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Berlin Airlift
The Soviets started the Berlin Airlift by cutting off all road, rail and canal links between West Germany and West Berlin. The United States and the British flew in supplies to West Berlin. The event lasted 11 months. Source: https://thekholdwar.weebly.com/10-major-events.html -
Korean War
The war lasted from 1950-1953. The US helped South Korea fight off North Korea. This was the US's first big victory in containing communism against the Soviets. Source: https://thekholdwar.weebly.com/10-major-events.html -
Sputnik Crisis
The Sputnik Crisis began on October 4, 1957 when the Soviets launched Sputnik 1. Sputnik 1 was harmless, but it rattled the American people. Source: https://thekholdwar.weebly.com/10-major-events.html -
U-2 Incident
On May 1, 1960, the Soviet Union shot down a U.S. U-2 reconnaissance plane and called the flight an aggressive act. This was the one instance that shots were directly fired. Source: https://thekholdwar.weebly.com/10-major-events.html -
Cuban Missile Crisis
On October 14, 1962, a U-2 spy plane flying over Cuba discovered nuclear missile sites under construction. Source: https://thekholdwar.weebly.com/10-major-events.html -
Non-proliferation treaty
The Non-Proliferation Treaty or NPT, is an international treaty whose objective is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and to further the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament. Countries started signing it in 1968 and it came into effect in 1970. Source: https://thekholdwar.weebly.com/10-major-events.html -
Vietnam War
The war lasted from 1955-1975. The United States backed South Vietnam and the Soviets backed North Vietnam. The United States was fighting against Communism. Source: https://thekholdwar.weebly.com/10-major-events.html -
Perestroika and Glasnost
When Mikhail S. Gorbachev created his dual program of perestroika (restructuring) and glasnost (openness), he introduced huge changes in economic practice, internal affairs and international relations in the Soviet Union. This eventually led to their fall. Source: https://thekholdwar.weebly.com/10-major-events.html -
Soviet Afghan War
The Soviet war in Afghanistan lasted nine years from December 1979 to February 1989. The United States smuggled weapons into Afghanistan to rebel fighters to help them fight against the Soviets. Source: https://thekholdwar.weebly.com/10-major-events.html -
Berlin Wall Falls
The Berlin Wall was a symbol throughout the whole Cold War representing the war itself and communism. The falling of the wall symbolized the end of the cold war and the end of the Iron Curtains dominance. This was important to the Cold War because it signaled the end. After this, the Soviet Union Collapsed and then the U.S. could finally exist in peace without fear. Source: https://thekholdwar.weebly.com/10-major-events.html
