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The Russian Revolution 1917
The Russian Revolution was the first success communist revolution in the world. It laid the ideological groundwork for the differences that would become the Cold War in the 20th Century. -
The Potsdam Conference
Nation leaders of the U.S., Britain, and the Soviet Union met up at the Potsdam Conference to discuss post war issues involved with Germany. These issues included how to control Germany, post war boundaries, how to win the war against Japan, and how to secure a lasting peace in Europe. Tension arose among these nations as the U.S. wanted to create a free and peace filled world, but the Soviet Union wanted to build a communist nation and control Europe. -
Atomic Bomb-Hiroshima and Nagasaki
During World War 2, President Harry Truman threatended Japan with a weapon with a high potential in destruction. Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union, opposed Truman's willingness to use such a weapon in warfare. The atomic bombs altered the standard methods of warfare as its extremely powerful capabilities left typical militaries defenseless. -
Iron Curtain
Winston Churchill, the prime minister of Great Britain, delivered a speech using the metaphor the 'iron curtain'. This phrase represented the divide between the Soviet Union and Western Europe. The Soviet could then thrive and expand their communist nation. -
The Truman Doctrine
Harry S. Truman announced before Congress the importance of America's role of leadership. He stated that it is the United State's responsibility to support nation's in maintaining their individual freedoms against Communism. -
The Marshall Plan
As the George C. Marshall, the United States Secretary of State, witnessed the poverty and ruins of Europe, he proposed a plan in which the U.S. would give these economies economic aid. The establishment of this plan was to prevent these conditions from transforming these nations to communism. -
Molotov Plan
The Soviet's establishment of the Molotov Plan was in response to the United State's Marshall Plan. It provided aid to the societies in Eastern Europe under the rule of the Soviet. -
Alger Hiss Case
Alger Hiss was accused of being a communist spy working in the state department which lead people to believe there was a potential communist conspiracy that would destroy the nation. -
The Berlin Blockade
The Soviet Union plundered East Germany of their machinery, railroad equipment, and other construction equipment. Their attempt was to limit the East of power and strengthen their nation. This action also unified West Germany and a new currency was formed. -
Berlin Airlift
In response to the Soviet's blockade of Berlin, the U.S. provided aid to the citizens in the city. American pilots risked their lives when crossing the blockade to supply these people. -
NATO- North Atlantic Treaty Organization
This organization was formed as an alliance between non-communist nations. These nations would provide defense for each other when threatened by the control of the Soviet Union. -
Soviet Bomb Test
In 1949, the Soviet Union put their own atomic bomb, created by the information obtained from spies, to the test. They proved the prediction of experts incorrect as an atomic bomb was created much before the predicted time. -
Korean War
The United States fought in South Korea to protect it from being overtaken by communism; however, they were unable to prevent the spread in North Korea. For the first time in the Cold War, the military is used in combat to kill in this fight against Communism. -
Hollywood 10
The Hollywood 10 was a non related group of Hollywood actors and directors that refused to answer questions about their potential communist nature. Hollywood production changed as many anti communist films were created as well as pro America films. American freedoms were gradually being taken away due to the constant threat of being accused of being a communist. -
Rosenburg Trial
A Jewish couple working on the Manhattan Project was accused of passing U.S. bomb secrets to the Soviet Union. They were later proved guilty and executed. Fear and skepticism arose in the U.S. as the nation was losing trust in which citizens were truly loyal to America. -
Army-McCarthy Hearings
United States Senator, Joseph McCarthy, was held in several hearings as he accused the military of being comprised of communists. He was later proven to be a fraud that was trying to convince the nation that he was not a communist. This revealed a corruption of communism in the United States. -
Battle of Dien Bien Phu
This battle was fought between the French and the Ho Chi Minh's Vietminh, or communist nationalists. The Vietminh claimed the victory and the French no longer colonized in Indochina. -
Geneva Conference
A group of nations joined together in Geneva, Switzerland to settle issues that arose from the Korean War and the First Indochina War. Including the U.S, France, United Kingdom, Soviet Union, and more, these nations formed negotiations that resulted in a 'cease fireline' along the 17th parallel of Vietnam. -
Warsaw Pact
The Soviet Union and Eastern European countries formed an alliance based on political and military standards. This was the Soviets Response to the formation of NATO. They hoped the Warsaw Pact would contain West Germany and form a potential negotiation with NATO. However, the Warsaw Pact posed a threat as the Soviet was asserting a sense of dominance over the U.S. -
Hungarian Revolution
In Hungary, there was an uprising of protesters demanding the need for a democratic nation and for freedom from the Soviet's control and oppression. The Soviet Union then attacked the Hungarian nation. Soviet leader, Nikita Khrushchev, claimed that the beliefs Stalin had for the nation was in the past; however this was not believable after the attack in Hungary. The attack was known as one of the war's greatest tragedies. -
U-2 Incident
As president Eisenhower grew anxious of what progress the Soviet Union had made technologically, he sent a U-2 reconnaissance plane to spy on the Soviets. This plane was shot down on the Soviet Union, and stopped a conference that was going to be held by the U.S., the Soviet, the United Kingdom, and France. The means to make a solution for the Cold War collapsed. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
As Cuba became overpowered by the dictatorship of Fidel Castro, the U.S. took action in suspicion of his connection with the Soviet Union. Partnering with the Cuban military and people, the United States planned an attack on the Bay of Pigs to protect the spread of communism in an innocent nation. This attack ended in failure and lead President Kennedy with the determination to destabilize the Cuban government. -
