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Space Race
History changed on 10/4/57 when the Soviet Union successfully launched Sputnik 1, the world's first Satellite. This greatly frightened Americans since they thought the Soviet's atomic missiles could reach us if they could launch satellites. President Eisenhower responded by speeding up the U.S. space program, resulting in the launch of the satellite Explorer on 1/31/9158. By landing on the moon on 7/20/69 the U.S. effectively won the space race. -
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Fall of the Berlin Wall
On 11/9/89 as the Cold War began to thaw the spokesman for East Berlin's Communist Party announced a change in his city's relation with the West. Starting at midnight citizens of the German Democratic Republic were free to cross the country's borders. It was called "the greatest street party in the history of the world!" Soon the wall was gone and Berlin was united for the first time since 1945. The reunification of East & West Germany, was made officially on 10/3/90 -
The Red Scare
In the late 1940's and early 1950's, Americans were incredibly fearful of communists. This was true even though fewer than 50,000 Americans out of a total U.S. population of 150 million were members of the Communist Party. The government investigated millions asking what they read, what unions and civic organizations
they belonged to and whether they went to church. Hundreds in the movie industry were blacklisted and many other people lost their jobs. It ended around 1954. -
The Truman Doctrine and Containment
America created the policy of containment which was the idea of keeping Soviet influence contained within existing boundaries. President Truman in 1947 asked Congress for $400 million in military and economic aid for Greece and Turkey. Providing assistance like this became known as the Truman Doctrine, a program of helping nations threatened by communist expansion. The Truman Doctrine led to NATO which is still in effect today. -
The Marshall Plan
On 4/3/48 President Truman signed the Economic Recovery Act of 1948 which became known as the Marshall Plan. The plan was named for Secretary of State George Marshall who proposed a large scale plan to help Europe rebuild its economy and resist pressure to turn Communist. Marshall feared that Europe's hungry and homeless people might support Communism. Between 1948 and 1952, the Marshall plan provided more than $12 billion to European countries. The Marshall plan ended around mid 1952. -
Berlin Airlift
At the end of WWII, U.S, Britain and Soviet millitary forces divided and occupied Germany. Berlin was located far inside Soviet controlled Eastern Germany. A crisis started on June 24 1948 when Soviet forces blockaded rail, road and river routes to Allied-controlled areas of Berlin. The U.S. and United Kingdom responded by airlifting food, fuel and other supplies to Berlin from Allied bases in Western Germany. The crisis ended on 5/12/49 when Soviet forces lifted the blockade. -
The Arms Race
During the Cold War the U.S. and the Soviet Union became involved in a nuclear arms race. They both spent billions of dollars trying to build up large stock piles of nuclear weapons. Initially, only the U.S had atomic weapons but on August 29, 1949 the Soviet Union successfully tested its first atomic bomb, and the arms race began. It continued util the signing of the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty of November 1990. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis occurred on 10/16 /62 when the Soviet Union began to install nuclear missiles in Cuba. The United States led by President Kennedy refused to allow this, and after 13 days on 10/28/9162 and many secret negotiations, the Soviet Union agreed to remove the missiles. This may have been the closest that the U.S and Soviet Union came to nuclear war during the Cold War.
