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The Russian Revolution
The Russian Revolution began in March 8, 1917 in the former Russian Empire and ended in June 16, 1923. First, the abolishment of monarchy and ended with the establishment of the Soviet Union. This was important because it created one of the superpowers in the Cold War. -
Chinese Communist Revolution
Mao Zedong, communist revolutionary, brought upon a decades long civil war between the Chinese nationalist government. Nearly 500 million Chinese fell under communist rule. Zedong became the spokesperson for revolution in Asia, supporting fledgling governments in Cambodia, Vietnam, Korea etc. -
The Postdam Conference
President Truman and Winston Churchill were on one side determined to secure political freedoms and democratic governments throughout post-war Europe. Joseph Stalin was determined to take over all of Europe and to establish a communist society. Began the 17th of July to August 2nd, 1945. -
The Atomic Bombs
August 6, 1945, President Harry S. Truman gave the 'ok' to drop a newfound invention, the atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. When Japan would not give up, the US dropped another bomb on August 9, 1945, in the city of Nagasaki. This led Stalin to have his Red Army create an atomic bomb as well. -
The Long Telegram
George F. Kennan had spent years in Moscow as an American Diplomat, he had written an 8 thousand word dispatch to Washington. This "Long Telegram" was about deciphering the Soviet's riddle and proposing the idea of Containment. He had written this under the pseudonym "Mr. X". -
The Iron Curtain
A non-physical border around the Soviet Union to separate them from the US. This was used as a stand mate throughout the Cold War. This term was adopted after British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, had made a speech saying 'an Iron Curtain has descended across the Continent". -
The Molotov Plan
In 1947, the Soviet's created the Molotov Plan in order to provide help to rebuild the countries in Eastern Europe that were politically and economically aligned to the Soviet Union. Originally, this was named "The Brother Plan". -
The Truman Doctrine
This doctrine represented a major change in U.S foreign policy. Written and told to the public by then-president Harry S. Truman. He wanted to aid countries that were threatened by Communism such as Greece and Turkey. -
Hollywood 10
During the HUAC trial, the Hollywood Ten were the few people that didn't answer the questions in front of Congress. They were convicted of contempt and were blacklisted. The blacklist involved the denying of employment to entertainment industry professionals believed to be or to have been Communists or sympathizers. -
The Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan, written by George C. Marshall and enacted on April 3, 1948, had served as a way to help Western Europe after the end of World War II. The goals of the US were to rebuild war-torn areas, remove trade barriers, modernize industry, improve European prosperity, and prevent the spread of communism and had granted them 12 billion dollars to loan. -
The Berlin Blockade
On June 24, 1948 the Berlin Blockade was one of the first major international crises of the Cold War. This started when the Soviet Union blocked the Western Allies' railway, road, and canal access to the centers of Berlin that were under control of the West. The Soviets offered to drop the blockade if they agreed to their conditions which were to withdraw the new Deutsche Mark from West Berlin. This blockade lasted 323 days. -
the Berlin Airlift
The United States and Great Britain had made a plan to resupply
Berlin. On average, a flight landed on West Berlin every 3 minutes. They airlifted food, fuel, and even candy to the blockaded city. -
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, its purpose is to provide aid whether it be in military or political means. -
Alger Hiss Case
Former State Department employee, Alger Hiss had been accused of being a spy for the Soviet Union. The House Committee had already been ready to rule the case as inconclusive due to the lack of evidence against Hiss. But Richard Nixon, then a California Congressman, had pressed the issue. Alger Hiss was found guilty of perjury and sentenced to 5 years in prison -
First Soviet Bomb Test
The First Soviet bomb test happened on August 29, 2019, years before expert prediction. This was important because it made the Soviet Union feel as prepared for war. -
The Rosenberg Trial
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were arrested, months after the Hiss trial, in connection with a plot to pass U.S bomb secrets to the Soviets. The Rosenbergs denied the charges and said that it was a hate crime because they were Jews. They were convicted and sentenced to die in the electric chair. -
Korean War
As a product of the Cold War, the Soviet Union and the U.S divided Korea into two states in 1948. The Korean War began when North Korea invaded South Korea. This war lasted 3 years with help from the United Nations and the US -
Army-McCarthy Hearings
This was a series of hearings held by the United States Senate's Subcommittee on Investigations to investigate accusations between the U.S Army and U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy. McCarthy counter-charged that this accusation was made in bad faith and in retaliation for his investigations of suspected Communists and security risks in the Army. He soon lost support after these hearings. -
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact was a treaty between the Soviet Union and seven other parts of Central and Eastern Europe. The Warsaw Pact was created in reaction to the integration of West Germany into NATO. The Warsaw Pact led to the expansion of military forces. -
Hungarian Revolution
The Hungarian Revolution was a nationwide revolution against the Hungarian People's Republic and its Soviet-imposed policies, it lasted 23 October until 10 November 1956. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
The Bay of Pigs invasion was a failed attempt by US-sponsored Cuban exiles to reverse Fidel Castro's Cuban Revolution, beginning with a military invasion of northern Cuba. Brigade 2506 attempted an invasion on April 17, 1961, this lasted three days. -
Berlin Wall
The Berlin wall was a barrier that divided Berlin. The Wall cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany, including East Berlin. The barrier included guard towers placed along large concrete walls -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union initiated by the American discovery of Soviet ballistic missile deployment in Cuba. The confrontation lasted 13 days. -
Assassination of JFK
On November 22, 1963, John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas while riding in a presidential motorcade through Dealey Plaza. Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson assumed the presidency upon Kennedy's death. Marxist Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested for the state crime, but he was shot to death by Jack Ruby two days later. Kennedy was riding with his wife Jacqueline, Texas Governor John Connally, and Connally's wife Nellie -
Invasion of Czechoslovakia
The Invasion of Czechoslovakia officially known as Operation Danube, which was a joint invasion of Czechoslovakia by five Warsaw Pact countries, the Soviet Union, Poland, Bulgaria, East Germany and Hungary, on the night of 20–21 August 1968. 137 Czechoslovakian civilians were killed and 500 seriously wounded during the occupation. -
Nixon visits China
The seven-day official visit to three Chinese cities was the first time a U.S. president had visited the People's Republic of China. This ended 25 years of no communication or diplomatic ties between the two countries and was the key step in normalizing relations between the U.S. and China. Throughout the week, the President had a meeting with Chairman Mao Zedong, while First Lady Pat Nixon toured schools, hospitals, etc. in several cities with the large American press corps. -
Reagan Elected
Ronald Reagan defeated Democrat Jimmy Carter. Due to the rise of conservatism following Reagan's victory, some historians say this was the start of the "Reagan Era". He campaigned for increased defense spending, implementation of supply-side economic policies, and a balanced budget. His campaign was aided by the Iran hostage crisis, and a worsening economy at home marked by high unemployment and inflation. -
SDI Announced
The Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) was a proposed missile defense system intended to protect the United States from attack by ballistic strategic nuclear weapons. SDI was nicknamed by Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy as "Star Wars", after the 1977 film by George Lucas. -
Geneva conference with Gorbachev
It was held on November 19 and 20, 1985, between U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev. The two leaders met for the first time to hold talks on international diplomatic relations and the arms race. Reagan's goal was to convince Gorbachev that America desired peace above all else. -
'Tear down this wall' speech
This was also known as the Berlin Wall Speech. Reagan called for Mikhail Gorbachev, to open the Berlin Wall, which had separated West and East Berlin since 1961. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
On 9 November 1989, was a pivotal event in world history which marked the falling of the Iron Curtain. The fall of the inner German border took place shortly afterwards. The reunification of Germany happened the next year.
