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Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a U.S. government research project that produced the first atomic bombs. The date used for this spot in the timeline was when the first atomic bomb was exploded on site in New Mexico. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/362098/Manhattan-Project -
End of WW2
The end of WW2 is signaled by the signing of a surrender treaty by Japan on board the USS. Missouri. http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/02/world/btn-end-of-wwii/ -
Communist takeover of Albania government
The first of Eastern European governments is taken over by communist rule. This causes a domino effect of communism to begin to take over various other eastern european governments. Furthermore, this prompts Harry Truman to announce the Truman Doctrine. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albanian_resistance_during_World_War_II#mediaviewer/File:Map_of_Albania_during_WWII.png http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/mwh/ir2/sovietexpansionineasterneuroperev2.shtml -
The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) rises to prominence
This committee rose to fame with the help of Joseph McCarthy. They began a serious of hearings designed to show that communist undertakings were going on in the U.S.The committee targeted many left wing thinkers and those in the movie industry. More than 500 people lost their jobs and many others were blacklisted .Joseph McCarthy expanded this investigation to employees in the federal government and many of them lost their jobs.
http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/cold-war-history -
The Truman Doctrine
On this day, Harry Truman presented Congress with a plan to help give $400 million in economic and military assistance to Greece and Turkey. His proposal included the warning that if communism spreads to Greece and Turkey it will spread to the rest of the continent which is also called the Domino Theory. He also implored that it has to be America's job to support free people who are being subjected against communist rule. http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=81 http://upload.wik -
Berlin Airlift
The Soviets closed the Autobahn; the highway connecting western Germany to Berlin. This cut off food and supplies from West Berlin and prompted the Allies to initiate the Berlin Airlift. This airlift consisted of, "Allied cargo planes would use open air corridors over the Soviet occupation zone to deliver food, fuel and other goods to the people who lived in the western part of the city". http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/berlin-airlift http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d8/ -
NATO established
"The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is established by 12 Western nations: the United States, Great Britain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Iceland, Canada, and Portugal". This alliance was put together to provide a collective self-defense against Soviet forces. This organization also helped the USA become a bigger force in Europe. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/nato-established http://www.uspsconnection.com/cc_site/wp-content/uploa -
Korean War Begins
On this day, 75,000 soldiers from the North Korean Peoples's Army invaded the pro-Western Republic of Korea. This invasion marked the first military action of the Cold War. By the time it was July, America sent troops to help South Korea. The war lasted for 3 years until coming to an end with the Korean peninsula still divided. http://www.history.com/topics/korean-war http://media-3.web.britannica.com/eb-media/39/151339-004-68FCF709.jpg -
CIA-assisted coup overthrows government of Iran
The Iranian military, with the help and financial assistance of the United States government overthrew the government of Premier Mohammed Mosaddeq and reinstated the Shah of Iran. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/cia-assisted-coup-overthrows-government-of-iran http://www2.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB435/mohammadMosaddeq.jpg -
Vietnam War
This war was between the North Vietnamese known as the Viet Cong, and South Vietnam and its ally, the United States. The Viet Cong were under communist rule and the U.S. wanted to stem the tide of communism. This war went on for around 20 years with the U.S. losing for the first time in its history. http://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/vietnam-war-history http://media4.s-nbcnews.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Slideshows/_production/ss-100429-vietnam/ss-100429-vietnam-18.ss_full.jpg -
Warsaw Pact formed
The Soviet Union and seven other of its European satellites sign a treaty making the Warsaw Pact. This pact put the Soviets in charge of the armed forces of the member states. While this put the Soviets in charge, it also called on the members of the pact to aide in the defense against an threatening forces the neighboring members might encounter. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-warsaw-pact-is-formed http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Logo_The_Warsaw_Pact.jpg -
Soviets in space (Sputnik 1)
On this day, the Soviets launched the world's first artificial satellite and the first man-made object to be placed into the Earth's orbit. While this was a great human achievement, it was a great scare to America because the fear of Soviet take over was in the air. http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/cold-war-history http://www.scienceclarified.com/images/uesc_09_img0533.jpg -
U.S. launch Explorer 1
The U.S. launched its own satellite named Explorer 1. It was designed by rocket scientist Wernher von Braun, and it was America's retaliation against Sputnik 1. With the building of this satellite, the race for space was started. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Explorer_1 -
Bay of Pigs
Fidel Castro siezed power of Cuba in 1959. His relationship with the Soviet Union and proximity to America resulted in an invasion by the CIA-financed group of Cuban refugees. This invasion was a complete failure and Dwight Eisenhower took the heat. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-bay-of-pigs-invasion-begins
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East Germany builds Berlin Wall
The communist government of East Germany decided they wanted to stem the tide of refugees trying to leave East Berlin. So on this day they started construction on a wall that would divide East and West Berlin. This wall would become a symbol of the Cold War. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/east-germany-begins-construction-of-the-berlin-wall http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/Berlinermauer.jpg -
Cuban Missile Crisis
After the failed Bay of Pigs invasion, the Soviet premier Nikita Krushchev reached a secret agreement with Fidel Castro to store Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba to ward off any future invasion attempt. U.S. aircrafts took pictures of these nuclear missiles and the crisis ensued. Consequently, the US decided to use a naval "quaratine of Cuba.
https://history.state.gov/milestones/1961-1968/cuban-missile-crisis -
A Man on the Moon
Neil Armstrong became the first man to set foot on the moon through Nasa's Apollo 11 mission. This feat ended the space race with the U.S. as the victors and the ultimate heroes and the Soviets as the ultimate villains. http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/cold-war-history http://www.history.com/topics/apollo-11 -
Berlin Wall Falls
As the Cold War was coming to a close, the spokesman for East Berlin's Communist Party announced that citizens of the GDR were free to cross the country's boarder. More than 2 million people from East Berlin visited West Berlin.
http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/berlin-wall
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