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The Marshall Plan
The marshall plan was the American program to aid Europe. The United States gave monetary support to help rebuild European economies after the end of World War II. The goals the United States had were to rebuild a region that was destroyed in war, remove trade barriers, modernize industry, and make Europe successful again. -
Berlin Airlift
The Soviet Union kept West Berlin Hostage, and cut off all Land access to the city. The city faced starvation. Stalin hoped that the blockade of West Germany would convince the Western countries to surrender control of Berlin. To keep the people of West Berlin alive, US and British planes airlifted supplies to the city. -
Creation of NATO
This organization is a system of collective defence where its member states agree to mutual defense in response to an attack by any outside force. -
Rosenberg Spy Case
Julius Rosenberg and his wife, Ethel were both arrested for conspiracy to send classified military information to the Soviet Union. Both were sentenced the death penelty and became the first U.S U.S. civilians to suffer the death penalty in an espionage trial. -
Korean War
The Korean war was when North Korea attacked South Korea, and drove the south and captures Seoul. The UN stepped in with troops from all 16 of its member nations to help, under the control of General MacArthur. The two sides fought continuously for two years. In March 1951, Seoul was retaken by South Korean troops. Finally in July 1953 the two sides signed an armistice ending the war. -
Vietnam War
The VIetnam war occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. It was fought between North Vietnam, and the government of South Vietnam. They fought a guerrilla war against anti-communist forces in the region as a way to prevent a communist takeover of South Vietnam. -
Bay of Pigs
The Bay of Pigs was an unsuccessful military invasion of Cuba. The attack was launched from Guatemala, and the invading force was defeated by the Cuban armed forces (within three days), who was under the command of Prime Minister Fidel Castro. -
The Berlin Wall Goes Up
Is when the East German troops began to build a wall between East and West Germany. A concrete wall topped with barbed wire separated the city in two. It reduced the number of refugees that fled East Germany into West Germany, and heightened Cold War tensions -
Cuban Missile Crisis
THe Cuban Missile Crisis was a 13-day confrontation between the Soviet Union and Cuba on one side, and the United States on the other. A US aircraft took several pictures showing sites for medium-range and intermediate-range ballistic nuclear missiles which started the war. The United States considered attacking Cuba via air and sea, but decided on a military blockade instead -
The Six Day War
The Six Day war was fought between Israel and Jordan/Syria. The war was started when Isreal launched a surprise bombing raid against Egypt. Within six days, Israel won a land war. Israeal took control of the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, the West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan, and the Golan Heights from Syria. -
US sends man to the Moon
Since the start of the Cold War, the US and Soviet Union had been competing on every level. This competition spread into scientific research, specifically the “Race to Space”. On 12 April 1961, the Soviets launched the first man in orbit around the Earth. Apollo 8 launched on 21 December 1968, and was the first spaceship with a man-crew to leave Earth and go to the moon. Apollo 11 was the first ever successful landing on the moon, and Neil Armstrong was officially the first man to set foot. -
Olympic Hockey Game
The Soviets were the heavy favorites going into the Lake Placid games. They had won the last four gold medals in Olympic hockey. The US team was made up of many ammitours. The Americans beat the Soviets in the gold medal match, 4 to 3, a great upset. -
US Invades Grenada
This conflict involved the U.S. on one side and Fidel Castro's Cuba on the other. President Reagan and his administration were concerned that the Marxist government of Prime Minister Maurice Bishop was allowing Cuba influence Grenada, by constructing a military-grade airport with Cuban military engineers. President Reagan's was trying to help out world-wide, so this gave him a perfect reason to enter and eliminate a Marxist government. -
German reunification
This is when East Germany opened the Berlin Wall, after 28 years of being separated. The two halves of Germany were reunited. Berlin people pounded away at the wall with hammers and other tools, destroying it. On October 3rd the two German nations became one. -
The Collapse of the Soviet Union
Is when Mikhail Gorbachev became the general secretary of the Communist Party and later the president. He started peace talks with the US. He recognized that good relations with the US will cut unnecessary spending and help the Soviet Union make good reforms. Gorbachev helped to restore free elections and eliminate government censorship. This led to the ultimate downfall of the Communist Party and the birth of a loose federation known as the Commonwealth of the Independent States.
