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Yalta Conference
In Crimea, Russia, the Big Three met to discuss the inevitable victory in Europe and the war in the Pacific. The meeting was successful and agreeable at first for the three powers, until Roosevelt's and Stalin's views about the Soviet Union's influence clashed. -
Potsdam Conference
Held until August 2nd, 1945, Truman, Churchill and Stalin gathered in Potsdam occupied Germany to discuss the punishment of the defeated Nazi, Germany. Nazi Germany surrended May 8th, 1945- nine weeks prior to this conference. -
Atomic Bombs Dropped in Japan
On August 6th, 1945 the atomic bomb created by the Allied powers were dropped on Hiroshima, Japan killing 90,000–166,000 people and then Nagasaki three days later, killing 60,000–80,000. Some deaths occured immediately after the bombs dropped while other deaths were caused by radiation sickness and burns days or months later. -
Victory over Japan Day
This is the day Japan surrended (because of time zones the US got this news August 14th). This also referes to September 2nd when the signing of the surrender document occured. The signing officially ended World War II. -
Iron Curtain Speech
This speech was given by Winston Churchill in Fulton, Missouri to an audience of 40,000, He talked about how the Soviet Union was taking control of European countries and this speech is believed to be the start of the Cold War. -
Truman Doctrine
Harry Truman introduced this international relations policy in a speech. Its purpose was for the US to support Greece and Turkey with economic and military aid to stop these countries from falling into the Soviet sphere. Some say this was the start of the Cold War. -
The Marshall Plan
Named after George Marshall, who gave the speech to graduating class of Harvard, introduced the Marshall Plan. Its purpose was to aid the European countries affected by World War II to prevent the spread of Soviet Communism. During the four years of reconstruction, the US donated about 13 billion dollars to European countries. Adjusted for inflation, that's about 148 billion dollars. -
Berlin Airlift Begins
The Soviet Union blocked all road and rail ways to and from West Berlin so they could not export or import anything. This blockade was a response from the Soviet Union when they didn't have enough say in Germany's economic future. So for almost a year, the US flew in necessities to West Berlin for 2 million citizens. -
NATO Pact Signed
North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The United States, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and Portugal all joined to sign this pact to stop Soviet Union aggression. Although some isolationists didn't agree wtih this pact, NATO stood as the main US led military alliance throughout the Cold War. -
End of Berlin Blockade
On this day, the Soviet Union lifted the blockade since it showed to be ineffective because of the US and Britain flying in goods to Berlin. On May 23rd West Germany was created and on October 7th East Germany, a communist state, was created. Because of fear of another blockade of West Germany, the US and Britain continued to fly in goods until September 30th, 1949 -
Soviets Explode Atomic Bomb
At Semipalatinsk in Kazakhstan, the Soviets successfully denote their first atomicomb. In mid September, the United States learned the Soviets had created an atomic bomb and Klaus Fuchs, who helped the United States build their atomic bomb, was arrested for giving secrets to the Soviet Union. -
Communist Takeover in China
Led by Mao Zedong, the communist party came to power after prevailing over the nationalists. Landlords were executed, people could only ride bicyles, and foreign businesses all disappeared. In 1950, China got involved in the Korean War and created the "Three Antis Campaign" which stated that anybody guilty of corruption, waste, and bureaucracy would be shot. -
Beginning of McCarthyism
Joseph McCarthy is known for escalating the second Red Scare in America. The federal government became paranoid of communists infiltrating the government and the US so they accused many innocent people of being communist which made them lose their jobs, respect, and trust from everybody and forced to serve time in prison. -
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg Executed
Arrested two years before their execution, they were accused of espionage. They protested their innocence but were still convicted. Some Americans believed the Rosenbergs were innocent while others sided with the death sentence. -
Warsaw Pact
A mutual defense organization/agreement by several European countries that put the Soviet Union in command of the member states. If attacked by an outside force Albania, Poland, Romania, Hungary, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, and Bulgaria were obligated to defend the Soviet Union. -
Geneva Summit
A meeting of "The Big Four" to bring the world leaders together to discuss peace among them and other countries. Everybody had the same goal of global security. -
Hungarian Uprising
After Stalin died in 1953, Hungary was still under control of the Soviet Union and their policies. Hungary was tired of it so they revolted, starting in Budapest. Even though it was unsuccessful, it played a huge role in the Soviet Union's downfall. -
Suez Crisis
After Egypt's president, Gamal Abdel Nasser, nationalized the Suez canal in July 1956, Israel, soon joined by Britain and France, pushed into Egypt. This conflict almost brought the Soviet Union which worsened the relationship with the US. -
Launching of Sputnik
The Soviet Union successfully launched the first artificial satellite, Sputnik I. This 183.9 pound metal sphere started the US USSR space race. -
US U-2 Plane Shot Down
Piloted by Francis Gary Powers, a U-2 plane disappeared over Russia. Nikita Khrushchev captured Powers which led to a summit with the US, Great Britain, France, and Russia. It ended abruptly with Khrushchev storming out. Powers was released two years later in exchange for a captured Russian spy.
