The Cold War

By guillenoseda

  • 1945

    -The US obtains a commitment from the USSR to attack Japan.
    - President Truman informs Germany that now the US possesses a powerful weapon.
    - The US negotiates and obtains temporary division of Korea.
    - The US and the USSR are now the superpowers of the world.

  • The San Francisco Conference

    After the surrender of Germany, the United Nations is established at a conference in San Francisco, initially bringing out 51 members.
  • Period: to

    The Potsdam Conference

    The Potsdam Company: Germany and Berlin, and Australia and Vienna are divided into 4 zones of occupation. The powers couldn't agree on how the country should be administered or what germany should pay or not.

  • Hiroshima

    The US drops its first atomic bomb in Hiroshima, Japan.

  • Invasion of Manchuria

    The USSR invades Manchuria.

  • Nagasaki

    The second atomic bomb is dropped in Nagasaki by the US.

  • END OF WWII

    Japan surrenders and the Second World War ends.

  • 1947

    In Western Europe the Marshall Plan is promulgated, designed to provide credit to speed up the reconstruction and strength the US influence.
    In the US communists are driven out of government.

  • The Truman Doctrine

    Truman makes a speech in which he declares that the world is now divided between democracies and authoritarian regimes.

  • Central Intellingence Agency (CIA)

    The CIA is created to defend the country’s interests around the world

  • The Zhdanov Doctrine

    Zhdanov, a Soviet representative, confirms that the world is now divided into two camps: the US and the Soviet Union.

  • The Cominform

    Stalin reacts to the creation of the CIA by founding the Cominform, an alliance of communist countries dominated by the USSR
  • Period: to

    1948-49

    1948
    - Czechoslovakia falls into the Eastern Bloc.
    - The US tries to create a federal, democratic state to stop the spread of communism. This future country will be included in the Marshall Plan.
    - American airlift of supplies sustains West Berlin during Soviet blockade.
    1949
    - Greece joins the Western Camp.

  • The Treaty of Brussels

    The UK, France and the Benelux countries form an military alliance to repel any attack from the East.

  • The Berlin Blockade

    Stalin responses imposing a blockade on Western Berlin, which is still under Western occupation.

  • Creation of NATO

    United States, Canada and Western Europe form a military alliance to create NATO.
    Article 5 declared that if one of the members is attacked, the other ones must defend it.

  • Federal Republic of Germany

    The Federal Republic of Germany is officially created.

  • First Soviet Atomic Bomb

    The Soviets successfully test their first atomic bomb.

  • The People's Republic of China

    Mao Zedong and the Communist party proclaim the People's Republic of China
  • Period: to

    1950-53

    • The First Indochina War.
    • The US organize the defense of South Korea.
    • The US forms new alliances with the Philippines, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, fearing that it would have to intervene anywhere else.
    • Korean War demonstrates new American policy to “contain" communism. 1953
    • The US advocates for the installation of atomic weapons in Eastern Europe.

  • Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Alliance and Mutual Assistance

  • Invasion of South Korea

    The North Korean Army, supported by the USSR, begins its invasion of South Korea.

  • Stalin's Death

    Stalin dies without having prepared for succession. A period of instability follows.

  • Operation Ajax

  • 1956

    • Doctrine of Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD)

  • The Suez Crisis

    The Suez Canal becomes nationalized, leading to what is known as the Suez crisis. This event marks the end of The UK and France colonialism

  • The Hungarian Revolution

  • 1957

    • The USSR sends the first satellite into space.

  • 1958

    • China beings bombing islands that were controlled by Taiwan, then the US pouts an end to the offensive.
    • The Great Leap Forward.
    • Khrushchev makes a visit to the US.

  • 1962

    • The USSR obtains authorization to deploy nuclear weapons in Cuba, which becomes a threat to the US. As a result, Kennedy deploys quarantine on the island, blocking the arrival of Soviet ships. Finally, an agreement is reached.
    • The two powers begins a series of meetings to calm the situation.
  • Period: to

    1966-67

    • After the disruption of communism in Indonesia, a bloody crackdown begins in which thousands of people died or were imprisoned in camps.
    • The war in Vietnam intensifies. The US is forced to deploy up to 500,000 troops.