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Korean War Begins
The war started when communist North Korea crossed the 38th parallel and invaded non-communist South Korea. It was important to the cold war because If the south won that means that the U.S and the UN won as well. It also means that they were able to prevent communism from spreading further. Primary Source:
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Most Significant Event of the 1950s
The Korean war is the most significant event from this time period because it was a win in the cold war for the U.S. and the United Nations. It also defined modern North and South Korea today. -
UN recaptures Seoul
UN troops recapture Seoul after being taken by Chinese troops. If the North was able to successfully capture and hold onto the capital of South Korea, then they would try to push in more until they fully conquered it, spreading communism. It seemed like that would happen until the Un successfully reclaimed Seoul. -
Truman’s speech addressing warnings of Cold War dangers.
Truman delivered this speech with the purpose of addressing his concerns of the foreign policy and encouraged the US to meet the Soviet Union's threats. This speech had increased Truman's popularity and the US citizens' trust in their president. This was significant to the Cold War because the people of the US didn’t fully trust Truman, but after this speech, they realized that their president was trustworthy. -
Most Significant Person of the 1950s
President Dwight Eisenhower, the 34th president of the United States, was the most significant person during this time period. He was elected into office into 1952 and throughout his presidency, cold war tensions were rough. -
Stalin's Death
Stalin's death had created a temporary stop in Cold War tensions. After he died, the newly elected Soviet leader, Nikita Khrushchev attempted to create peace by diminishing the Soviet Union's forces. This was significant to the Cold War because after about a decade of rivalry between the US and the Soviet Union, a lot of that tension stopped and the new Soviet leader even proposed ways to create a peaceful coexistence between the East and the West. -
The Geneva Accords
The Geneva Accords, a set of documents, ended the French War with Vietnam. It divided the country of Vietnam in half, which then, was the first step to the start of the Vietnam War. The main significance of this event is that it was the first step to the infamous Vietnam War because by Vietnam being Split in half, it made North Vietnam, which was Communist, and South Vietnam, which was capitalist. -
The Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact was created between countries in Eastern Europe. It is a military pact that is created in Warsaw, Poland to contrast NATO. The Soviet Union was directly involved and was one of the main founders of the Warsaw Pact. This pact was significant to the Cold War because it marked all the allies of the USSR, which all played a role in shaping the war. It put the Soviet Union and the United States in an even bigger conflict than they were before. -
Hungarian Revolution against the Soviet Union
Hungary demanded a more democratic political system as well as freedom from Soviet oppression. The win of the Hungarian Revolution by the Soviets worried U.S. people and made them more nervous about defeat during the Cold War. -
Launch of Sputnik
Soviets launch Sputnik, the first artificial Earth satellite, and the Space Race begins. The U.S. was worried because the Soviets were the first to launch an object into space, proving they had more technological advancements, which intensified Cold War tensions. Real footage of Sputnik Launch:
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Launch of The Explorer
The U.S. succeeded in launching its first successful satellite, The Explorer. Its launch was deeper into Space, and the Soviets responded by launching another Satellite, continuing the Space Race. The launch of the U.S. satellite propelled the Space Race forward, and as both nations worked on developing advanced technology for attacking the other, Cold War tensions increased. -
Signing of the Antarctic Treaty
The U.S. and the Soviet Union sign the Antarctic Treaty, which maintains Antarctica for scientific research and outlaws military base operations there. This was the first arms control agreement established during the Cold War. The U.S. and the Soviet Union were in agreement during the Cold War, sparking hope that there would be future treaties and agreements, eventually leading to the end of the war.
