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The Russian Revolution
The U.S. did not like the idea of collective ownership of private property and the fact that anyone can be put in prison with no charge. The revolution was encouraged by Russian setbacks during World War 1. Citizens of Russia revolted against Tsar Nicholas II's government. The citizens were led by Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks. The revolution was from Mar 8, 1917 to Nov 7, 1917. It was important because it sparked a new era in Russia that had effects on countries all around the world. -
The Potsdam Conference
The Potsdam conference was a conference held in Potsdam after War II ended. Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill got together and discussed who would control Germany in the future, post-war boundaries, how would winning the war with Japan end, and how they would secure peace in Europe. The significance of the Potsdam Conference was that it had failed to settle important issues which thus helped prepare for the Cold War that would begin shortly. -
The Atomic Bomb
An atomic bomb was dropped on Japan in Hiroshima and Nagasaki on two separate dates. The bombs were enough to destroy the entire two cities. The Soviet Union was upset and scared because the U.S. actually used the bomb and didn't hesitate to use it in war and kill humans. These atomic bombs are significant during the Cold War because the devastation brought by the bombs had led to Japan's unconditional surrender which eventually brought an end to World War II. -
The Iron Curtain
Winston Churchill delivered "Sinews of Peace" on March 5, 1946. It soon became known famously as the "Iron Curtain Speech." He uses the term "iron curtain" to describe how communism was taking over. Russia separated eastern Europe from western Europe. The iron curtain served as a barrier. The barrier lasted from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1991. It was significant because it showed how Russia wanted to separate itself from non-communist areas. -
The Truman Doctrine
The Truman Doctrine an American foreign policy and represented a dramatic change in foreign policy. President Harry S. Truman announced it to Congress on March 12th, 1947. It is significant because it's purpose was to counter the Soviet expansion during the Cold War. -
The Molotav Plan
The Molotav Plan was a system created by the Soviet Union in 1947. It provided aid to rebuild countries in Eastern Europe that were aligned to the Soviet Union in economic and political ways. Vyacheslav Molotov had rejected the Marshall Plan from 1947, and proposed the Molotov Plan instead. The significance was to help aid countries in Eastern Europe that were politically and economically aligned to the Soviet Union. -
Hollywood 10
The Hollywood Ten were a group of 10 motion-picture producers, directors, and screenwriters who in October 1947, appeared before the House Un-American Activities Committee.They refused to answer questions citing protection under the first amendment. They didn't want to answer questions regarding them being possible communists. They were convicted of contempt of Congress and were sent to prison. They were significant because their actions continued to inspire and continue debates, decades later. -
The Marshall Plan
The Marshall plan was a program of massive economic assistance to help rebuild West Europe that was passed in 1948. The U.S. gave over $12 billion in assistance after WW2. Truman was afraid a Communist Revolution would happen in Europe without aid from the U.S. The Marshall Plan was significant to the Cold War because it reduced the power and spread of Communist parties in Western Europe. -
Berlin Blockade
Stalin put a blockade on Berlin because the U.S. had unified West Germany and got currency. Berlin was closed from June 24th, 1948 to May 12th, 1949. Berlin had no entrance and no exit, and no one in Berlin had electricity. Because of this, the U.S. created the Berlin Airlift; pilots air dropped food and supplies to people in Berlin for 15 months. Berlin's importance in the Cold War represented the tension between the communists and the West during the early Cold War. -
The Berlin Airlift
The Berlin Airlift was a military operation from Jun 24, 1948 to May 12, 1949. It was started because Stalin put a blockade on Berlin which made everyone who lived there, lose power and access to food and other necessities. In response, the U.S. started to airdrop food and other supplies to people in Berlin. The Berlin Airlift was a symbol of the cold war because it represented the division between the USSR and its allies. -
Alger Hiss Case
Alger Hiss was an American government official who in 1948, was accused of being a Soviet spy. He was accused of this by an ex communist named Whittaker Chambers. Alger Hiss was convicted of perjury and sentenced to 5 years in 1950. The Alger Hiss case was significant to the Cold War because it was talked about long after he was said to be guilty and brought attention to the possibility of communism. -
NATO
