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Yalta Conference
(link) The After World War ||, the leaders of the United States, Britian, and Russia all met up in a town in Russia. They made a deal that in exchange for the Japanese surrendering, that Russia would agree to get involved in the Pacific Theatre. They talked about Germany and decided elections could take place there except for in the Nazi related parts. This became known as the Yalta Conference. -
End of World War II in Europe
(link) After several long brutal years of war, the Germans officially surrendered. The Allied forces had won and May 8th was named Victory in Europe Day. This was important because it was a huge win for the Allies. -
Potsdam Conference
(link) The leaders of the United States, Britain, and Russia all met up to decide how they should divide up Europe now that they had surrendered. They also wanted the Japanese to surrender. -
Start of the Truman Doctorine
(link) President of the United States, Harry S. Truman offered assistance to places in hopes that they wouldn't fall to Communism. -
Berlin Airlift
(link) The Russians blockaded all ways into Berlin hoping that they would eventually surrender due to lack of supplies. The U.S didn't want this to happen so in response, they began flying supplies to the people there to keep them from surrendering. This was important because it was a counter move towards the Soviet Berlin Blockade. -
National Atlantic Treaty Organization
(link) An alliance was formed both in hopes of stopping the Soviets from expanding exponentially and to make a deal that if any of the members of the NATO were attacked that they all would respond against the threat together. This was important because it showed the United States was gathering allies just in case of war. -
Soviets test Atom Bomb
(link) After the United States used the Atom bombs to end WWII the rest of the world started working on developing their own nuclear weapons. On this day, the Soviet Union took their first Atom Bomb for a test run. This was important because it was a threatening relaization for the United States because Russia developing this technology that there was the possibility of a nuclear war. -
Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
(link) A military alliance was formed with the agreement to keep South Vietnam from falling to Communism. This treaty didn't mean that they would agree to fight for them which is why it didn't last very long as a treaty. This agreement was made between the United States, Britain, France, New Zealand, the Phillipines, Pakistan, Thailand, etc. This event was important to try and stop the spread of Communism. -
Warsaw Pact
(link) This was an agreement between several different places that they would all respond with weapons if one of the places was attacked. This included Russia, Albania, Poland, Hungary, East Germany, etc. This event is important because it is a counter move by the Soviet Union to the United States forming NATO. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
(link) President John F. Kennedy gained knowledge that the Soviets were building weapons in Cuba and ordered a naval blockade. After several days, he and the leader of the Soviet Union made an agreement that they would stop the building of the missiles if the United States didn't invade Cuba. This was important because they made this deal after acknowledging the fact that a nuclear war was a possibility. -
China Develops Atomic Bomb
(link) After the United States and the Soviet Union already had the Atom Bomb teachnology so there was already tension and nobody was aware when or if it would boil over. China was Communist so now it seemed as though the Soviet Union side was ahead. This event was important because now there wasn't just a threat of a nuclear war but World War III. -
Communism takes over South Vietnam
(link) The Vietnamese War had been going on for several years while The Cold War was also. The United States was supporting and fighting alongside South Vietnam in hopes that they didn't fall to the North and be overtaken by Communism. Unfortunately, they sureendered and did. This is improtant because it shows the continuation of Communism spreading. -
Soviets invade Afganistan
(link) The Soviet Union troops went to Afganistan with the intentions of over taking it. This resulted in a war between the two that lasted 10 long years. The United States decided to get involved and Ronald Reagan offered aid to those to didn't want to become Communist. This was important because it was a direct move against the Soviets. -
Hungary becomes non-Communist
(link) Hungary defeating Communism was the beginning of the end of it. After failed attempts to rise up to the Soviet Union and regain control, Hungary was finally successful and managed to defeat Communism. This was important because it was leading to the end of the Cold War and the tension between Soviets and the United States. -
End of the Cold War
(link) On this day, the Soviet Union was finally abolished the Cold War had come to an end. Communism had stopped spreading aand the tension had had dimished. This was an important event because the threat of nuclear war wasn't hanging over everyone anymore.
