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Indian Independence
Mohandas Gandhi launched the first nonviolent campaign for independence. The Muslim League wanted to protect Muslim interests. A cease-fire was signed which left 1/3 of Kashmir under Pakistani control and the rest under Indian control. Britain also decided they didn't want the expense of colonies. -
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Berlin Airlift
Soviet Union cut off all traffic and water to West Berlin in hopes Allies would give up West Berlin or idea of reunifying Germany. A plane lands every 3 minutes. American and British officials fly in supplies for 11 months. -
Formation of NATO
NATO was defensive alliance composed of 12 nations, including the U.S. and Canada. The alliance was formed due to fears of Soviet aggression. -
Launch of Sputnik
Soviets launch the first unmanned satellite known as Sputnik into space. The Soviets used and intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) to launch it into space. Started the space race between Soviets and U.S. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
CIA trained 1400 anti-Castro Cuban exiles to invade the south coast of Cuba. Their ultimate goal was to overthrow the government. The U.S. didnt provide neccessary support which resulted in the invaders being easily deafeated. -
Ayatollah Khomeini is Supreme Leader of Iran
After the Shah fled, Khomeini returns and established an islamic state. Khomeini hates the U.S. for supporting the Shah so he approves of revolutionaries seizing the U.S. embassy in Tehran. The revolutionaries demanded the U.S. was to force the Shah to face trial. They took 60+ hostages for 444 days until they could come to an agreement witht the U.S. Khomeini also encourages Muslim radicals to overthrow secular governments. This created tension with Iraq which caused war to break out in 1980. -
Assasination of President Sadat
Egyptian President Anwar el-Sadat was shot by Muslim extremists during a military parade commemorating the 1973 Yom Kippur War against Israel. Khaled El Islambouly, the lead gunman, was captured and executed. The attack was premedidated. -
Tiananmen Square Protest
Nearly a million Chinese, mostly young students, crowded in central Beijing to protest for greater democracy and call for the resignations of Chinese Communist Party leaders deemed too repressive. The protestors kept up for nearly 3 weeks. Chinese troops stormed through Tiananmen Square killing and arresting thousands of protestors. -
Fall of Berlin Wall
The head of the East German Communist Party announced that citizens of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) could cross the border whenever they pleased. The people were ecstatic.