NATO stands for "North Atlantic Treaty Organization". NATO was an alliance that consisted of 29 states in the territories of North America and Europe. The main purpose was to defend each other from the possibility of Communism taking over during the Cold War. NATO's significance to the Cold War was because it unified and strengthened the Western Allies' military to a very possible invasion by the Soviet Union into Western Europe. -
The Soviet Bomb Test
The first Soviet atomic bomb test exploded on August 29, 1949. The U.S. was surprised because they were not expecting the Soviet Union to obtain atomic/ nuclear weapon knowledge so early on. This was important to the Cold War because it showed the USSR's ambitions to aspire domination in the Cold War. -
Korean War
The Korean War was from June 25, 1950 to July 27, 1953. The U.S. defended South Korea from Communism and we partially succeed. However, Communism does spread to North Korea. This is significant to the cold war because it was the first armed conflict in the Cold War. This was also the first time the U.S. was willing to use the military to kill in order to keep communism from spreading and the Soviet Union was willing to send troops to expand their communism. -
Rosenberg Trial
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were accused of being in connection with a plot to pass U.S. bomb secrets to the Soviets. They were arrested of “Conspiracy to Commit Espionage” in July 1950. They had passed atomic secrets to the Soviets during and after World War II and were eventually executed in the electric chair on June 19, 1953, a few weeks before the Korean War ended. The Rosenberg Trial was important to the Cold War because it had been one of the most sensational and talked about trials ever. -
Battle of Dien Bien Phu
France had controlled Indochina since the late 19th century until Japan took control during WW2. With U.S. aid, France tried to reclaim Vietnam in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. The battle was between the French Far East Expeditionary Corps and Viet Minh communist revolutionaries. The battle was from March 13, 1954, and May 7, 1954. The French were defeated in 1954. The Battle of Dien Bien Phu was significant in the Cold War because it was a huge turning point in Indochina. -
Geneva Conference
The Geneva Conference was a conference held in Geneva, Switzerland that lasted from April 26, 1954, to July 20, 1954. The conference was attended by representatives of Cambodia, China, France, Laos, the U.K., the U.S., the Soviet Union, the Viet Minh (North Vietnam), and the State of Vietnam (South Vietnam). The Geneva Conference was significant to the Cold War because it was held to settle issues following the Korean War and the First Indochina War. -
Army-McCarthy Hearings
McCarthy was a U.S. senator and he had claimed that he had a list of 205 communists working in the state department. The Army-McCarthy hearings were the most popular thing on national television from April to June in 1954. These hearings were some of the first to be televised and they were a media circus. McCarthy was revealed to be an arrogant fraud by journalists and congress during them. This was significant to the Cold War era because McCarthyism seeped into every aspect of American life. -
The Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact was the Communist counteraction to NATO, the U.S. alliance. And it was a military alliance and a collective defense treaty between the Soviet Union and seven Eastern European countries. It was signed in Warsaw, Poland during the Cold War in May 1955 to become a symbol of Soviet dominance in Eastern Europe. The Warsaw Pact was significant to the Cold War because it showed that the USSR was trying to overcome American capitalism. -
The Hungarian Revolution
The Hungarian Revolution was also known as the Hungarian Uprising and it was was a nationwide revolution against the Soviet-controlled government, lasting from October 23, 1956, to November 10, 1956. The Revolution was significant to the Cold war because it was seen as one of the nation's greatest tragedies and darkest events. -
U2 Incident
The U2 Incident was a confrontation between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. It had begun with a U.S. U-2 spy plane that had been shot down over the Soviet Union. It caused an important summit meeting in Paris between the U.S., the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and France. The U2 Incident was a big part of the Cold War because it had raised major tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. -
The Bay of Pigs invasion
In 1959, Fidel Castro became in power in an armed revolt which had overthrown the Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista. After this, On April 17, 1961, 1,400 Cuban exiles started to invade at the Bay of Pigs on the south coast of Cuba. However, the invasion failed mainly because of poor planning, and a major lack of US air support. The Bay of Pigs invasion was significant to the Cold War because the United States tried to prevent communism from taking over using drastic measures. -
