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Truman Doctrine Speech
The Truman Doctrine speech was Truman's speech to Congress explaining his plan to provide military and economic support to Greece and Turkey to protect them from falling under Communist governments. -
Soviets Launch Sputnik
Sputnik I was the first artificial satellite launched into space, ultimately leading off the space race against the Americans. -
Marshall Plan Authorized
Also known as the European Recovery Program was a more widespread version of the Truman Doctrine. The Marshall Plan offered economic aid to countries after WWII to help rebuild their own countries and prevent them from succumbing to Communism. -
NATO is Established
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was the main alliance during the cold war for the Western countries. It offered mutual security and defense for the countries involved. -
Soviets Test First Atomic Bomb
The Soviets tested their first true hydrogen bomb.This surprised the US that they had gotten the technology to build an atomic bomb so quickly and striked fear into US citizens. -
Start of Korean War
At the end of WWII, the previously Japanese governed state of Korea was left unstable. Communist troops were quick to occupy from the North and US troops were quick to occupy from the South in an attempt to prevent the spread of communism. The war ended with a ceasefire. -
Warsaw Pact Enacted
Like NATO, the Warsaw Pact was a large alliance but between the eight Communist states. -
Start of Vietnam War
Much like the Korean War, Communism was beginning to spread throughout Vietnam. In order to contain it and prevent other countries from following suit and falling into communist governments. The war ended with the withdrawal of US troops. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
The Bay of Pigs Invasion was a failed attempt by the US to invade Cuba. -
The Berlin Wall Goes Up
The East side of Berlin, under Soviet control, put up a wall separating it from West Berlin. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
A 13-day confrontation between the Soviets and Cuba versus the US where Soviets were placing missiles on Cuba and the threat for violence was high. -
Americans Land on the Moon
The Americans made a huge leap in the space race against the Soviets when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were successfully the first people on the moon. -
US vs. Russia Olympic Hockey Game
The USA Olympic Hockey Team beat the undefeated Soviet Union in the Olympic Finals in 1980. -
Berlin Wall Comes Down
The East Berlin leader Erich Hoenecker fell from power resulting in the tearing down of the Berlin Wall, unifying Germany once again. -
Collapse of the Soviet Union
Gorbachev resigned as secretary after many countries started to gain independence from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics leading to the fall of the USSR.
