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The Iron Curtain
1945- Toward the end of WWII Russian troops pushed Nazis back and installed communist systems in the countries west of them all the way through Eastern Germany. This directly violated the Yalta agreement. -
Period: to
Cold War
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Mao Zedong and Communist Control of China
The renewed civil war in China lasts until 1949. -
Containment
The Truman Doctrine was President Truman’s support for countries that rejected communism (congress gave aid to Greece and Turkey). They gave aid to these countries because the U.S. had a democracy that they fully believed in and the soviets had a one-party state led by a dictator which they (the U.S.) fully disagreed with. Also Truman saw repetition of Hitler’s actions in Stalin and did not want to make the same mistakes as Britain and France that led to the world war. -
The Iron Curtain
The Iron Curtain represented the separation between Eastern and Western Europe into Democracy and Communism. Stalin thought it was necessary to make a buffer between Russia and Western Europe because they had attacked Russia in the past. This date is when Winston Churchill gave his "Iron Curtain Speech." -
Containment
The Marshall Plan was an assistance program proposed by George Marshall (U.S. State Senate) to give aid to needy European countries (provide food, machinery, and other materials). The United States acted on this plan immediately after the communists took control in Czechoslovakia and the threat of the soviets became even more obvious. -
Berlin Blockade and Airlift
The Soviet Union holds west Berlin hostage and tries starve the city, but America flew food and supplies in, causing the Soviet Union to admit defeat. -
Korean War
The Americans and Soviet troops remove most of their troops from Korea. -
Soviets successfully test their first atomic weapon
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North Korea (Communist) suprise attack South Korea (Capitalist)
The Korea War starts. -
Period: to
Korean War
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USA successfully tests the H-bomb
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Soviet Union drops their own H-bomb
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North and South Korea sign cease-fire agreement
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Cuban Missile Crisis
In response to Fidel Castro (the leader of the revolution that overthrew an unpopular dictator who had U.S. support) nationalizing the Cuban economy, Eisenhower (the U.S. president) stopped all trade with Cuba and the Soviets start tosupport Cuba’s economy and military. -
NATO and the Warsaw Pact
Eastern Germans built the Berlin Wall, symbolized world divide. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The U.S. launch a failed attack on Cuba in the Bay of Pigs which convinced the Soviets that the U.S. would not resist its control in other countries and therefore the Soviets secretly built 42 missile sites in Cuba. -
U.S. launched a failed attack on Cuba in the Bay of Pigs
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Chinese Cultural Revolution
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Mikhail Gorbachev comes to power
1985- He established a policy of “openness” (Glasnost) 1986- More power is given to local business owners rather than the government (perestroika) 1987- Gorbachev allows for citizens to vote for politicians to hold office- moving toward democracy (democratization) December 1987- Gorbachev changes foreign policy- agreement with Ronald Reagan bans missiles that launch 300-3,400 miles -
The Berlin Wall is torn down
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German communist party ceases to exist
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Lithuanian resistance against the Soviets
Lithuania declares independence, Soviet troops attack them and kill 14 civilians -
The Soviet Union had completely colapsed