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The Truman Doctrine determined that the U.S would provide military, political, and economic assistance for nations who are under threat from authoritarian forces. -
The Marshall plan was a plan to help aid economic recovery in Europe after the devastation of World War II. -
U.S. meet 19 Latin American countries and created a security zone around the hemisphere -
Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, with Soviet backing, assumed undisputed control over the government of Czechoslovakia. It marked the onset of four decades of the party's rule in the country. -
Truman's Loyalty Program created to catch Cold War spies and forbade anyone who “advocated the overthrow of our constitutional form of government in the United States” to work in government agencies. -
Berlin Blockade were an attempt in 1948 by the Soviet Union to limit the ability of the United States, Great Britain and France to travel to their respective sectors of the city of Berlin, which lay entirely inside Russian-occupied East Germany -
NATO stands for North American Trade Organization. Communist expansion prompted the U.S and eleven others countries to form NATO -
The Soviets successfully tested their first nuclear device, called RDS-1 or “First Lightning” (codenamed “Joe-1” by the United States), at Semipalatinsk on August 29, 1949. -
Mao formally proclaimed the creation of the People's Republic of China. The Communist victory had a major impact on the global balance of power: China became the largest socialist state by population, and, after the 1956 Sino-Soviet split, a third force in the Cold War. -
McCarthy hearings pitted people against each other as they were called to testify about their own loyalty to their country as well as the loyalty of others. -
The Korean War began with the invasion of North Korean communist troops of South Korea. The Americans, wanting to prevent the spread of Communism entered the war on the side of South Korea. Much fighting occured around the 38th parallel. -
The Korean War ended in a stalemate with the signing of an armistice, which established a demilitarized zone and temporarily divided Korea along the 38th parallel. -
Accused of espionage, the Rosenberg couple are convicted of passing atomic secrets to the Soviet Union during World War II. They are sentenced to death and executed in 1953. -
The United States conducts a series of nuclear tests at the Eniwetok Atoll in the Pacific Ocean, marking the first tests to focus on the development of thermonuclear weapons. -
The Korean War, which began in 1950, comes to a halt as an armistice is signed between North Korea and South Korea. The conflict ends in a stalemate, with the two sides agreeing to a demilitarized zone between them. -
Japan and the Republic of China (Taiwan) sign a peace treaty, officially ending the state of war between the two countries. Taiwan gains sovereignty over the disputed islands of the Senkaku/Diaoyu -
The United States and the United Kingdom orchestrate a coup in Iran, overthrowing Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh and reinstating the Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, due to concerns about nationalization of the Iranian oil industry. -
The United States detonates the first hydrogen bomb, codenamed "Mike," during a test at the Eniwetok Atoll. This marks a significant advancement in nuclear weapons technology. -
Soviet leader Joseph Stalin dies after three decades in power. His death ushers in a period of political uncertainty and a power struggle within the Soviet Union. -
The Korean War officially ends with the signing of an armistice agreement between North Korea, China, and the United Nations Command. The war results in the division of Korea into North and South. -
World War II hero and former Supreme Allied Commander, Dwight D. Eisenhower, wins the presidential election, defeating Democrat Adlai Stevenson. He will serve two terms in office. -
Senator Joseph McCarthy's anticommunist crusade reaches its peak as he conducts highly publicized hearings investigating alleged communist infiltration in the U.S. government, contributing to his eventual downfall. -
In a landmark decision, the U.S. Supreme Court rules that racial segregation in public schools is unconstitutional. The ruling paves the way for the desegregation of schools across the United States. -
The Geneva Conference concludes with the signing of an agreement that ends the First Indochina War and temporarily divided Vietnam into North and South. The accord also grants independence to Laos and Cambodia. -
Leaders from 29 newly independent Asian and African countries gather in Bandung, Indonesia, to discuss cooperation, decolonization, and the promotion of neutralism in the context of the Cold War. -
The Soviet Union and several Eastern European countries establish a mutual defense alliance known as the Warsaw Pact in response to West Germany's integration into NATO. -
In response to the arrest of Rosa Parks for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white person, African Americans in Montgomery, Alabama, launch a successful boycott of the city's bus system, sparking the civil rights movement. -
President Eisenhower signs the Federal-Aid Highway Act, authorizing the construction of a vast network of highways across the United States. The system aims to improve transportation infrastructure and facilitate defense mobility. -
A spontaneous revolt against Soviet domination erupts in Hungary, with demands for political reforms and withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact. The uprising is eventually crushed by Soviet forces. -
