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Allied leaders Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin met to decide post-WWII Europe's fate. The conference revealed early divisions between the West and the Soviet Union. -
The U.S. dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, forcing Japan’s surrender. The bombings signaled U.S. military power and sparked fear in the USSR. -
Winston Churchill gave a speech in Missouri warning that an "Iron Curtain" had divided Europe. It underscored growing East-West tensions. -
President Truman pledged to help countries resist communism, especially Greece and Turkey. This policy marked the beginning of U.S. containment. -
The U.S. offered $13 billion in aid to rebuild war-torn Europe and prevent communism. The USSR refused and barred Eastern Bloc nations from accepting aid. -
Stalin blocked Allied access to West Berlin. In response, the U.S. and UK began a massive airlift to supply the city. -
Twelve Western nations signed a mutual defense pact. NATO became a cornerstone of Western military strategy. -
After nearly a year, the USSR lifted the blockade. The successful airlift became a major Cold War victory for the West. -
The Soviet Union successfully tested its first atomic bomb in Kazakhstan. The U.S. lost its monopoly on nuclear weapons. -
Mao Zedong declared communist victory in China. This spread communism in Asia and worried Western leaders. -
North Korea invaded South Korea across the 38th parallel. The U.S. and UN intervened to defend the South. -
Joseph Stalin died after ruling the USSR for three decades. His death opened the door to some political changes and reforms. -
The Korean War ended in a military stalemate. Korea remained divided, with no peace treaty ever signed. -
The USSR created a military alliance with Eastern Bloc nations in response to NATO. This formalized the division of Europe. -
Hungarians demanded independence from Soviet control. Soviet troops crushed the revolution in early November. -
The USSR launched the first man-made satellite into orbit. It ignited the Space Race and shocked the West. -
A U.S. spy plane was shot down over Soviet territory, and the pilot was captured. The incident wrecked U.S.–Soviet relations and canceled a peace summit. -
CIA-backed Cuban exiles landed in Cuba to overthrow Fidel Castro but were defeated. The failure embarrassed the U.S. and pushed Cuba closer to the USSR. -
East Germany, with Soviet backing, began building a wall to stop citizens from fleeing to the West. The wall became a powerful Cold War symbol. -
The U.S. discovered Soviet missiles in Cuba, leading to a tense standoff. The crisis ended peacefully, but it brought the world close to nuclear war. -
The U.S., USSR, and UK agreed to stop nuclear tests in the atmosphere, outer space, and underwater. It was an early step in arms control. -
The U.S. escalated its involvement in Vietnam by sending combat troops. The war became a major Cold War conflict and domestic controversy. -
Czechoslovakia attempted reforms to allow more freedom and democracy. On August 20, Warsaw Pact troops invaded to crush the movement. -
The USSR invaded Afghanistan to prop up a communist government. The U.S. supported the Afghan resistance, leading to a lengthy and costly conflict for the Soviets. -
East Germany opened its borders, and Berliners tore down the wall. This event symbolized the collapse of communist regimes and the nearing end of the Cold War.