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President Truman promised to help any country facing a Communist takeover -
Economic aid was offered by the United States to any European country -
Soviet Union led, to make sure they all followed the same ideas and supported Soviet policies. It helped the USSR spread and protect communism during early years of the Cold War. -
The United States, Britain, and other allies flew thousands of supply planes into West Berlin every day to bring food, fuel, and other essentials after the Soviet Union blocked all land routes into the city -
The French, USA and UK parting of Germany were merged to form West Germany -
Russia responded to the joining of the French, US, and UK parts of Berlin by blocking all roads and railways leading into that area -
Russia ended the blockade of Berlin. -
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. Member states Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States -
The USSR successfully exploded its first nuclear weapon, starting the nuclear arms race. -
The U.S. began working on the hydrogen bomb, which was much more powerful than the atomic bomb, starting a more dangerous arms race with the Soviet Union -
The Korean war began when North Korea invaded South Korea -
President Truman sent American soldiers to help stop the spread of communism in Korea, part of a United Nations effort. -
Fighting in the Korean War had reached a stalemate, with neither side gaining much ground. Peace talks began, but no end to the war was yet to come. -
U.S, Australia, and New Zealand signed the ANZUS Treaty, a defense pact aimed at protecting each other from communist threats in the Pacific region -
The Treaty of Peace with Japan was signed, officially ending World War II between the two and establishing Japan as an ally of the U.S -
The U.N issued a resolution in 1952 to continue supporting South Korea and prevent the spread of communism during the Korean War -
the Soviet Union was still working on its nuclear weapons, continuing the arms race with the U.S. -
The United States successfully tested its first hydrogen bomb at the Enewetak Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. -
Dwight D Eisenhower took office, replacing Truman. He took a tougher stance against communism. -
Joseph Stalin died at the age of 74. He died of a stroke at his residence. His death led to a power struggle among Soviet leaders. Eventually, Nikita Khrushchev became the new leader. -
The Korean war ended. North Korea stayed affiliated with Russia while South Korea was affiliated with the US -
In Vietnam, communist forces (Viet Minh) started fighting French troops. This led to the end of French control in Vietnam. -
This set of documents ended the French war with the Vietminh and divided Vietnam into North and South states. -
The U.S and other countries created the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) to stop the spread of communism in Asia. This was like NATO for Asia. -
Western countries allowed West Germany to join NATO, which upset the Soviet Union. -
The Warsaw Pact was formed with member states East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Albania, Bulgaria, and the Soviet Union -
Soviet and Western troops agreed to leave Austria, and it became a neutral country -
Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev gave a secret speech criticizing Stalin’s harsh rule, shocking many and starting some changes in the Soviet Union -
The Hungarian Revolution of 1956 was a nationwide protest against Soviet control. Starting October 23, students and workers demanded freedom, democracy, and the withdrawal of Soviet troops -
Egypt took control of the Suez Canal, and Britain, France, and Israel attacked. The U.S. and Soviet Union both opposed the invasion. -
U.S. President Eisenhower said the U.S. would help any Middle Eastern country threatened by communism, trying to stop Soviet influence -
The Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the first satellite in space. This started the Space Race and shocked the U.S. -
After Sputnik, the U.S. and USSR competed to be first in space technology, leading to more tension and new science. -
Soviet leader Khrushchev demanded that the U.S., Britain, and France leave West Berlin. This started a new crisis over the divided city -
The U.S. sent Marines to Lebanon to stop the spread of communism and protect a friendly government, using the Eisenhower Doctrine -
The United States created NASA to catch up with the Soviet Union in the Space Race, after the USSR launched Sputnik in 1957 -
Fidel Castro overthrew the Cuban government. At first, the U.S. was unsure about him, but he later became close to the Soviet Union. -
The Kitchen Debate was an argument between vice President Richard Nixon and soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev about whether capitalism or communism was better. It took place in a model american kitchen. -
Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev visited America and met with President Eisenhower. It was the first Soviet leader to visit the U.S -
The African country of Congo became independent, and both the U.S. and USSR tried to influence its new government. -
The Sino Soviet Split became more clear in 1960, as China and the Soviet Union argued over leadership of the communist world -
Talks between Nikita Khrushchev and Dwight Eisenhower concerning the fate of Germany broke down when a USA U2 spy plane was shot down over Russian airspace -
Russian cosmonaut Yuri Alekseyvich Gagarin became the first human being in space -
Berlin wall built and borders sealed between East and West Germany. -
A force of Cuban exiles, trained by the CIA, aided by US government attempted to invade Cuba and overthrow the Communist government of Fidel Castro. Wound up being a failed attempt. -
U.S. spy planes flew over Cuba and took pictures of Soviet missile sites. These photos proved the Soviets were putting missiles in Cuba, leading to the Cuban Missile Crisis. -
a 13-day standoff in October 1962 between the United States and the Soviet Union over nuclear missiles. It was the closest the world ever came to a nuclear war. Both sides had nuclear weapons, and one wrong move could have led to a huge war. -
After the Cuban Missile Crisis, both the U.S. and USSR realized how dangerous things had gotten.
They set up a "hotline." This was a direct phone line between Washington D.C. and Moscow, helped to talk quickly in emergencies -
U.S. President John F. Kennedy gave a famous speech at American University calling for peaceful coexistence with the Soviet Union. Also, urged people to see Russians as fellow humans, not enemies. -
Kennedy visited West Berlin and gave his famous “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech. He was saying the U.S. stood with the people of West Berlin, who were surrounded by Communist East Germany. it was important because it was a strong message of support against communism -
The U.S., the Soviet Union, and the UK signed a treaty to stop testing nuclear weapons in the air, space, and underwater. This was to reduce nuclear radiation and slow down the nuclear arms race -
The U.S. increased its involvement in the Vietnam War, supporting South Vietnam against the Communist North -
Nikita Krushchev removed from office. He was replaced by Leonid Brezhnev -
China tested its first nuclear bomb. China became the fifth country with nuclear weapons increasing global tension -
The U.S. started a long bombing campaign against North Vietnam. Their goal was to weaken the North and stop it from helping Communist fighters in the South. -
The USSR gave weapons, supplies, and training to help North Vietnam. The U.S. and USSR were fighting indirectly through other countries. -
150,000 US troops sent to Vietnam -
More people in the U.S. and around the world began protesting the Vietnam War. Many believed the war was wrong, especially because so many civilians were suffering. -
The United States sent more troops to Vietnam. At the end of 1966, over 380,000 U.S soldiers were there. The U.S wanted to stop Communist North Vietnam and the Viet Cong. The war became more violent and costly, with no clear victory. -
Chinese leader Mao Zedong started the Cultural Revolution to make China more communist. This caused chaos in China and made relations with the Soviet Union worse.