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Period: to
the cold war
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United Nations
The United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union meet at Yalta, and later at potsdam, to plan the postwar world. The United Nations is founded furing this time. This is a new international peacekeeping organization. They had tried to build the nations after World War I; however, it had failed. -
1946
Soviet leader Joseph Stalin predicts the worldwide triumph of communism. He knew that it would be years before the Soviets were strong enough military to directly confront the U.S. Stalin called on Communists to spread their system by other means. -
The Truman Doctrine
President Truman called on the U.S. to take leadership role in the world. In a state-major of principles known as the Truman Doctrine, he established another major policy that would guide American actions in the Cold War. The Truman Doctrine promises support to nations resisting Communist aggression. -
The Marshall Plan
American policymakers were determined not to repeat the mistakes of the post-World War I era. This time the United States would help restore the war-torn nations so that they might create stable democracies and acheive economy recovery. The Marshall Plan provides U.S. aid to Europe by using the Berlin airlift brings supplies to West Berlin. -
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Communists win control over China in April of 1949. NATO is formed to defend Europe against the Communists. This included Canada, The United States of America, Belgium, Britain, Denmark, France, italy, Luxemboug, the Netherlands, Norway, and Protugal. Memebers of NATO agreed that "an armed attack against one or more of them...shall be considered an attack against them all." -
The Korean War
In June of 1950, the Korean War broke out when North Korean troops streamed across the 38th parallel, determined to reunite Korea by force. This invation took the U.S. by surprise. Senator Joseph McCarthy then launched his aunti-Communist campaign. He said, "If this (invasion of South Korea) was allowed to go unchallenged, it would mean a third world war, just as similar incidents brought on the second world war." -
The Hydrogen Bomb
Less than a year after the United States exploded its first thermonucleat device, the Soviet Union test a hydrogen bomb. As a part of the policy of deterrence begun by President Truman, Eisenhower stepped up American weapons develpment. Detterence is the policy of making the military power of the U.S. and its allies so strong that no enemy would dare attack for fear of retaliation. -
McCarthy is Censured
The U.S. Senate votes 65 to 22 to condemn Senator Joseph R. McCarthy for conduct unbecoming of a senator. The condemnation, which was equivalent to a censure, related to McCarthy’s controversial investigation of suspected communists in the U.S. government, military, and civilian society. -
1955
The Warsaw Pact is formed in 1955. The Soviet Union and seven of its European satellites sign a treaty establishing the Warsaw Pact, a mutual defense organization that put the Soviets in command of the armed forces of the member states. -
The Eisenhower Doctrine
The President proclaims the Eisenhower Doctrine, promising to use force to defend Middle Eastern countries against Communist aggression, and promising military or economic aid to any Middle Eastern country needing help in resisting communist aggression.
