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Period: to
Stalin leader USSR
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Period: to
Roosevelt US President
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Tehran Conference
Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin.
Discussed post-war Europe.
Agreed to launch Operation Overlord.
Commitment to USSR joining war against Japan after Germany's defeat. -
Percentages Agreement
Churchill and Stalin agree on the percentage each would get of the states that had been freed after WW2.
- USSR: 90% of Romania + 50% Hungary.
- UK: 90% of Greece + 50% Hungary. -
Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombing
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Division of Korea
Truman wanted to prevent USSR occupation of Korea.
Truman proposes to divide Korea as it was vulnerable after being liberated from Japanese occupation.
Stalin agrees but continues to treat Korea as sphere of influence. -
House of Un-American Activities Committee
Founded in 1938 but implemented in US government in 1945.
Investigated communist infiltration. -
Yalta Conference
Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin.
Discuss the division of Germany post-ww2 into 4 zones.
Planned establishement of the UN.
Stalin wants upper hand on Eastern Europe, but they agree to hold free elections. -
Period: to
Truman US President
-
WW2 ends
Hitler commits suicide. -
Potsdam Conference
Truman, Churchill (later Attlee) and Stalin.
Discuss implementation of agreements at Yalta.
Potsdam Declaration: ultimatum for the surrender of Japan.
Confirmation of German disarmament and demilitarisation. -
Period: to
Greek Civil War
Communist-led uprising against the British government in Greece. -
Kennan's Long Telegram
Described the USSR as expansionist and opposed to the West.
Proposed the policy of "containment" as the best strategy against the USSR.
Became the foundation for Cold War policies.
Influenced the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan. -
Churchill's Iron Curtain speech
Talks about an iron curtain descending upon Europe separating the US and USSR. -
Paris Peace Conference
Leaders from France, USSR, UK and US meet to settle peace treaties. -
Novikov Telegram
Response to Kennan's Long Telegram.
US seen as expanding its military and economic influence.
Warned that the US was preparing for a war against the USSR.
Justified the creation of a Soviet "buffer zone". -
US 'reverse course' in Japan
Not focused on the punishment of Japan, rather wanted to develop firm democratic institutions to achieve political stability. -
Truman Doctrine
Aimed at containing the spread of communism.
Promised US economic aid to countries resisting communism.
Marked the start of US containment policy. -
Bizonia created
UK + US zones in Germany merge to form Bizonia. -
Cominform created
Union of communist leaders worldwide to respond to the US economic imperialism and Marshall Plan.
Zhdanov Doctrine was published after this. -
Zhdanov Doctrine
Declared that the world was divided into two camps (imperialist - US and democratic - USSR).
Claimed that the US was using economic imperialism.
Justified USSR control over Eastern Europe. -
Period: to
Marshall Plan
$13 billion given to 16 European countries to stabilise economies after WW2.
70% was used by said countries to buy US goods. -
Alger Hiss case
Alger Hiss part of Roosevelt's government during the war.
He was a journalist and was accused of being a communist. -
Period: to
Berlin Blockade
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New German Currency
US introduces new German currency.
Deutsche mark. -
Berlin Blockade - blockade of West Berlin
Stalin orders a blockade to cut off rail roads and canal access.
He does this to prevent a unified West Germany. -
Berlin Blockade - Berlin airlift
Western allies launch Berlin airlift, delivering supplies by air.
1400 flights per day delivering over 4500 tons of supplies.
Use of US C-47 and C-54 aircraft. -
NATO
Western allies join to provide mutual military assistance to combat Soviet aggression. -
German split
East (GDR) and West (FRG). -
Berlin Blockade - lift of blockade
Stalin is forced to lift the blockade after its failure. -
CCP announces allegiance to USSR
Chinese Communist Party. -
China White Paper
US' strategy towards China. -
USSR develops nuclear technology
Matches US' nuclear developments. -
Period: to
Defensive Perimeter Strategy
By Dean Acheson.
Emphasized defending a perimeter that included Japan, the Philippines, and the Ryukyu Islands (Okinawa), but notably excluded South Korea and Taiwan. -
NSC-68
Stressed the urgency of building the US' political, economic and military power.