Following the nationalization of the Suez Canal by Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, Israel, France, and the United Kingdom launch a military intervention. International pressure and the threat of Soviet intervention lead to a withdrawal of the invading forces. -
The Treaty of Rome is signed, establishing the European Economic Community (EEC) and laying the foundation for the formation of the European Union (EU) in later years. The treaty aims to promote economic integration among European countries. -
Nine African American students, known as the Little Rock Nine, are escorted by federal troops as they integrate Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. The event highlights the ongoing struggle for desegregation in the United States. -
The Soviet Union successfully launches the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, into space. This event marks the beginning of the Space Age and triggers the space race between the Soviet Union and the United States. -
Tensions escalate between the People's Republic of China and Taiwan as the Chinese Communist forces bombard the islands of Kinmen and Matsu, prompting the United States to intervene and deter further hostilities. -
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is established in the United States, consolidating various space exploration efforts and research programs under one agency. -
On November 10, 1958, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev delivered a speech in which he demanded that the Western powers of the United States, Great Britain and France pull their forces out of West Berlin within six months. -
Fidel Castro's revolutionary forces overthrow Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista, leading to the establishment of a socialist government in Cuba and strained relations with the United States. -
Following a failed Tibetan uprising against Chinese rule, the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, escapes into exile in India, where he establishes a government-in-exile and continues to advocate for Tibetan autonomy. -
The world comes to the brink of nuclear war as the United States discovers Soviet missile installations in Cuba. A tense standoff ensues, but is eventually resolved through negotiations, with the removal of missiles from Cuba and a secret U.S. commitment to remove missiles from Turkey. -
Fidel Castro's forces overthrow the Cuban government, establishing a communist regime and prompting concerns about Soviet influence in the Western Hemisphere. -
An American U-2 spy plane is shot down by the Soviet Union, leading to increased tensions between the two superpowers. -
The leaders of the United States, Soviet Union, and other countries gather to discuss nuclear disarmament, but the talks collapse due to the U-2 Incident. -
A CIA-backed invasion of Cuba by Cuban exiles fails to overthrow Castro's government, causing embarrassment for the United States. -
President Kennedy and Soviet Premier Khrushchev meet, but their discussions on Berlin and disarmament yield no significant agreements. -
East Germany starts building the Berlin Wall to prevent East Berliners from fleeing to West Berlin, symbolizing the division of Europe during the Cold War. -
The United States increases its military involvement in South Vietnam, marking a significant escalation in the conflict. -
The United States, Soviet Union, and United Kingdom sign the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, prohibiting nuclear tests in the atmosphere, outer space, and underwater. -
The United States discovers Soviet missile sites in Cuba, leading to a tense standoff and narrowly avoiding nuclear war through diplomatic negotiations. -
The United States and Soviet Union establish a direct hotline between the White House and Kremlin to improve communication and reduce the risk of accidental nuclear war. -
The treaty, signed in 1962, is ratified by the United States Senate, banning nuclear tests in the atmosphere, underwater, and in outer space. -
President John F. Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas, Texas, leading to a period of mourning and a transition of power to Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson. -
President Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act into law, prohibiting racial segregation and discrimination in public facilities and employment. -
An alleged attack on U.S. warships by North Vietnamese forces prompts the U.S. Congress to pass the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, authorizing the use of military force in Vietnam. -
Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev is removed from power, being replaced by Leonid Brezhnev, marking a shift in Soviet leadership and policies -
The United States launches a sustained bombing campaign against North Vietnam, intensifying its military involvement in the Vietnam War. -
President Johnson signs the Voting Rights Act into law, aiming to eliminate racial discrimination in voting practices. -
Widespread civil unrest erupts in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, highlighting racial tensions and inequalities in the United States. -
The Soviet Union successfully lands the Luna 9 spacecraft on the Moon, becoming the first country to achieve a soft landing and transmit photographs from the lunar surface. -
Mao Zedong launches China's Cultural Revolution, a decade-long sociopolitical movement aiming to eliminate capitalist and traditional elements from Chinese society. -
The U.S. Supreme Court rules that criminal suspects must be informed of their rights before being interrogated, establishing the "Miranda rights" that protect individuals during police custody.