soviet Union gave the Western countries an ultimatum. The Soviets demanded that the Western forces withdrawal from West Berlin. This event led to the building of the Berlin Wall. -
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Berlin Wall
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Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union. The Soviets approved of the Cuban's request to place nuclear missiles in Cuba. This was the closest that the US and the Soviet Union came to a full out nuclear war. -
Moscow-Washington Hotline
The Moscow-Washington hotline was established so that the White House could have fast and direct contact with the Kremlin in times of an emergency. -
JFK Assassination
President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963. The Warren Commision found Lee Harvey Oswald guilty of murdering the president. Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn into the presidency. -
Gulf of Tonkin
The Gulf of Tonkin resolution declared that President Johnson had the authority to take any means necessary to insure national peace in Southeast Asia. -
Tet Offensive
Beginning on January 30 and lasting until September 23, the Tet offensive was a massive counter attack by the North Vietnamese. It was a group of surprise attacks on southern Vietnamese command and civilian posts. -
Apollo 11 Moon Landing
The Apollo 11 mission to the moon was the first successful mission to the moon. Americans Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first humans to set foot on the moon. -
Nixon's visit to China
President Richard Nixon went to China and took the first major steps in normalizing relations with the country. This visit ended twenty five years of seperation and isolation. -
SALT II
In a series of agreements lasting many years, the United States and the Soviet Union met to try to limit the production and mannufacturing of nuclear weapons. On June 18 the United States and the Soviet Union signed an act that would limit the production of stretegic launchers. -
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Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
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Invasion of Grenada
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Fall of the Berlin Wall
The communist party of East Berlin announced the changing relations with the west. The fall of the Berlin Wall led to easing Cold War tensions in Europe. -
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev's policies during his rule led to the end of the Cold War and the Soviet Union. His summit meetings with President Reagan were very constructive and eventually led to the dissolution of the Soviet Union and of the role of the communist party in governing the state. -
Collapse of the Soviet Union
The collapse of the Soviet Union seemed evident for a number of years. Finally in 1991, Mikhail Gorbachev resigned from power and declared his office distrinct. He handed over the government to President Yeltsin. This officially marked the end of the Cold War.