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American-Soviet Cooperation Ends at the End of WWII馃敟馃敟馃敟馃敟
As soon as the alliance between the U.S. & USSR ended, they didn't trust each other and were hostile to one another. They would fight each other by backing occupied countries already in conflict. This created satellite states and a cold war between the U.S. & USSR. -
Four Powers Divide Germany馃敟馃敟馃敟
The Four Powers Britain, the USA, the USSR, and France split Germany into four sections. They also decided to split Berlin (in the USSR's occupied quarter of Germany) into four sections because of its importance. -
U.S. Announces "Containment"馃敟馃敟馃敟馃敟
President Truman announced containment on the USSR in an attempt to prevent the spread of Communist Ideologies using the newly created Truman Doctrine, it meant that the U.S. would support nations in the Soviet spheres of influence by providing political, economic, and military support. -
U.S. Announces Marshall Plan馃敟馃敟馃敟
After WW2 ended Europe was devastated, in ruins with a struggling economy. The Soviet Union was expanding, so the Secretary of State, George Marshall suggested that European countries create a plan to rebuild their economy and that the U.S. would help with financial aid. They assisted to prevent the countries from seeking help from the Soviet Union. On December 19 Truman sent Congress their plan. On April 3, 1948, President Truman signed the act now known as the Marshall Plan. -
Berlin Airlift馃敟馃敟馃敟
05/12/1949
The Berlin Airlift was the solution America had thought of to work around the Soviet Union's attempt at containment in West Berlin -
NATO Set Up馃敟馃敟馃敟馃敟
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was created to ensure Canada, the U.S., Belgium, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and the UK's security from the Soviet Union. -
Korean War馃敟馃敟馃敟馃敟馃敟
07/27/1953
The Korean War was a proxy war between the U.S. & the USSR. Originally the conflict was between Soviet-occupied North Korea and South Korea over control of the peninsula and uniting under who's control. North Korea started the war thinking the U.S. wouldn't get involved but they did and so China came in and gave aid to North Korea the U.S. didn't want to get into war with China but General MacArthur did and tried to provoke it but was fired for insubordination before it could occur. -
U.S. Develops H-Bomb馃敟馃敟馃敟馃敟馃敟
The United States successfully detonated the first-ever H-bomb in an attempt to advance in the arms race between the U.S. and USSR. -
Soviet Union Develops H-Bomb馃敟馃敟馃敟馃敟
The Soviets followed suit on the development of the H-bomb, to disprove the assumed threat of the U.S. in the arms race. -
Creation of Warsaw Pact馃敟馃敟馃敟馃敟
The Warsaw Pact was made up of Western European countries to counter NATO. It was a military agreement between Romania, Hungary, Poland, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Bulgaria, and Albania. -
Vietnam War馃敟馃敟馃敟馃敟馃敟
04/30/1975
The Vietnam War was a proxy war between the Soviet Union supporting North Vietnam and the U.S. supporting South Vietnam. The two superpowers being involved intensified the war inflicting more damage. -
Khrushchev Calls for "Peaceful Co-Existence"馃敟馃敟
Khrushchev wanted to reduce hostility between the U.S. and the Soviet Union by using Soviet foreign policy to prevent the possibility of a nuclear war. -
Hungarian Revolt馃敟馃敟馃敟馃敟
11/04/1956
Hungarians, some of them being students, revolted against the government and its Soviet-imposed policies. They wanted the Soviet troops to leave Hungary and for the country to have free, multi-party elections. They protested Soviet oppression but the Red troops came in and started shooting and killing thousands of Hungarians to crush the revolts. -
Sputnik is Launched馃敟馃敟馃敟
The Soviet Union launched Sputnik into orbit, spreading fear to America that the Soviet Union was exceeding its developments. It increased Cold War tensions and made the arms race even more intense. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion馃敟馃敟馃敟馃敟
04/20/1961
1,500 Cuban exiles against Fidel Castro were armed, organized, and paid for by the U.S. government because they were trying to overthrow Castro. The U.S. government saw Castro's leadership as the expansion of communism to the America's and the invasion was their attempt at turning Cuba into a non-communist state. They wanted plausible deniability so they didn't use military resources and the invasion didn't succeed. -
Berlin Wall Is Built馃敟馃敟馃敟馃敟馃敟
The wall was built and armed with guards by the Soviet Union to separate West Berlin from East Berlin so that people from East Berlin couldn't migrate to West Berlin and so that the West wouldn't influence the Soviet East -
Cuban Missile Crisis 馃敟馃敟馃敟馃敟馃敟
10/29/1962
The Crisis was between the United States and the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union placed nuclear missiles in Cuba, the U.S. feared a nuclear conflict. Both sides used military forces. Kennedy and Khrushchev agreed that the Soviet Union would remove the missiles if the U.S. promised not to invade Cuba and to remove U.S. missiles from Turkey. This crisis was an important part of history, influencing nuclear policy. -
American-Soviet Hotline Established馃敟馃敟
It was created because of the tension of the Cuban Missile Crisis caused. It was a line of communication between the Whitehouse in Washington D.C., and the Kremlin in Moscow. It was there for communication during a crisis and to avoid miscommunication or misunderstandings that could lead to nuclear wars. It was a way to safely relay messages between the superpowers. -
Partial Test Ban Treaty Signed馃敟馃敟
Was signed by America, the UK, and the Soviet Union to ban nuclear testing in the atmosphere, outer space, and underwater. It was a step towards disarmament, lessening Cold War tensions, and attempting to reduce nuclear residue spreading from nuclear testing and environmental harm. -
