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Cold War
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Yalta Summit
This was a conference between Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin, the big three, that determined they would support democratically elected governments. -
Germany Surrenders
The NAzi Party surrenders ultimattely to the Soviet forces who reached them shortly before the U.S. troops. -
Social Unity Party
Under orders from Stalin the German Social Unity Party is formed. -
Truman Doctrine
The Truman Doctrine was announced in a speech by Harry Truman and set forth the U.S.'s new foriegn policy, at the time this meant supporting Greece and Turkey so they would not fall to communism. -
NATO Formed
The North Atlantic Treaty was signed and NATO was formed. -
USSR's First WMD
On this date the USSR detonated their first Atomic Bomb, this was a test of their new Weapon of Mass Destruction. -
War in Korea
At this time the Korean War began. -
Death of Stalin
Stalin dies of a cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 74. -
The Federal Republic of Germany
On this day the Federal Republic of Germany became a soveirgn state and also joined NATO -
Treaty of Rome
On this day the Treaty of Rome was singed and with it came the establishment of the European Economic Community between France, Italy, Belgium, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Netherlands and Luxemburg. -
U-2 Spy Plane
The USSR shoots down a United States U-2 stealth-spy plane over Soviet territory. -
Tsar Bomba
The Tsar Bomb is the largest man-made nuclear device ever to be detonated on earth, it was engineered by the Soviet Union and carried an incredible explosive force of 50 megatons of TNT. -
Test Ban Treaty
This was a treaty between the U.S.S.R., U.K. and the U.S. and limited the testing of nuclear devices; however, China and France rejected this treaty and began engineering nuclear weapons of their own. -
Bombing of Vietnam begins
The United States begins to bomb Vietnam with sinister weapons such as napalm. -
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SALT Talks
This was the start of the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks between the United States and the USSR. -
FRG and USSR Treaty
USSR and FRG both agree to recognize their respective territories and also agree to peacfull methods of solving border disputes. -
Four Power Treaty on Berlin
Four Power Treaty on Berlin between US, UK, France and USSR over access from West Berlin to FRG and relation of West Berlin to FRG. -
Basic Treaty between FRG and GDR
Basic Treaty between FRG and GDR: FRG gives up Hallstein Doctrine, recognises GDR as sovereign state, both to have seats at UN. -
Prague Treaty between FRG and Czechoslovakia.
Prague Treaty between FRG and Czechoslovakia, which the two States recognized each other diplomatically and declared the 1938 Munich Agreements to be null and void - by acknowledging the inviolability of their common borders and abandoning all territorial claims. -
Helsinki Agreement
Helsinki Agreement signed between US, Canada and 33 European States including Russia: states the ‘inviolability’ of frontiers, gives principles for state peaceful interaction, co-operation in economics and science as well as humanitarian issues. -
President of Afghanistan Sardar Mohammed Daoud's government is overthrown when he is murdered in a coup led by pro-communist rebels.
President of Afghanistan Sardar Mohammed Daoud's government is overthrown when he is murdered in a coup led by pro-communist rebels. -
The Iranian Revolution
The Iranian Revolution ousts the pro-Western Shah, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi and installs a theocracy under Ayatollah Khomeini. CENTO dissolves as a result. -
Marxist-led Sandinista revolutionaries overthrow the U.S.-backed Somoza dictatorship in Nicaragua. The Contra insurgency begins shortly thereafter.
Marxist-led Sandinista revolutionaries overthrow the U.S.-backed Somoza dictatorship in Nicaragua. The Contra insurgency begins shortly thereafter. -
U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Soviet leader, Leonid Brezhnev, sign the SALT II agreement, outlining limitations and guidelines for nuclear weapons.
U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Soviet leader, Leonid Brezhnev, sign the SALT II agreement, outlining limitations and guidelines for nuclear weapons. -
Islamist Iranian students take over the American embassy
Islamist Iranian students take over the American embassy in support of the Iranian Revolution. The Iran hostage crisis lasts until January 20, 1981. -
The Soviet Union invades Afghanistan
The Soviet Union invades Afghanistan to oust Hafizullah Amin, resulting in the end of Détente. -
Ronald Reagan inaugurated 40th President
Ronald Reagan inaugurated 40th President of the United States. Reagan is elected on a platform opposed to the concessions of détente. -
Gdańsk Agreement
In Poland the Gdańsk Agreement is signed after a wave of strikes which began at the Lenin Shipyards in Gdańsk. The agreement allows greater civil rights, such as the establishment of a trade union independent of communist party control. -
Gulf of Sidra Incident
Gulf of Sidra Incident: Libyan planes attack U.S. jets in the Gulf of Sidra, which Libya has illegally annexed. Two Libyan jets are shot down; no American losses are suffered. -
President Ronald Reagan signs P.L. 97-157
President Ronald Reagan signs P.L. 97-157 denouncing the government of the Soviet Union should cease its abuses of the basic human rights of its citizens -
Able Archer 83
Soviet anti-aircraft misinterpret a test of NATO's nuclear warfare procedures as a fake cover for an actual NATO attack; in response, Soviet nuclear forces are put on high alert. -
Soviet Union begins what it has announced is a 5-month unilateral moratorium on the testing of nuclear weapons
Coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Soviet Union begins what it has announced is a 5-month unilateral moratorium on the testing of nuclear weapons. The Reagan administration dismisses the dramatic move as nothing more than propaganda and refuses to follow suit. Gorbachev declares several extensions, but the United States fails to reciprocate, and the moratorium comes to an end on February 5, 1987. -
Chernobyl
Chernobyl disaster: A Soviet nuclear power plant in the Ukraine explodes, resulting in the worst nuclear power plant accident in history. -
'Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"
During a visit to Berlin, Germany, U.S. President Ronald Reagan famously challenges Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev in a speech: