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Truman Becomes President
The key figure in the early years of conflict with the Soviets was President Harry S. Truman. On April 12, 1945, Truman had suddenly become president when Franklin Roosevelt died. This former Missouri senator had been picked as Poosevelt's running man in 1944. He served as vice-president for just a few months before Roosevelt's death. -
The United Nations
The most visiable symbol of these hopes was the United Nations. On April 25, 1945, the represenitives of 50 nations met in San Fransisco to establish this new peacekeeping body. After two months of debate, on June 26, 1945, the delegates signed the charter establishing the UN. -
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The Cold War
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The Mccarran Act
As Hollywood tried to rid itself of Communists, Congress decided that Truman's Loyalty Review Board did not go far enough. In 1950, Congress passed the McCarren Internal Security Act. This made it unlawful to plan any action that might lead to the establishment of a totalitarian dictatorship in the Unted States. -
North Korea Attacks South Korea
On June 25, 1950, North Korean forces swept across the 38th parallel in a surprise attack on South Korea. The conflict that followed became known as the Korean War. Within a few days, North Korean troops had penetrated deep into South Korea. South Korea called on the United Nations to stop the North Korea invasion. -
Race for the H-Bomb
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJCDkpQIHW8 Despite such concerns for the H - Bombs, the United States entered into a deadly race with the Soviet Union to see which country would be the first to produce an H - Bomb. On November 1, 1952, the United States won the race when it exploded the first H-Bomb. -
The Bay of Pigs
On the night of April 17 1961, some 1,300 to 1.500 Cuban exiles supported by the U.S. military landed on the island's southern coast at Bahia de Cochinos, the Bay of Pigs. Everything went wrong and failed. Big embrassment for the United States.