Czech Uprising (Prague Spring)馃敟馃敟馃敟
8/20/1968
Czech leader Alexander Dub膷ek wanted more political freedom and democracy in the communist system. This put countries in the Warsaw Pact on edge because they didn't want these ideas to spread to their people. So, Soviet-led troops invaded to stop the changes and reinstall communist rule. -
U.S. Votes to Admit Communist China into UN 馃敟馃敟馃敟
The U.S. decided to agree to admit communist China into the UN. This was a significant decision because Taiwan was representing China as the Republic of China but admitting mainland China recognizes the growing influence it has on the world. The American vote brought communist China into the UN. -
SALT Treaty Signed馃敟馃敟馃敟
The U.S. and the Soviet Union signed the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks. This agreement had the goal of lowering the number of nuclear weapons owned by both countries and limiting intercontinental missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles. The treaty was a step toward controlling nuclear arms and easing the tension between the superpowers during the Cold War. -
Helsinki Accords 馃敟馃敟
08/1/1975
The Helsinki Accords were signed by Canada, America, and many European countries. They agreed to respect existing borders and to avoid using threats or force against each other. They promised to protect human rights, and fundamental freedoms like freedom of thought, conscience, religion, or belief. They also agreed to peaceful relations and to work together in areas like science and economics. The accords helped lower tensions during the Cold War -
Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan 馃敟馃敟馃敟馃敟
02/15/1989
Afghanistan was invaded because the Soviet Union was worried the Afghan government would become more like the U.S., so the Soviet Union wanted a different group in charge. Many people in Afghanistan didn't want them there. The people fought back, starting a war that lasted for years. The U.S. and other countries helped the Afghan fighters, called Mujahideen, by giving them weapons. Eventually, after about a decade, the Soviet Union realized that they couldn't win and left Afghanistan. -
Polish "Solidarity" Uprisings 馃敟馃敟馃敟馃敟
1989
Workers in Poland were led by a man named Lech Wa艂臋sa, who formed a movement called Solidarity. They wanted better working conditions and more freedom because the government was very controlling. Solidarity got popular in Poland, but the government didn't like this and tried to stop it. The military took over and arrested their members. But it kept going. In 1989, after years of pressure, the government held free elections. Solidarity took part. This led to the end of communism in Poland. -
U.S. Star Wars Research Begins 馃敟馃敟馃敟
Reagan declared a research project called the Strategic Defence Initiative, also known as Star Wars. It aimed at making a defence system against possible missile attacks from the Soviets. This plan used advanced technology. Some thought Star Wars was a great idea so the US could be safer from nuclear attacks, but some didn't it'd work and the arms race would intensify. It didn't become a defence system but helped advance tech for missiles and changed how missile defence is looked at. -
I.N.F. Treaty Signed 馃敟馃敟
The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty was signed by the U.S. and the Soviet Union. This treaty banned a whole category of nuclear missiles. These were missiles that could travel medium distances. By signing the treaty, both countries agreed to destroy all their land-based missiles in that range and not make more of them. This lowered the threat of nuclear war in Europe. It was a step towards ending the Cold War and lessening tensions between the two superpowers. -
Iron Curtain Collapses 馃敟馃敟馃敟
1991
Peaceful revolutions across Eastern Europe. People protested against communist governments, wanting more freedom and better living conditions. This led to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, symbolizing the end of the Cold War. Communist governments in Eastern Europe fell, and the Soviet Union ceased to exist by 1991, bringing freedom and democracy to many and redefining global politics. -
Berlin Wall Torn Down 馃敟馃敟馃敟
1994
The Wall divided the city of Berlin in Germany for almost 30 years. It separated the communist East from the democratic West. People from both sides came together and started tearing down the wall. This happened because East Germans wanted more freedom and better opportunities. The fall of the Berlin Wall became a symbol of the end of the Cold War and led to Germany becoming one country again. -
Germany is Reunited 馃敟馃敟
Germany was reunited by East and West Germany coming together into one country again. Germany had been divided into two separate countries after World War II. The fall of the Berlin Wall was an important moment that led to this. People from both sides celebrated and worked together to unite Germany with one government and one capital, Berlin. This brought opportunities for freedom and unity to all Germans. -
START 馃敟馃敟
Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty I, was signed between the United States and the Soviet Union. Its main goal was to lower the number of nuclear weapons each country had. They agreed to cut their amount of long-range nuclear weapons. START I also made ways to make sure that both sides were following the treaty rules. This reduced the threat of nuclear war between the two superpowers. -
Soviet Union Ceases to Exist 馃敟馃敟馃敟
The Soviet Union, which reached Eastern Europe and Northern Asia, ceased to exist in 1991. Economic problems and ethnic conflict led to its demise. Leaders of important Soviet republics wanted independence, leading to the disassembly of the USSR. This event marked the end of the Cold War so democracy and capitalism spread throughout the former Soviet-run countries.