Focused on the globalisation of the Cold War and the application of containment. -
North Korea invades South Korea
UN demands withdrawal of Norther Korean forces from the south. -
Period: to
Phase 1 Korean War: offensive
Northern forces advance into the south.
Chinese troops stationed in Manchuria.
Throught the UN, 29 states commit to military, economic and medical aid. -
Period: to
Phase 2 Korean War: counter-offensive/offensive
MacArthur lands in Inchon forcing northern forces back across the 38th parallel.
Mao sends 300,000 Chinese troops to North Korea.
Major counter-attack against UN forces. -
Period: to
Phase 3 Korean War: stabilisation and negotiation
Chinese forces pushed through 38th parallel and captured Seoul.
UN condemned China as an aggressor.
US willing to negotiate with USSR and China a ceasefire. -
Period: to
Phase 4 Korean War: stalemate and peace
No major military offensives.
Lack of UN action convinced Mao + Stalin there was a genuine desire for peace settlement.
US consolidates relationship with Japan.
Peace settlement reached. -
San Francisco Peace Treaty
Japan + allied powers.
USSR refuses to sign.
Unrestricts use of military bases in Japan.
Right to use military force to intervene in any internal disorder in Japan. -
Bonn General Treaty
FRG enters NATO.
To protect from East Germany. -
Period: to
Eisenhower US President
Emphasizes importance of developing allies.
Wanted to create a global network of allies to contain USSR and China.
Created a 'nuclear umbrella' for its allies. -
Panmunjom Armistice Agreement
So late because of Stalin's death.
Rhee delayed negotiations because they wanted more help from the US.
Agreed that all military forces should withdraw to their territories across the 38th parallel. -
Period: to
Khrushchev leader USSR
-
New Look policy
By Eisenhower and Dulles.
Massive retaliation (increased reliance on nuclear weapons).
Brinkmanship (use nuclear strength as a diplomatic tool).
Rollback (reduce dominance of USSR communism globally). -
Period: to
Battle of Dien Bien Phu
French against Vietnamese.
Outcome: French loose and are forced to withdraw from Vietnam. -
Geneva Conference
Developments in Vietnam.
Established ceasefire and forced northen and southern forces to withdraw from eachother. -
SEATO
Southeast Asia Collective Defence Treaty.
Western allies.
To contain communism in Southeast Asia. -
Warsaw Pact
Response to West Germany joining NATO.
Eastern allies.
Collective security strategy. -
Austrian Treaty
Withdrawal of all occupying powers from Finland and Yugoslavia, they would become neutral states. -
Geneva Summit
USSR + US + GB + FR.
'Open Skies': Ike introduces to end inspection of each other's nuclear arsenals. Khrushchev rejects.
Future of Germany: Ike proposes free elections in Germany. Khrushchev agrees only if it is demilitarised and neutral. -
USSR take over nuclear monopoly
USSR test lithium-based H-bomb. More powerful than bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. -
Hallstein Doctrine
Announced that the FRG would end diplomatic relations with any state if they pledged allegiance to the USSR or acted unfriendly. -
Period: to
De-Stalinisation: Poland
Khrushchev threatens Gomulka (leader Polish communist party) if he didn'y agree to carry out reforms. -
Period: to
De-Stalinisation: Hungary
Nagy (Hungarian PM) claims that Hungary is devoted to the USSR and communism.
Red Army withdraws. -
USSR launch first ICBM into space
Intercontinental Ballistic Missile.
Gain nuclear monopoly. -
Sputnik I
USSR launched first satellite to orbit the earth.
First victory in technological arms race. -
Gathier Report
By Ike.
To investigate the state of US-Soviet nuclear capability.
100 to 30 lead in ICBMs in favour of the USSR. -
Bermuda Conference
Allows US to station IRBMs in the UK. -
Flopnik
US' first satellite failed. -
Khrushchev USSR's PM
Priority to strengthen economy and military defences.
