-
Korean War Begins
North and South Korea were civilly divided by the 38th parallel until North Korea invaded the South. In an effort to prevent communism from spreading to other countries in Asia, Truman attempted to involve the U.S. in the conflict. The Chinese provided assistance to the North Koreans and helped them push farther South, but the Southern allies were able to push the Northerners back across the 38th parallel. (https://binged.it/2HFFkvT) -
Brown v. Board of Education
In a landmark Supreme Court decision, the principle of "separate but equal" in regards to segregation of public facilities was overturned. The principle had been established by the Supreme Court case of Plessy v. Ferguson. Segregation of schools by race was now illegal throughout the United States. -
Vietnam War Begins
Due to popular belief in the "domino theory" of nations falling to communism, the U.S. prioritized preventing the spread of it throughout Asia. After the French withdrew from Vietnam in 1954, the U.S. took up the responsibility of fighting against the North Vietnamese. Initially, the U.S. only provided tactical support, but it soon put men on the ground. During Nixon's presidency, he supported the plan of "vietnamization", which was to withdraw U.S. soldiers from Vietnam. -
Little Rock Nine
Nine African-American students were prevented from entering Little Rock Central High School, an all-white school, in Arkansas by the state National Guard. The nine were heavily resented by Southern racists. The students were soon successfully enrolled due to the intervention of President Eisenhower. (https://youtu.be/oodolEmUg2g) -
Berlin Wall Built
Khrushchev ordered the construction of the Berlin Wall to officially divide East and West Berlin. It was built to prevent Eastern Germans from fleeing from Soviet control by heading westward. Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister, referred to the wall as a "Iron Curtain" that had descended over Europe. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
Fidel Castro was a communist dictator i Cuba who allied with the Soviet Union. The USSR promised Cuba protection from the U.S. and installed missiles just 90 miles off the coast of Florida. Over the course of 13 stressful days, JFK and Khrushchev compromised on the missiles being removed. -
JFK Assassinated
John F. Kennedy and his wife were driving in an open-top convertible through Dallas, Texas, surrounded by adoring crowds, when he was shot in the head and killed. The assailant was Lee Harvey Oswald, a former U.S. marine. Upon JFK's sudden death, his vice president, Lyndon B. Johnson, was sworn in a President later that same day. Video -
Ping-Pong Diplomacy
The People's Republic of China and the U.S. negotiated that President Nixon could visit for a tournament. They had been the first Americans to visit the country for a long time. This arrangement was part of Nixon's Cold War strategy of detente, which involved the easing of tensions between the U.S. and Soviet powers. Video -
Watergate Scandal
The Democratic Party HQ was broken into by former FBI and CIA agents, whom tapped phone lines and stole documents. The break-in was linked to Nixon, who resigned before he could be impeached by Congress. When his successor, Gerald Ford, became President, Nixon was pardoned for his crimes. Video -
Iran Hostage Crisis
During Jimmy Carter's presidency, approximately 60 Americans were taken hostage by a group of students in Iran. Carter failed to negotiate their release, which heavily weakened his chance in having a second term as President. The hostages were held for 444 days and were released hours after Reagan's inaugural address. Video -
First Known Case of AIDS
San Francisco resident Ken Horne was sent to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention for having Kaposi's sarcoma. Upon investigating his illness, Horne was reported to be the "Patient Zero" of the new virus. Nothing about the virus' nature, transmission, or whether or not it was lethal was known. -
Assassination Attempt of Ronald Reagan
As Ronald Reagan and his associates were leaving a speaking engagement in a hotel in D.C., they were suddenly shot at by John Hinckley Jr., who managed to shoot four people. Reagan himself was shot and sustained heavy internal bleeding, but he recovered quickly along with two of the other men that had been shot. James Brady, an assistant to the President, received a crippling blow that left him disabled and inspired the later passing of the Brady Bill in 1993.
