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Baby Boom
Post World War II Baby Boom: there are an estimated 79 million Americans who were born during this demographic boom in births -
Winston Churchill's "Iron Curtain" speech
His talk was to argue for an even closer "special relationship" between the United States and Great Britain (the great powers of the English-speaking world) in organizing and policing the postwar world. In particular, he warned against the expansionistic policies of the Soviet Union. In addition to the "iron curtain" that had descended across Eastern Europe, Churchill spoke of "communist fifth columns" that were operating throughout western and southern Europe. -
Truman Doctrine/containment
The goal of Containment was to stop the spread of communism. This meant the United States would work in military and nonmilitary ways to contain communism. Next, Truman announced the Truman Doctrine, which promised aid to people struggling to resist threats to democratic freedom. -
Marshall Plan
Hoping to prevent the spread of communism, the United States came up with a plan to revive the war-torn economies of Europe. The plan was named after Truman's Secretary of State, George C. Marshall. The Marshall Plan offered $13 billion in aid to Western and Southern Europe -
Berlin Blockade/Airlift
Soviet occupation forces in eastern Germany began a blockade of all railways, roadways, and waterways between Berlin and the West. On June 24 the Soviets announced that the Allies no longer had any rights in the East. On June 26 the United States and Britain began to supply the city with food and other vital supplies by air. They also airlifted exports to keep Germany functioning. -
Creation of NATO
In 1949, the prospect of further Communist expansion prompted the United States and 11 other Western nations to form the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). It operates as a system of collective defense where its member states agree to mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party. -
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McCarthyism
From 1950 to 1956 thousands of Americans were accused of being Communists or communist sympathizers and became the subject of aggressive investigations and questioning before government agencies during the Red Scare. The term is used to describe the practice of making accusations of disloyalty, subversion, or treason without evidence. -
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The Korean War
On June 25, 1950; 75,000 poured across the 38th parallel line into South Korea. North Korea was backed up by the Soviet Union. By July the Americans entered the war to support South Korea. This was the first actions of the cold war. Some officials worked anxiously because they were worried that it would become a wider war involving China and Japan, the officials feared that eventually it would spread into World War Three. In July 27 of 1953 the war came to an end. -
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The Vietnam War
The war began in 1954. It was a long and costly war. North Vietnam and their southern allies (also known as the Viet Cong); were fighting against South Vietnam and the United States. Because of the new leader in North Vietnam and the intense tension between the United States and the Soviet Union over 3 million people lost their lives in the war. More than half of them were citizens of Vietnam. The United States was against the war and that caused divisions among the Americans both before and aft -
Launch of Sputnik
On October 4th, 1957, the Soviet Union launched the fist artificial satellite into outer space. It shocked the United States because they wanted to accomplish the task first. It created fear in the United States because it seemed like they were falling behind the technology race between the two countries. This ramped up the arms race also. -
Election of John F. Kennedy
Election of John F. Kennedy, the youngest and first Catholic president -
The Building of the Berlin Wall
In an effort to stop refugees leaving the communist East Berlin and going into the Union Nation West Berlin. On August 12, 1961 the communist government started building a wall. The wall succeeded in sealing off East Berlin. The United States was furious and planned to bulldoze it down. However President John Kennedy thought that a wall was better that a war so they decided to leave it up. -
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Cuban Missle Crisis
On October 14, 1962, the Cuban missile crisis began. Leaders of the United States and the Soviet Union are in an intense 13 day military standoff. The argument was about the Soviet Union arming Cuba with nuclear missiles. Cuba is just 90 miles of the United States coast. On October 22, 1962, President John Kennedy notified the citizens of America of this problem. The United States blockaded Cuba and prepared to military force if necessary to neutralize the threat. On October 1968 the missile cri -
Civil Rights Act
The Civil Rights Act outlawed major forms of discrimination against racial, ethnic, national and religious minorities, and women -
Anti-Vietnam war protestors
Anti-Vietnam war protestors rallied to Washington in the first national demonstration against the war -
Election of Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon elected as President of US
