-
Period: to
Yalta Conference
Took place in a Russian resort town during WW2. At the conference, all the world leaders met to discuss the future progress of the war and how the postwar world would work. During the conference, the three leaders agreed to demand Germany's unconditional surrender and began plans for postwar. Stalin broke the promises he made at Yalta and American critics charged that Roosevelt, who'd died 2 months later, had "sold out" to the Soviets at Yalta. -
Period: to
The Potsdam Conference
The "Big Three" leaders - Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and U.S. President Harry Truman - met in Potsdam, Germany to negotiate terms for the end of WW2. Germany surrendered May 8th, so the leaders agreed to meet again to discuss the postwar borders in Europe. -
First Atomic Bomb on Japan
The first bomb was dropped in Hiroshima, Japan. It weighed 4 tons and contained Uranium 235. Intense thermal heat emitted by the fireball caused severe burns and loss of eyesight. Thermal burns of bare skin occured as far as 3.5 kilometers from ground zero. Tile and glass melted and all combustible materials were consumed. -
Victory over Japan Day
It was announced that Japan has surrendered unconditionally to the Allies, ending the second World War. This day is known as Victory over Japan - or V-J Day - to signal the end of the war and the start of building a new postwar world. -
Iron Curtain Speech
Churchill began his speech by praising the United States. He wanted to argue for an even closer "special relationship" between the United States and Great Britain, what he considered were "the great powers of the English-speaking world". He warned against the expansionistic policies of the Soviet Union and he began drawing parallels to Hitler and the Soviet Union. -
Truman Doctrine Announced
The Truman Doctrine was the name given to a policy announced by US President Harry Truman. The Truman Doctrine was a very simple warning clearly made to the USSR - though the country was never mentioned by name - that the USA would intervene to support any nation that was being threatened by a takeover by an armed minority. -
Marshall Plan Announced
The Marshall Plan, also known as the European Recovery Program, channeled over $13 billion to finance the economic recovery of Europe. It was made in order to prevent the spread of Soviet Communism. They wanted to rebuild war-devastated regions, remove trade barriers, modernize industry, and make Europe prosperous again. -
Period: to
The Berlin Airlift
In June, Russians who wanted Berlin all for themselves closed all highways, railroads, and canals from western-occupied Germany into western-occupied Berlin. They believed it would make it impossible for the people who lived there to get food or any supplies and would eventually drive Britain, France and the US out of the city. Instead, the U.S. and it's allies decided to supply their sectors of the city from the air. It lasted more than a year and carried more than 2.3 million tons of cargo. -
NATO Treaty Ratified
The US and 11 other nations established the NATO, a mutual defense pact aimed at containing possible Soviet aggression against Western Europe. NATO stood as the main U.S. led military alliance against the Soviet union. -
Berlin Blockade Lifted
An early crisis of the Cold War comes to an end when the Soviet Union lifted its 11-month blockade against West Berlin. The blockade had been broken by a massive U.S. British airlift of vital supplies to West Berlin's citizens. -
Soviets Explode Atomic Bomb
In Kazakhstan at a remote test site, the USSR successfully detonated its first atomic bomb with the code name "First Lightning". In order to measure the effects of the blast, the Soviet scientists created a makeshift city with buildings, bridges, and other civilian structures. They also placed animals in cages nearby to test the effects on human-like mammals. The bomb successful incinerated everything. -
Communist Takeover in China
Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong declared the creation of the People's Republic of China. The announcement ended the costly full-scale war between the Chinese Communist Party and the Nationalist Party. The creation of the PRC completed the long process of governmental upheaval in China. -
Period: to
Beginning of McCarthyism
McCarthyism was the modern day version of the Salem Witch Trials which ignited the country into anti-communism, therefore putting the American society into fear based off of the fact that communism could spread like a disease through the United States. -
Julius and Ethel Rosenburg Executed
Julius and Ethel Rosenburg were a married couple that were convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage in 1951, and were put to death in the electric chair. It marked the dramatic finale of the most controversial espionage case in the Cold War. -
Warsaw Pact
The Soviet Union and seven of its European allies signed a treaty establishing the Warsaw Pact, a mutual defense organization that put the Soviets in command of the armed forces of the member states. -
Geneva Summit
The Geneva Summit was a meeting in Geneva, Switzerland where the leaders of the U.S., France, Britain, and the Soviet Union sought to end the Cold War. Issues like disarmament, increased economic ties, and the unification of Germany were discussed. -
Period: to
Hungarian Uprising
The Hungarian Uprising was a spontanious nationwide revolt against the government of the Hungarian People's Republic and it's Soviet-imposed policies. It was the first major threat to Soviet control since the USSR's forces drove out the Nazis at the end of World War 2 and occupied Eastern Europe. -
Suez War
Israeli armed forces pushed into Egypt toward the Suez Canal after Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalized the canal in July of 1956. The Israelis then brought in other forces which included French, Britain, and the Soviet Union, damaging the relationships with the United States. -
Launching of Sputnik
The Soviet Union successfully launched Sputnik I, which was the world's first artificial satellite. It caused United States and Russia to begin a race of technology to see who could do what first. -
US U-2 Plane Shot Down
An American U-2 spy plane was shot down while conducting espionage over the Soviet Union. The incident derailed an important summit meeting between President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev that was scheduled for later that month.
