Cold War By coreymcfeeley Period: Jan 1, 1945 to Aug 31, 1991 Cold War Aug 6, 1945 United States first used atomic bomb in war Aug 14, 1946 Japanese surrender End of World War II Oct 17, 1946 Winston Churchill delivers "Iron Curtain" Speech Oct 18, 1947 Truman declares active role in Greek Civil War Sep 18, 1949 Soviets explode first atomic bomb Jun 18, 1950 Korean War begins Jul 18, 1953 Korean War ends Jan 1, 1959 Cuba taken over by Fidel Castro Nov 18, 1960 John F. Kennedy elected President Aug 13, 1961 Berlin border closed Oct 20, 1962 1962: October -- Cuban Missile Crisis Nov 16, 1963 1963: November -- President Kennedy assassinated in Dallas, Texas Apr 1, 1970 1970: April -- President Nixon extends Vietnam War to Cambodia Aug 18, 1974 1974: August -- President Nixon resigns Feb 18, 1983 1983: -- President Reagan proposes Strategic Defense Initiative Jun 25, 1989 1989: June -- China puts down protests for democracy; Poland becomes independent Aug 12, 1991 1991: August -- End of Soviet Union Cold War Ends