Berlin Wall
On August 8th, 1961, the German Democratic Republic Constructed the Berlin Wall which had separated West Berlin in Germany from East of Germany, which surrounded it until November 9th,1989 when it was destroyed. The wall symbolized the lack of freedom under communism. The Berlin Wall was important to the Cold War because it symbolized the Cold War itself and the division between the Soviet bloc and the capitalist bloc. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
In May 1960, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev had begun to ship ballistic missiles to Cuba along with technicians to successfully operate them. The Cuban Missile Crisis was a dangerous confrontation between the U.S. and the USSR about the presence of active missile sites in Cuba. The crisis had lasted from October 16, 1962, to October 28, 1962. It was significant to the Cold War because it was the moment when the two superpowers came the closest to nuclear conflict. -
Riots of Democratic convention
After the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968, led to utter violence, political issues, and riots in more than 100 cities. The convention was held on August 26th to 29th, 1968 and protesters flooded the streets to protest against the Vietnam War. The Riots of Democratic convention was important to the Vietnam War era because it showed the importance of the end of the war to the citizens. -
Assassination of Diem
Ngo Dinh Diem was assassinated on November 2, 1963, in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Ngo Dinh Diem was the president of South Vietnam until his government was overthrown and Diem and his brother were captured by a group of soldiers and killed. The assassination of Diem was important to the Cold War because his death lead to many people celebrating in South Vietnam, but it also lead to political chaos throughout the nation. -
Assassination of JFK
On November 22, 1963, the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy had been fatally shot by a former U.S. Marine Lee Harvey Oswald. He was riding in a presidential motorcade with his wife Jacqueline, John Connally, and his wife Nellie. JFK died before he got to the hospital. The assassination of JFK was important to the Cold War because the U.S. had just lost its leader who made all of the important decisions and left the U.S. feeling empty and vulnerable. -
Tonkin Gulf Resolution
August 7, 1964, was the day that Congress had passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. It had authorized President Lyndon B. Johnson to take any precautions he thought were necessary to make an attack in southeast Asia. The Tonkin Gulf Resolution was significant in the Cold War because it had been a major turning point in U.S. military involvement at the time in Vietnam. -
Operation Rolling Thunder
Operation Rolling Thunder was a codename for a secret U.S. bombing campaign during the Vietnam War. It was conducted by the U.S., 2nd Air Division, the U.S. Navy, and the Republic of Vietnam Air Force against the Republic of North Vietnam. The Operation put military pressure on North Vietnam's leaders and to make them not want to go against the U.S. in war. Operation Rolling Thunder was significant in the Cold War because it demonstrated the U.S. air supremacy during the Vietnam War. -
Tet Offensive
The Tet Offensive was a line of coordinated surprise attacks by the Vietcong and North Vietnam forces, on cities and towns in South Vietnam. The attacks lasted from January 30, 1968, to September 23, 1968. The Tet Offensive was significant in the Cold War/ Vietnam War era because it significantly weakened U.S. support for the war in Vietnam and was considered to be a turning point in the Vietnam War itself. -
Assassination of MLK
On April 4, 1968, An American civil rights leader named Martin Luther King Jr was fatally shot. MLK was shot at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee by James Earl Ray with a Remington rifle. The Assassination of MLK was important to the Cold War/ civil rights era because his death led to anger and violence among black citizens. National Mourning caused an equal housing bill which would be the last significant legislative movement of the civil rights era. -
Assassination of RFK
On June 5, 1968, Senator Robert F Kennedy was fatally shot at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles by a 22-year-old named Palestinian Sirhan Sirhan. RFK had won the California presidential primary award and was announcing to his supporters that the country was ready to end its divisions and soon after, Kennedy was shot multiple times. The assassination of RFK was significant because it had been the first anniversary of the Six Day War between Israel and Arab. -
Invasion of Czechoslovakia
On August 20, 1968, Warsaw Pact troops invaded Czechoslovakia and they were led by the Soviet Union. The invasion was meant to decrease reformist trends in Prague. The Soviets had successfully stopped the reform trend in Czechoslovakia, however, it ultimately resulted in consequences that were unintended for the unity of the communist bloc. The Invasion of Czechoslovakia was significant to the Cold War because it slowed down the communist reform in Prague. -