Berlin became focal point. -
NASA
National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Ike created NASA. -
Batista replaced by Castro
Batista's regime collapsed and he is replaced by Fidel Castro. -
Camp David
Khrushchev + Ike.
Discussed disarmament and situation in Berlin.
Agreed to settle disputed through diplomacy rather than through force.
Led to Paris Summit. -
Paris Summit
Collapsed due to the news of US U-2 spy plane.
Khrushchev wanted peaceful coexistance. -
U-2 affair
USSR brought down U-2 spy plane piloted by Gary Powers.
U-2 plane confirms that Khrushchev is exaggerating Soviet nuclear capacity. -
NLF created
National Liberation Front.
North Vietnamese establish new nationalist organisation in South Vietnam.
Wanted to free South from US imperialism. -
Sino-Soviet split
Khrushchev's de-Stalinization policies angered Mao, who saw them as a betrayal of communist ideology. -
Period: to
JFK US President
Committed anti-communist.
Willing to take resolute stand against USSR.
Determined to retain containment as basis of US foreign policy. -
Bay of Pigs invasion
Planned during Ike's presidency but JFK used it.
Enabled 1500 anti-Castro exiles to land on Cuba and carry out a military coup to remove Castro.
Response to USSR sending 100$ million dollars in aid to Cuba.
Massive failure. -
Period: to
Berlin Wall
USSR sets up so East Berliners don't flee to the West. -
Checkpoint Charlie
Cold War nearly goes nuclear.
Tank standoff between US and USSR in Berlin. -
Period: to
Operation Mongoose
Overthrow Castro through covert operations (gathering information etc).
Developed airstrike and land invasion known as OPLAN. -
US takes over space race
US: 63 space missions.
USSR: 15 space missions. -
Period: to
Operation Ranch Hand
Sprayed chemicals over Vietnam jungles to defoliate and remove the cover of their enemy.
Used chemical Agent Orange (destroyed trees and caused deformities in children). -
Strategic Hamlet Program
Introduced through Operation Sunrise.
Aimed to create armed hamlets to isolate people from the Viet Cong.
Over 4 million people in the hamlets, over 3000 hamlets.
Failure, hamlets led to the recruitment of peasants into the Viet Cong. -
Operation Anadyr
USSR deploys nuclear missiles on Cuba.
Also provided fighter planes, bombers and 14,000 ground troops. -
Period: to
13-Day Missile Crisis
US plan to remove USSR missiles on Cuba (using the U-2 spy plane to overlook arsenal, but USSR discovered).
Exchange letters between JFK and Khrushchev (Khrushchev proposes that if they remove missiles, the US would not invade Cuba and would remove missiles on Turkey and Greece).
JFK agrees, removed missiles.
Creation of Hotline after. -
Cuban naval blockade
US imposed a blockade limiting USSR boats coming into Cuba.
Khrushchev called the blockade 'an act of aggression pushing mankind toward the abyss of a world nuclear-missile war'.
Removed after USSR removes missiles on Cuba. -
Buddhist Crisis
Diem (leader of the south) was a committed Roman Catholic, and persecuted Buddhists.
Buddhists were banned from displaying flags on the Buddha's birthday.
9 Buddhists killed.
Buddhist monk publicly burned himself in protest. -
Moscow Test Ban Treaty
Treaty banning nuclear weapons tests in the atmosphere, outer space and under water. -
Assassination Diem
South Vietnamese + US generals agree on coup to assassinate Diem and his brother.
US never officially involved. -
Period: to
LBJ US President
Wants to win Vietnam War without major US involvement and economic drainage. -
Period: to
Chinese involvement in Vietnam War
Provided military aid to North Vietnam.
Supplied over 140,000 guns. -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
Attack on US naval forces (USS Maddox and USS Turner Joy) at Gulf of Tonkin.
Gives LBJ freedom to do anything he wants in Vietnam. LBJ described power 'like grandma's nightshirt, it covered everything'. -
Period: to
Brezhnev leader USSR
Appointed after Khrushchev's resignation as temporary leader, but ends up staying longer. -
Pleiku incident
North Vietnamese (Viet Cong) attack on US' Camp Holloway.
Helped justify Operation Rolling Thunder. -
Period: to
Operation Rolling Thunder
US bombs North Vietnam (roads, railroads, Ho Chi Minh trail...).
By 1965 US had deployed 75,000 ground troops in Vietnam. -
Ia Drang Valley conflict
First significant US vs. North Vietnam forces battle.
US: 300 casualties.
North Vietnam: 2000-3000 casualties.
Both saw as a moral win. -
Malinovasky incident
At Sino-Soviet talks held in Moscow the Soviet defence minister, Malinovasky, suggested to a chinese delegate that they should get rid of Mao just as the USSR had removed Khurshchev.
Talks immediately collapsed. -
Tet Offensive
North Vietnamese forces + Viet Cong attack on South Vietnamese forces + US.
Turning point in the war: Americans started to oppose the war and how LBJ was handling it.
North looses. -
Prague Spring
Dubcek new leader Czechoslovakia after Brezhnev's demands.
Eliminated press censorship (seen as betrayal from other Warsaw Pact countries).
Warsaw Pact countries plan invasion, but after a meeting they agreed that Czechoslovakia could do what they wanted as long as they followed a road to socialism.
Red Army remained in Czechoslovakia until late 1990s. -
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
Allie of each side agree to not transfer any nuclear weapon or device to their allies or anyone else.
Because of the development of MIRVs, ICBMs, SLBMs and ABMs. -
Brezhnev Doctrine
Expanded upon the responsability of communist states to intervene in order to protect the good of the whole communist community. -
Period: to
Nixon US President
Promised to end Vietnam War.
Introduced 'Vietnamisation' (withdrawal US forces and replacement by South Vietnam forces). Route to 'peace with honour'. -
Operation Menu
Vietnam war extends into Cambodia.
Bombed parts in Cambodia regarded as safe by the North Vietnamese army (PAVN). -
Sino-American relations
US wanted to use China as leverage to win the war.
'Enemy of my enemy is my friend'. -
Non-Aggression Pact
USSR + West Berlin (mayor Brandt).
Part of Ostpolitik. -
Operation Lam Son 719
Supported ARVN invasion on Laos with US air support.
Wanted to disrupt North Vietnamese supply lines and the Ho Chi Minh trail.
Failed, only served to highlight of ARVN without the US. -
Period: to
Spring Offensive
One of the largest offensives launched by North Vietnam during the Vietnam War.
Wanted to win back land and force out US troops. -
Moscow Summit
Established SALT agreements.
Set out guidelines to US-USSR relations. -
Period: to
Operation Linebacker
150,000 tons of bombs dropped on North Vietnam.
Boosted morale amongst the ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam). -
SALT I: Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty
Limited US and USSR to constructing two fields with ABMs, each with no more than 100 missiles. -
SALT I: Interim Agreement on the Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms
Limited US and USSR to a certain amount of missiles each.
Wanted to establish a freeze on strategic missiles.
Complimented the ABM Treaty. -
Basic Treaty
Attempt to normalise relations between both sides of Germany.
Critical moment in European detente. -
Paris Peace Agreement
Agreement reached, but South Vietnamese were excluded.
They agreed that a ceasefire would occur, US would remove forces, there would be free elections, US halt of bombing Cambodia...
After agreement Northern forces completely dominated the South, ending in a Northern victory. -
War Powers Act
Gave US Congress the right to declare war and it prevented Presidents from acting without consent from Congress. -
Period: to
Ford US President
Takes over after Nixon is forced to resign because of Vietnam War. -
Vladivostok Summit
Kissinger + Brezhnev.
They talked about numbers of strategic missile launchers.
10 year plan agreements. -
Helsinki Accords
High point of European detente.
Basket 1: security in Europe.
Basket 2: cooperation in economics, science and technology.
Basket 3: cooperation in humanitarian fields. -
Period: to
Carter US President
-
SALT II
Limited missile arsenals for US and USSR. -
Vienna Summit
Finalised agreements on SALT II. -
Period: to
Andropov leader USSR
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Period: to
Chernenko leader USSR
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Period: to
Gorbachev leader USSR