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The Russian Revolution
The Russian Revolution was a Communist revolution in Russia, as a result of WW1, food shortages, and a discontent population. This set up the ideological differences between America and Communist Russia that would be prevalent throughout The Cold War. -
The Potsdam Conference
The conference at Potsdam between allied leaders after the defeat of Hitler displayed future tensions between Britain and America, wanting peace and freedoms for all in Europe, and Stalin wanting to take power of European countries and establish further communism. -
Atomic Bomb Dropped on Hiroshima
America dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. This event upset the Soviet Union, who knew of the existence of the atomic bomb due to their spies in The Manhattan Project, but did not expect America to use the bomb. The use of the atomic bomb changed how warfare would be fought in the future, cutting back direct attacks and declarations of war although creating a long period of fear of complete destruction brought by atomic warfare. -
Second Atomic Bomb Dropped
Three days after the first was dropped, America dropped a second atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Nagasaki. This bomb finally convinced Japan to surrender, before we dropped even more nuclear weapons. -
Iron Curtain
After WW2 a fictional barrier was created between the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe called the iron curtain. It was an important symbol of the complete seperation between communism and the rest of the world. -
Containment
In response to The Soviet Unions aggression, expansion, and goals, America put into place a policy of Containment. Containment was long term, patient but firm and vigilant containment of Russia and it's communism. -
The Molotov Plan
The Molotov Plan was the Soviet Union's system of aid and relief to help rebuild countries in Eastern Europe, specifically those aligned to communism though. -
Truman Doctrine
President Truman appeals to congress to assist free European countries, represents a large change in U.S. foreign policy. -
Hollywood 10
The Hollywood 10 refused to give names or admit to being or not being a communist. For refusing to go along with the hearings they were labeled as communists and blacklisted from Hollywood and treated poorly. -
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was a program passed by America to give economic assistance on a large scale to European countries to help protect them and attempt to resist communism from Russia taking hold in free European countries. -
Czechoslovakian Overthrow
During debates over the Marshall Plan the Eastern European country of Czechoslovokia was overthrown by communists. Helped show the importance of putting the Marshall Plan into place. -
Berlin Blockade
The Berlin Blockade was an attempt by the Soviet Union to blockade Berlin and starve out the city, and push out the allied forces in western Berlin -
The Berlin Airlift
In response to the Soviet blockade of Berlin America and its allies flew in the supplies needed to keep Berlin alive and functioning, and resolved to not be pushed out by the Soviets. -
Formation of Nato
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was formed as a military alliance guaranteeing that the United States and other countries within the organization would come to the aid of anyone attacked by the Soviet Union. -
Soviet Atomic Bomb Test
The Soviets tested their first atomic bomb on this date, many years ahead of all professional predictions. They managed this in large part because of the Soviet spies America had yet to discover within the Manhattan Project. -
Alger Hiss Case
Alger Hiss was a state official who was accused of spying for the Soviets, he was convicted of purgery. -
The Korean War
When North Korea invaded South Korea, America intervened and joined in what would be called The Korean War. America's involvement was a show of America beginning to actively combat communism, with force. -
Rosenberg Trial
The Rosenberg couple was accused of giving atomic bomb secrets to the soviets. they were executed in 1953. -
Army-McCarthy Hearings
These were hearings between the conflicting accusations between the U.S. Army and Senator McCarthy. This was another case of Communist fear, and it was brought into the public eye by the media. -
Battle of Dien Bien Phu
At Dien Bien Phu French colonial forces were beaten badly by Viet Minh forces led by Ho Chi Minh. This resulted in the French leaving the country and giving up. -
The Geneva Convention
The Geneva Convention was a conference among several nations with the main topic being settling issues from the Korean War and first Indochina War. -
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact was a treaty agreement signed by the Soviet Union and all of its Satellite Nations as a response to the formation of NATO. -
Hungarian Revolution
The Hungarian Revolution was an attempted revolution by the people of Hungary who wanted to revolt against Soviet-Imposed policies. The revolution was crushed by the Soviet Union. -