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall separated East and West Germany and refused any access to or from each side. The economy in east Germany was at risk of destruction because of their lack of skilled workers and intellectuals. They were suffering under the control of communism while the west was thriving with a democratic, capitalist system. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Soviet Union believed they could strengthen their partnership with Cuba if they agreed to help defend them. As shipments of missiles were being brought to Cuba, the U.S. attacked. After six days, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev yielded his troops and removed the missiles. President Kennedy responded by removing his missile sites in Turkey. This incident was the closest confrontation of the two super powers and to a nuclear war. -
Assassination of Diem
During a coup d'tat, Vietnam dictator Ngo Dinh Diem was assassinated by his own generals. As Diem continuously discriminated the people of South Vietnam, the U.S. withdrew their support and protesters of Diem's actions resulted in his death. -
Assassination of JFK
When John F. Kennedy was visiting Dallas Texas for a campaign, he was tragically assassinated. Lyndon B. Johnson took office after JFK and increased the U.S. participation in the Vietnam War. -
Tonkin Gulf Resolution
Two U.S. destroyers were attacked forces in Northern Vietnam. In support of international peace and safety in southeast Asia, Congress passed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution that enabled U.S. forces to take any level of action to ensure this. This allowed a great increase of U.S. troops to fight in the Vietnam War. -
Operation Rolling Thunder
During the Vietnam War, America used the code name "Operation Rolling Thunder" to represent a bombing campaign in which they tried to threaten the leaders of Northern Vietnam. This marked the significant involvement of the U.S. in the Vietnam War. -
Tet Offensive
As the U.S. caused heavy damage to Northern Vietnam, they fought back through surprise attacks. With the help of Vietcong, they launched their attacks on American forces and caused a turning point in the war. While the attacks were not entirely successful, they had deteriorated the optimism of the U.S. -
Assassination of MLK
On the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, during Martin Luther King's era of civil rights movements, he was assassinated. His death pushed Congress to pass an equal housing bill that would be remembered as the last achievement of the civil rights era. -
Assassination of RFK
Robert F. Kennedy, the President known for his devotion to uniting people and supporting the civil rights movement, was assassinated at the Ambassador Hotel. His killing was yet another murder incident that took hope away from Americans. -
Invasion of Czechoslovakia
Irritated by reformist methods in Prague, the Soviet Union invaded Czechoslovakia. Communism was taking the lead in spreading over a democratic nation. -
Riots of Democratic Convention
This convention, held in Chicago, Illinois, was to nominate a potential, democratic candidate for president. Hubert Humphrey won the nomination and anti-war riots broke out as people were opposed to the Vietnam War. The Cold War had brought a single country to fight against themselves once again. -
Election of Nixon
Amidst the chaos of riots, war, varying movements, and assassinations, Richard Nixon was elected as the president of the United States, claiming he would restore "law and order." After his election, he ended the participation of the U.S. in the Vietnam War. -
Kent State
After President Nixon withdrew soldiers fighting in Vietnam, declaring an end to their involvement in the war, he ordered an invasion in Cambodia. The university of Kent State held a protest against war and four students were killed by the National Guards on the campus. The American Nation was seemingly becoming at war with itself. -
Nixon visits China
President Nixon decided to visit China in the midst of the Cold War. This portrayed Nixon's willingness to achieve peace as he attempted to make a better relationship with a Communist nation. -
Ceasefire in Vietnam
During the Vietnam War, President Nixon proposed that the U.S. removed their troops, leaving the ones currently in South Vietnam, and allow North Vietnam to resume the war. All American troops returned home by the 29th of March and the North claimed victory over the South of Vietnam two years later. After this war, Nixon took away the draft and created the 26th Amendment, in which citizens had to be 18 years old to vote. -
Fall of Saigon
During the Vietnam War, Communists from the north and Viet Cong forces took over the capital of Vietnam; Saigon. This forced the South to surrender, thus marking an official end to the Vietnam War. A few years later, this nation decided to run on a capitalist government system. -
Reagan Elected
After Reagan's election, he approached communism with an entirely new strategy. He believed the U.S. should attack rather than contain communism. Through compromises and new relationships, Reagan's contribution to the Cold War will always be remembered as he lead the U.S., and other nations, to peace. -
SDI Announced
The U.S. planned to create a new program called the Strategic Defense Initiative, or the SDI. Primarily, it would use satellites to zap incoming Soviet missiles. The Soviet Union was threatened as they could not keep up with the U.S. technologically or financially. -
Geneva Conference with Gorbachev
The leaders of nations met, once again, for a Geneva Conference. This conference resulted in a historic breakthrough as Reagan and Gorbachev, leaders of two nations that greatly opposed one another, made a personal relationship. This helped agreements and compromises during the war be met more successfully. -
'Tear down this wall' Speech
After Reagan and Gorbachev became allies, Reagan went to Berlin seeking peace. He gave a speech pledging that Gorbachev should tear down the Berlin Wall. The two nations that started the Cold War were working together to fix the damage and isolation inflicted from the war. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
The fall of the Berlin Wall marked a new freedom to those living in Germany. They could now cross the border from the east side of the country to the west. Citizens began to rise up against communism and Gorbachev dissolved the Soviet Union, officially ending the Cold War.
