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The Cold War
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The Berlin Airlift
After the fall of Germany, Berlin was divided into four parts. Each part was controlled by a major player in WW2. Most of Germany, including Berlin, was in Soviet controlled area. The USSR closed off all of their territory and prevented supplies to enter western Berlin so that the other major players would surrender their parts of Berlin. Instead, the U.S., Britain, and France all airdropped supplies into western Berlin. Over 2.3 million tons of cargo was dropped into west Berlin. -
Formation of NATO
The U.S. and 11 other western nation formed the NATO alliance due to fear of Communism spreading. The Soviets created the Warsaw Pact in response. These alliances showed which side of the political divide your nation was on. Many of the military conflicts that occurred during the Cold War are the results of these alliances -
China becomes a Communist Nation
Mao Zedong and the Communist party in china overthrow the Chinese government. Mao Zedong declares the creation of the People's Republic of China. This ended the Chinese civil war. -
Start of Korean War
The Communist North Korea attacks the border of South Korea. In accordance with U.S. policy, it joined the war on South Korea's side, hoping to prevent the spread of Communism. The war was fought for three years before an armistice was signed. -
Start of Vietnam Conflict
At the end of WW2, Ho Chi Minh seized control of Hanoi and declared the creation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. North Vietnam and South Vietnam both wanted a unified Vietnam. The North wanted a Communist Vietnam and the South wanted a Vietnam with close ties to the west. Fighting began between the North and South. Soon a U.S. military intervention occurred, aiding the South. -
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Vietnam Confilct
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Launch of Sputnik 1
The Soviet Union started the space race when they launched Sputnik One. The U.S. responded by launching Explorer One. The U.S. government began to pour vast amounts of money into NASA and increased the military's research budget. The government also put billions of dollars into education to help make the american populace more intelligent with the hope that the U.S. would improve technologically even faster. -
Start of the Space Race
Space was yet another area for the U.S. and Russia to face off in during the Cold War. The launching of Sputnik started the space race. The space race was a competition to show scientific advancement and to try to claim space for military uses. The rockets used to launch spacecrafts were created and studied alongside those that would delivery nuclear payloads. Billions of dollars were put into NASA and other organizations that sought out space. -
The U-2 Incident
A U.S. U-2 spy plane was shot down over soviet airspace. The U.S. had to admit that the CIA had been spying on the Soviets. The Pilot served two years in Soviet prison before being released in prisoner trade. This raised tensions between the two nations. -
The Construction of the Berlin Wall
Free passage between East and West Germany were cut off. Two days later, a large wall was built by the Soviets to prevent anyone from crossing. At first it was just barbed wire. Then the Soviets stood over the Eastern Germans with machine guns and forced them to make a concrete wall. The wall was increasingly fortified over time. People that tried to cross were apprehended or killed. -
The Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban missile Crisis started when Soviet missiles began appearing in now Communist Cuba. In response, the U.S. started a naval blockade of Cuba. The U.S. went into Defcon 2. Then after an agreement was made, the U.S. ended the blockade and pulled their nuclear missiles from Turkey. The Soviets removed theirs from Cuba. -
JFK Assassination
JFK is assassinated while in a parade in Dallas Texas. While sitting in the back of a topless Lincoln, JFK is killed by Lee Harvey Oswald. Lee fired three shots, two at Kennedy and one at the Governor of Texas. JFK dies half an hour later and President Lyndon Johnson is sworn into office. Jack Ruby killed Lee as he was being taken to a jail. -
Start of the Tet Offensive
When South Korea was wining the Korean war, the North Koreans got desperate. They launched a huge offensive plan called the Tet offensive. The North launched over 100 attacks on southern cities and reversed the war practically overnight. -
Last US troops leave Vietnam
The U.S. signs a peace treaty. Two months later, all American troops are out of Vietnam. Soon after the U.S.'s withdraw, fighting broke out again. the North crushed the South and Vietnam became a communist nation. -
Soviet Troops Invade Afghanistan
Under the pretext of upholding a friendship treaty, Soviet troops enter Afghanistan. They take Kabul overnight and establish strongholds. Resistance fighters used guerrilla tactics to fight the Soviets. Accepting that they will gain no further ground, the Soviet troops pulled out of Afghanistan. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
The Berlin wall was put into place to prevent the defection of Germans from east to west Germany. As the cold war started coming to a close, the spokesman for east Germany allowed the crossing of the wall. People began crossing the wall and destroying it. -
Fall of the Soviet Union
After the death of Stalin, power was passed to a new leader of the communist party every decade or so. In the 1970s, the country was divided into the poor and the elites of the Communist party. Soviet oil prices were driven down. Political revolutions happened throughout thew eastern European states. Finally the Soviet Union fell apart and ceased to exist on December 31, 1991
