-
The Marshall Plan
General George Marshall proposed the United States provide aid to all European nations that needed it. Congress debated the plan for several months, and decided to pass it owhen Soviet tanks took over Czechoslovakia. -
Creation of NATO
In response to the Berlin blockade, ten Western nations joined with the United States and Canada to form a defensive alliance referred to as North Atlantic Treaty Organization, ending US isolationism. -
The Korean War
This war between South and North Korea lasted for 3 years. The war was a result of a polticial division created by the Aliies at the end of World War Two. The North was sponsored by the Soviet Union, and the South sponsored by the United States. The fighting ended when an armistice agreement was signed in July 1953, restoring the borders. -
Rosenberg Spy Case
Ethel and Julius Rosenberg were convicted and executed on June 19th, 1953 for the conspiracy of helping to build an atomic bomb for the Soviet Union. The spies were caught by the FBI and offered no refutation and pleaded the fifth. -
Warsaw Pact
The Soviet Union became fearful when West Germany was allowed to join NATO. Therefore, it formed its own military alliance called the Warsaw Pact, with Eastern European satellite nations under its control. -
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a cold war military conflict, with South Vietnam supported by the United States, and North Vientam supported by communist allies. The U.S.became involved in the war to prevent a communist takeover of South Vietnam. The war lasted 19 years, and the U.S. pulled out in 1973. The war ended in 1975 and the North and South reunited a year later. -
Launching of Sputnik
Sputnik was the world's first artificial satellite and was about the size of a beach ball, and took 98 minutes to orbit the earth. This was a success for the Soviet Union and marked the beginning of the space race with the US -
Bay of Pigs
Bay of Pigs was an unsucessful invasion of Cuba done by Brigade 2506, a US counter-revolutionary militia funded by the CIA. The Brigade intended to overthrow President Osvaldo Dorticos Torrado. Cuban forces headed by Fidel Castro, defeated the Brigade within 3 days. The failed invasion strengthed Castro, but was an embarrassment for the United States. -
Berlin Wall Goes Up
Khrushchev ordered the closing of air and land routes between East and West Berlin. Just after midnight on August 13th, East German tropps began to build a concrete barrier bewteen East and West Berlin. The wall ended Berlin crisis but furthered the war tensions, -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Soviet Union was secretly building missile bases in Cuba, and contained several missiles ready for launching. The missiles were arranged to target several US cities. Kennedy implemented naval quaratine of Cuba and four days later on October 28th, Khrushchev announced plan to remove the Cuban missiles. -
First Man on the Moon
Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon as part of Apollo 11 mission. The accomplishment out the US ahead of the Soviet Union in the space race, and created a new hope for space exploration. -
Olympic Hockey Game
The US hockey team beat the Soviet Union in a hockey game in the winter olympics. This was a big event for both the US and Soviet Union. It was a major upset for the Soviets for they were viewed as one of the best teams, and a success for the US because of cold war tensions. -
US invasion of Grenada
President Ronald Reagan, citing the threat posed to American nationals on the Caribbean nation of Grenada, ordered the Marines to invade and secure their safety. There were nearly 1,000 Americans in Grenada at the time, many of them students at the island's medical school. In little more than a week, Grenada's government was overthrown. -
Reunification of Germany
East Germany opened the Berlin wall, uniting the two halves. People in Berln climbed the wall, cheering and dancing, while East German guards stood by and watched. In October 1990 the two German nations became one. -
Collapse of Soviet Union
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was formally dissolved on 26 December 1991 by declaration. This declaration acknowledged the independence of all fifteen republics of the Soviet Union following the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States. The Soviet Union and communism had fallen.