Election of Nixon
On November 5, 1968, the Republican nominee Richard Nixon became the 46th President of the United States. Nixon had defeated the Democratic nominee, Vice President Hubert Humphrey. Nixon's election was important to the Cold War era because when he was elected, American involvement in the Vietnam War ended. -
Kent State
On May 4, 1970, unarmed and harmless college students were shot down by members of the Ohio National Guard at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. The Kent State shootings happened during a protest against the bombing of Cambodia by U.S. military forces. 4 people were killed and 9 were injured when the Ohio National Guard opened fire on the crowd. The Kent State tragedy was important to the Cold War because it represented a nation deeply divided by the Vietnam War. -
Nixon Visits China
On February 21, 1972, the U.S. 37th president, Nixon, visited the People's Republic of China. This event showed the relationship between the United States and China getting better after years of violence and combat. Nixon had been the first American president to visit China since it had established in 1949. Nixon visiting China was significant to the Cold War era because it showed the U.S. was willing to improve the relationship between itself and a Communist nation. -
Ceasefire in Vietnam
On January 15, 1973, President Richard Nixon had ordered a ceasefire of the bombings in North Vietnam. He ordered this because Dr. Henry Kissinger returned to Washington with a draft peace proposal after being in France. Kissinger was the National Security Affairs advisor for the president. By January 27, 1973, Vietnam signed the ceasefire order as well, making it official. The ceasefire was significant because it showed America's willingness to accomplish peace. -
Fall of Saigon
The capture of Saigon happened on April 30, 1975, which was known as the Fall of Saigon. The communist North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces captured Saigon which forced South Vietnam to surrender. Following the fall of Saigon, the city of Saigon was renamed Ho Chi Minh City, after the leader of North Vietnam. The fall of Saigon was significant to the Vietnam War era because it led to the end of the Vietnam War and the beginning of the reunification of Vietnam under Communism. -
Reagan elected
On November 4, 1980, the Republican nominee, Ronald Reagan, was elected as the 40th president. Reagan had beaten the Democrat nominee Jimmy Carter. Reagan had served as the President from 1981 to 1989. Reagan's main goal as president was to win the Cold War and to lessen the spread of Communism and destroy it completely. Reagan's election was important to the Cold War because he had achieved his goal within Eastern Europe in 1989, and in the Soviet Union in 1991. -
SDI Announced
On March 23, 1983, President Ronald Reagan had announced the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI). The intention of SDI was to develop a space base and an anti-ballistic missile system within it to prevent missile attacks from the Soviet Union and any other countries. SDI was also called "Star Wars" by its critics because the idea sounded like a science fiction movie. The SDI was important to the Cold War because the USSR saw it as an immediate threat and it helped lead to the end of the Cold War. -
Geneva Conference with Gorbachev
On November 19 - 20, 1985, President Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev met for the first time in Geneva, Switzerland. The meeting was held to talk about relations and the arms race between the two nations. The meeting didn't bring up any definite agreements but ended in a close friendship between the two leaders. The Geneva Conference was important to the Cold War because it brought the nuclear arms race under control with 6 exchange and environmental agreements. -
"Tear down this wall" Speech
On June 12, 1987, U.S. President Ronald Reagan made a speech in West Berlin. The speech was soon to be known as the "Tear down this wall!" speech because this quote was a line from the speech. The speech called for Mikhail Gorbachev to open the barrier dividing West and East Berlin since 1961. The "Tear down this wall’ speech was significant to the Cold War because it had led to the fall of the Berlin Wall two years later on November 9, 1989. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
On November 9th, 1989, East Berlin's Communist Party spokesman had announced a change in Berlin's relationship with the West. He announced that the citizens of the GDR were allowed to cross the country's borders. The Berlin Wall itself was a symbol of the lack of freedom under communism. The fall of the Berlin Wall was significant in the Cold War because it represented America and the Soviet Union's willingness to end violence amongst themselves. It also was a major reason why the Cold War ended
