World history events

By Wendy Lo
  • An iron curtain descends across Europe

    An iron curtain descends across Europe

    After World War II, the Soviet Union sealed off itself and its dependent European allies from open contact with the West and other noncommunist areas. The Iron Curtain acted as an crucial role throughout the Cold War times. It wasn't only a wall of barbed wire, it was a symbol of the political division in Europe.
  • Berlin Airlift occurs and Czechoslovakia becomes the last Eastern European country to become communist

    Berlin Airlift occurs and Czechoslovakia becomes the last Eastern European country to become communist

    The Czech government showed interest in participating in the Marshall Plan. However, the communists organized strikes and protests. They also forced other parties out of the government to make Czechoslovakia become a single-party state. This event was important during the Cold War since it shows the communist's power in its ruled nation
  • Creation of East and West Germany.

    Creation of East and West Germany.

    After World War II, since it was seriously damaged, the "Big Three"(Joseph Stalin, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Winston Churchill) met at the Yalta conference to discuss Germany's future. The result of the meeting was to divide Germany into four zones. The American, British, and French zones made up the Western Germany, while the Soviet Union created the Eastern. This split was important since it led to various crucial events that contributed to starting the Cold War such as the Berlin blockade.
  • North Korea invades South Korea.

    North Korea invades South Korea.

  • China comes to the aid of North Korea and forces UN troops to retreat.

    China comes to the aid of North Korea and forces UN troops to retreat.

    The Chinese entered the Korean War for two reasons: to protect their northeastern provinces that made up Manchuria, and to solidify their relationship with North America. This event was important because it escalated the conflict between the communism and the democratic (since China was having direct military conflict with the USA.) It also highlights the opposition between the democratic and the communist.
  • The Korean War ends with a cease fire and Korea remains divided at the 38th parallel and Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union, dies.

    The Korean War ends with a cease fire and Korea remains divided at the 38th parallel and Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union, dies.

  • The French lose the Battle of Dien Bien Phu and decide to pull out of Indochina.

    The French lose the Battle of Dien Bien Phu and decide to pull out of Indochina.

  • Nikita Khrushchev becomes Soviet Premier and Austria reunifies under the condition they remain neutral in the Cold War.

    Nikita Khrushchev becomes Soviet Premier and Austria reunifies under the condition they remain neutral in the Cold War.

  • The built of Disney

    The built of Disney

    In the early 1950s, Walt Disney began designing a huge amusement park near Los Angeles. He hoped Disneyland can turn into real life and entertain both adults and their children. In the summer of 1955, invitations were sent out for the opening of Disneyland on July 17. The build of Disney land was a crucial help for the USA during the Cold War. The land's fame also help made the USA's image a country of innovation, freedom, and opportunities, which was a very good way to promote anti-communism.
  • Soviets crush a revolt in Hungary while the West does nothing.

    Soviets crush a revolt in Hungary while the West does nothing.

    Soviet tanks rolled into Budapest to crush the national uprising. At the same time, American radio broadcasts speeches by President Eisenhower, saying that the USA supports the liberation of people in communist nations. The uprise was important during the Cold War since it emphasizes the two opposite sides in the Cold War. The USA was trying to lead the Russian people to rebel against the communist government, which gives the USA advantage in the Cold War.
  • Sputnik I is launched.

    Sputnik I is launched.

    On October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched the world’s first artificial Earth satellite - Sputnik 1. Its 65° orbital inclination made its flight path cover virtually the entire inhabited Earth. This success was a crucial point during the Cold War since it was totally unexpected by the USA. It soon became a major threat, which led to the American Sputnik crisis and the occurrence of the Space Race.
  • American U-2 spy plane is shot down by the Soviet Union.

    American U-2 spy plane is shot down by the Soviet Union.

  • Construction begins on the Berlin Wall & the Bay of Pigs Invasion.

    Construction begins on the Berlin Wall & the Bay of Pigs Invasion.

  • Cuban Missile Crisis occurs.

    Cuban Missile Crisis occurs.

  • The Gulf of Tonkin Incident occurs and the United States Congress passes the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution and Leonid Brezhnev becomes the leader of the Soviet Union.

    The Gulf of Tonkin Incident occurs and the United States Congress passes the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution and Leonid Brezhnev becomes the leader of the Soviet Union.

  • President Lyndon B. Johnson sent the first 60,000 ground troops to Vietnam.

    President Lyndon B. Johnson sent the first 60,000 ground troops to Vietnam.

  • Tet Offensive occurs.

    Tet Offensive occurs.

  • Detente begins

    Detente begins

  • The United States and North Vietnam agree to a cease fire.

    The United States and North Vietnam agree to a cease fire.

    A cease-fire in the Vietnam War goes into effect at 1973. However, both sides violated it. Each side thought that military operations were reasonable by the other side’s violations of the cease-fire. The result of this was an endless chain of retaliations. The Vietnam war was crucial during the Cold War because it was actually just a tool for the USA and the USSR to fight without actually starting a war themselves.
  • The last combat troops leave South Vietnam and the nation falls to Communist North Vietnam.

    The last combat troops leave South Vietnam and the nation falls to Communist North Vietnam.

  • Soviet-Afghan War begins.

    Soviet-Afghan War begins.

    The War was an armed conflict which took place in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. On December 24, 1979, the Soviet Union invades Afghanistan, under the pretext of upholding the Soviet-Afghan Friendship Treaty of 1978. This war also marks the beginning of the 46-year-long Afghan conflict. The Soviet-Afghan War was important during the Cold War since it ended the short period of relaxed Soviet Union–United States relations.
  • Josip Broz Tito, president of Yugoslavia, dies and Lech Walesa establishes the Solidarity Movement in Poland.

    Josip Broz Tito, president of Yugoslavia, dies and Lech Walesa establishes the Solidarity Movement in Poland.

  • Mikhail Gorbachev becomes the leader of the Soviet Union.

    Mikhail Gorbachev becomes the leader of the Soviet Union.

  • The Soviet Union withdraws troops from Afghanistan, Romanian uprising oust Nicholas Ceausescu and his wife, and the U.S.S.R allows the dismantling of the Berlin Wall.

    The Soviet Union withdraws troops from Afghanistan, Romanian uprising oust Nicholas Ceausescu and his wife, and the U.S.S.R allows the dismantling of the Berlin Wall.

  • Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania declare their independence and East and West

    Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania declare their independence and East and West

  • Soviet republics of Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Belarus, Moldova, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan declare independence and Gorbachev resigns and Boris Yeltsin becomes the first president of Russia.

    Soviet republics of Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Belarus, Moldova, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan declare independence and Gorbachev resigns and Boris Yeltsin becomes the first president of Russia.

    In 1991, Mr. Gorbachev, a leader who was highly regarded abroad but not at home, announced his resignation as the Soviet Union passed into history.
    The Soviet red flag was lowered over the Kremlin, replaced by the Russian Federation's flag. This event was significant during the Cold War since the collapse of the Soviet Union was interpreted as the evidence of the USA winning the Cold War.
  • Czechoslovakia becomes the Czech Republic and Slovakia

    Czechoslovakia becomes the Czech Republic and Slovakia

    Czechoslovakia was created at the end of WW1 containing two equal nations: Slovaks and Czechs. However in 1992, both of the nations self-determined themselves from the federal republic of Czechoslovakia into the independent countries of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The split of the nations acted as a crucial role during the Cold War. Since the USA has a lot more advantages during the Cold War, the nations started to rebel against the communist.