-
The Iron Curtain
Winston Chruchill's "Iron Curtain" was a physical boundry that separated Europe from the East to the West. This event took place by the end of the World War 2 in 1945 to the end of the Cold War in 1991. The Soviet Union used this term in efforts to block itself out from the rest of the non- Soviet controlled places. Churchill had separted the Eastern countries from the West so that no one would be aware of what was going on behind the "curtain." -
The Greek Civil War
After the death of General Metaxas in 1941. Greece was left powerless and the Communists took control over Greece. When this occured they created the Nation Liberation Front also know as the "EAM." A group was then formed against them called the "EDES." Both of these groups fought in the winter of 1943-1944. In 1946 a corrupt election was held in Greece. The British were worried and turned to the U.S for help. in 1947 the U.S agreed to help and created the Truman Doctrine to help Greece fight. -
The Berlin Airlift
The Berlin Airlift took place when the Soviets decided to start a blockade of rail,roads, and water access to the Allied-contorlled areas of Berlin. When this took place it left the United States and the United Kingdom no choice but to airlift supplies needed. Fuel and food was airlifted to Berlin from the allied airbases in Western Germany. This all came to an end in May 12, 1949 when the Soviets lifted the blockade and allowed them access again. -
The Korean War
The Korean War was a war between North and South Korea. In the war a United Nations force that was led by the United States helped fight for the South and China fought for the North, which also had help from the Soviet Union. The war came about from the division of Korea at the end of World War 2 and from global issues of the Cold War. The Korean War ended on July 27, 1953. -
The Space Race
The Space race was a competition between the United States and the Soviet Union. They were both aiming for supremacy in spaceflight capability. The competition began on August 2, 1955 after the Soviet Unions repsonse to the United States annoucement four days earlier in intent to launch artificial satellites for the International Geophysical year. The Soviet Union beat the US, by launching Sputnik 1 and later on also beat the US to the first human in space. -
Soviet invasion of Hungary
After the death of Stalin in 1953 the Hungarian's thought they would be free from Soviet Rule. Sadly, they were wrong; instead they ended up getting a new Russian leader who enforced similar policies this left them no choice but to start a protest civilians wanted more food, more freedom and the removal of the secret police. The streets of Budapest was out of control and the left Nagar no other choice but to restore order, Tanks went out into the streets killing people in Budapest who were out. -
Sputnik
History was changed when the Soviet Union succesfully launched the worlds first artifical satellite into the orbit of earth on October 4th 1957.Although, the launching of the Sputnik was a single event that took place, it was the start of the Space age and U.S-U.S.S.R Space race. The Sputnik launch had caught everyones attention and the American public off guard. The public feared that if the Soviets had the capability to launch this that they could also have the abiility to carry missiles. -
The Bay of Pigs
In April 1961 the United States attempted to invade Cuba and overthrow Fidel Castro. Later on in April 15, 1,300 exiles armed with United States weapons landed on the Bay of Pigs. The United States had hoped to gain support from other to help overthrown Castro. Unfortunately, they were quickly defeated by Castro's army. Castro took contorl over Cuba in 1959 and in 1960 he took over U.S Oil refineries in Cuba. The United States had responded by stopping the purchase of Cuban sugar. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
After the failed attempt at the Bay of Pigs in 1961, Nikita Khrushchev came up with the idea of placing intermediate range missiles in Cuba as a means of countering an emerging lead of the United States in developing and deploying missiles. When the United States saw photographs of what was going on in Cuba they decided to televise it stating the discovery of the weapons and that any attack coming from Cuba will be treated as an attack coming from the Soviet Union and will be treated the same. -
Assasination of John F. Kennedy
Jonn Fitzgerald Kennedy, America's 35th president was fatally shot by Lee Harvey Oswald on November 22, 1963 at 12:30p.m Central Standard Time. A ten month investigaion took place, to determine whether Oswald commited the crime on his own. Oswald was killed by Jack Ruby before he could stand trial. Kennedy's death marked the 4th successful assassination of an American President. Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson became president when Kennedy died. -
The Tet Offensive
The Tet Offensive was a large military campaign of the Vietnam war that started on January 30, 1968. This campaign was a "campaign of surprise attacks against military and civilian command and control centers around South Vietnam." The Tet Offensive had played a large role in weakening U.S public support for the war in Vietnam. -
Operation Babylift
After the Vietnam war came to an end and many people fled, it left thousands and thousands of children orphaned and homeless. Humanitarian groups in Vietnam urged the American government to take action that was when operation Babylift took place. From the help of other organizations they were able to come up with a plan to fly 70,000 orphans out of Vietnam. Although one plane faced a tragic crash, they were ablt resuce the surviors and get them to safety. Many children had successful adoptions. -
Soviet War in Afghanistan
The Soviet War in Afghanistan was a war that lasted about 9 years. It started on December 24,1979 and ended on Feb 15, 1989. In the history of Afghanistant the internal conflict between anti-Communist Muslim guerrillas and the Afghan communist government (aided from 1979 to 1989 by Soviet troops). In 1982 when the soviets attempted to eliminate the mujahideen’s civilian support by bombing the rural areas, 2.8 millions Afghans had sought Asylum in Pakistan and about 1.5 million feld to Iran. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a huge barrier that divided Berlin from 1961 to 1989. The wall had completely cut off all connection from East Germany to East Berlin. The Eastern Bloc had claimed that the wall was built to protect its population from fascist elements conspiring to prevent the "will of the people" in building a socialist state in East Germany. In November 1989 government officials opened the wall. The wall fell down completely in 1992. -
Fall of the Soviet Union
On December 25, 1991 the Soviet Union disintegrated into 15 separate countries. The fall of the Soviet Union was hailed upon by many people in the west because it signified freedom. The United States had rejoiced at the fall of its enemy, therby the Cold War had finally come to an end. Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, the eighth and last leader of the Soviet Union, resigned and declared his office extinct, and handed over its powers. That evening the Soviet flag was lowered and replaced.