U-2 Incident
The U-2 Incident was a confrontation between the U.S. and Soviet Union that began with the shooting down of a U-2 reconnaissance plane shot down over the Soviet Union. -
Berlin Wall
In the middle of Berlin on the border of Soviet controlled East Berlin a wall was constructed, separating Berlin into two halves. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
The CIA-trained band of Cuban exiles was sent on an invasion of Cuba, with next to no American support. The invasion was crushed. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Soviet Union went into Cuba with nuclear missiles and other military assets, beginning a standoff with the United States. It was extremely close to starting a nuclear war, though it was resolved when Abbot Kennedy diplomatically met with the Soviet Union. -
Assassination of Diem
Kennedy supported a coup d'etat in South Vietnam that resulted in the murder of Diem and his brother. -
Assassination of JFK
In 1963 JFK was assassinated while being driven in his motorcade by Lee Harvey Oswald. Was a shock to America, and his vice president Lindon B Johnson would become the president, and get elected the next term before stepping down from running another term. -
Tonkin Gulf Resolution
Congress passed a law authorizing president Johnson to spend as much as he believed was necessary to maintain and promote peace in southeast Asia. This allowed him to bring in as many troops and supplies as he wanted to countries like Vietnam. -
Operation Rolling Thunder
A sustained bombing of Vietnam meant to weaken the Vietcong and North Vietnam Army. It was considered a failure as it was extremely ineffective against the enemy although it was sustained for three years. -
Tet Offensive
The Tet Offensive was a large scale attack launched over the Tet Holiday, considered a cease fire by both sides, done by the NVA and Vietcong. They attacked and took most South Vietnamese cities simulatiously, but were quickly pushed back out by the U.S. and while it was a millitary victory over the NVA and Vietcong it was seen as a defeat by the American media. -
Assassination of MLK
Martin Luther King was a prominent civil rights activist who was shot and rushed to a hospital where he died. Was another figure who contributed to a number of political assassinations that were making Americans lose some confidence. -
Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy
The presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy is shot several times and killed. This is important as it contributed to the fear Americans had due to the amount of political assassinations. -
Invasion of Czcechoslovakia
The Soviet Union invaded the country of Czechoslovakia. It demonstrated the offensiveness of the Soviet Union against other non communistic or rebellious countries. -
Riots of Democratic Convention
During the Democratic Convention there were large riots taking place. This was important as it showed many citizens discontent with the recent violence and discourse. -
Election of Nixon
Richard Nixon was elected as the president of America in the 1968 elections. Was a significant win for Nixon who had been defeated beforehand by JFK. -
Kent State Shooting
At this university 4 students were shot and killed by the national guard. This was a significant event as students in an anti-war protest were shot and killed, and got significant media attention. -
Nixon Visits China
In 1972 the president of the United States, Richard Nixon, diplomatically visited the People's Republic of China. This was important because it reopened communications between China and the US. -
Ceasefire in Vietnam
During the drafting of a peace agreement in Vietnam, president Nixon called for a cease fire of airial bombings. -
Fall of Saigon
The capital of South Vietnam was captured by the NVA and Vietcong. Represented the partial ending and loss of the Vietnam war by the United States who had mostly pulled out of combat by this time. -
Election of Reagan
President elect Ronald Reagan was elected as president of the U.S. He was a firm anticommunist and had a background in Hollywood, making him very charismatic. -
SDI Announced
President Reagan of the U.S. announced the Strategic Defense Initiative, also known as Star Wars. He shocked the world by calling on scientists to develop ways to render nuclear arms obsolete through defenses. The program was mainly to drive the Soviet Union to spend more on its nuclear program to keep up. -
Geneva Convention with Gorbachev
Reagan and Gorbachev met in Geneva for a diplomatic convention. While no large agreements were had, Reagan and Gorbachev developed a friendship which helped to ease tensions. -
"Tear Down This Wall" Speech
At the site of the Berlin wall, Reagan delivered a famous speech trying to get the Soviet Union to tear down the Berlin Wall. This forced Gorbachev's hand and he did end up tearing it down. -
Fall of Berlin Wall
Due to a speech from Reagan, the Berlin Wall and the complete seperation of the two halves of Berlin, was ended. The Soviet Union allowed passage between the two halves and would eventually come to fully tear the wall down.
