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World War II Ends
A week after Hitler committed suicide, Germany surrenders. And after the bombings at Hiroshima, obliterating the town and Nagasaki, the Japanese formally surrendered shortly after. (http://www.historynet.com/world-war-ii) -
Containment
This was the US strategy to prevent the spread of communism. This strategy was put in place because the Soviet Union wanted to enlarge its communist sphere of influence in Eastern Europe, China, Korea, and Vietnam. (https://www.boundless.com/political-science/textbooks/boundless-political-science-textbook/foreign-policy-18/the-history-of-american-foreign-policy-110/the-cold-war-and-containment-586-4260/) -
Soviets Test Atomic Bomb
Americans encouraged development of atomic weapons. They wanted to better the technology that had ended World War II. This quickly became a competition for the Soviets. This led to the Soviets testing out their own atomic weaponry. With all the tests that both sides did, they released plenty of harmful chemicals into the atmosphere. (http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/cold-war-history) -
Soviet launched Sputnik
Space exploration was another competition for Americans and the Soviets. Soviet was the first to launch their missile, Sputnik. It was the "world’s first artificial satellite and the first man-made object to be placed into the Earth’s orbit." -
U.S. launches Explorer I
Explorer I was designed by the U.S. Army. The Space Race was underway. This same year is when President Eisenhower created National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), a federal agency dedicated to space exploration and other programs seeking to exploit the military potential of space. -
Soviet Man in Space
Soviets were still trying to beat America and sent their man to space first. -
Berlin Wall Built
The Communist government built this wall of barbed wire and concrete. The purpose was to keep the Western fascists out of the East. The Berlin Wall is still one of the most powerful symbols of the Cold War. (http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/berlin-wall) -
Cuban Missile Crisis
A spy plane flying over Cuba saw that missiles were still in production. This led to President Kennedy and others to debate whether they should take military action or try a diplomatic solution. (www.atomicarchive.com/History/coldwar/page13.shtml) -
Naval Blockade of Cuba
President Kennedy ordered the naval blockade of Cuba. Missiles were prepared for launch, submarines were dispatched, and bombers were on alert. The world was watching and tension was high. -
Withdraw Missiles from Cuba
Leader of the Soviets- Khrushchev announced that he would have the missiles withdrawn from Cuba. -
U.S. Man on Moon
The Soviets may have gotten a man in space first, but the U.S. was the first to successfully have a man walk on the moon. -
Nixon visits China
President Nixon wanted to use more diplomacy rather than military action. He was the first president to visit China since it became a republic. It's important because he was trying to end this conflict. (http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/cold-war-history) -
Premier Mikhail Gorbachev Took Office
When Gorbachev was elected he implemented two policies. One was of political openness and the other was economic reform. He became the first president in 1990 and won the Nobel peace prize that year. -
Berlin Wall Comes Down
When the East German Communist Party said that people could come and go freely, that's when the wall finally was able to be torn down. (http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/berlin-wall) -
Cold War Ends
When the Berlin Wall came down, the borders opened. Soviet Unions became little republics. People were free to elect. Americans were relieved the war was over, but were unsure if they could get over their Cold War culture-- used to bomb shelters, space race, and missile crisis.
