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Yalta Conference
Second wartime meeting of Winston Churchill, Joesph Stalin and Franklin D. Roosevelt. Agreed to demand Germany's surrender and began plans for a post-war world. Set up in the conquered nation four zones of occupation to be run by their three countries and France. Stalin agreed to permit free elections in Eastern Europe and to enter the Asian war against Japan. *Source: http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/yalta-conference -
Iron Curtain
Winston Churchill delivered a speech talking about the Soviet Union sealing itself and its eastern and central European allies off from open contact with the west and otehr noncommunist areas. Source: http://www.britannica.com/event/Iron-Curtain -
Truman Doctrine
US would provide political, military, and economic assistance to all democratic nations under threat from external or internal authoritarian forces. Reoriented U.S. foreign policy to one of possible intervention in far away conflicts. *Source: https://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/truman-doctrine -
Marshall Plan
Secretary of State George C. Marshall issued a call for a comprehensive program to rebuild Europe. Led to the passing of Economic Cooperation Act in March, 1948 and approved funding that would eventually rise to over $12 billion for the rebuilding of Western Europe. *Source: https://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/marshall-plan -
Korean War
Concern over Japanese security related to war in Korea. North Korea tried to take over South Korea, but the US returned leading a United Nations-authorized force to push the North's army back above the 38th parallel and beyond. In 1953 the two sides (North and South Korea) reached an uneasy truce. *Source: https://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/korean-war -
Berlin Airlift
Russians (who wanted Berlin all to themselves) closed all highways, railroads, and canals from western-occupied Germany into western occupied Berlin. Instead of retreating, the U.S. and its allies decided to supply their sectors of the city from air. This lasted for a year and carried more than 2.3 million tons of cargo into West Berlin. *Source: http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/berlin-airlift -
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
Created in 1949 by the US, Canada, and several Western European nations to provide collective security against the Soviet Union. Countries agreed to consider attack against one an attack against all. *Source: https://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/nato -
Vietnam War
Began after the rise to power of Ho Chi Minh and his communist party in North Vietnam. More than three million people were killed. With the Cold War intensifying, the US hardened its policies against any allies of the Soviet Union. Therefore, President Eisenhower pledged his support to South Vietnam. *Source: http://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/vietnam-war-history -
Warsaw Pact
Soviet Union and seven of its European satellites signed this to form a mutual defense organization that put the Soviets in command of the armed forces of the member states. The treaty called on the member states to come to the defense of any member attacked by an outside force and it set up a unified military comman under the Soviet Union. *Source: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-warsaw-pact-is-formed -
Sputnik
The Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the worlds first artificial satellite. This happened during the Cold War and made the other countries want to surpass the Soviet Union's success. *Source: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/sputnik-launched -
Bay of Pigs
The CIA launched what its leaders thought would be a definitive strike against Castro. Kennedy wanted to show that he was serious about winning the Cold War by defeating Castro. However, the invaders were largely outnumbered and surrendered less than 24 hours of fighting. *Source: http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/bay-of-pigs-invasion -
Berlin Wall
Communist government of the German Democratic Republic began to build a barbed wire and concrete "antifascist bulwark" between East and West Berlin. The official purpose of the Berlin Wall was to keep Western "fascists" from entering East Germany. *Source: http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/berlin-wall -
Cuban Missle Crisis
Leeaders of the US and the Soviet Union engaged in a thirteen day political and military standoff over the installation of nuclear-armed Soviet missiles on Cuba. People thought the world was on the brink of a nuclear war. However, Kennedy agreed to Soviet leader's offer to remove the Cuban missiles in exchange for the US promising not to invade Cuba. *Source: http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/cuban-missile-crisis -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
Gave broad congressional approval for expansion of the Vietnam War. Detailed design for major attacks on the North, but President Johnson feared the public wouldn't support the war. *Source: http://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/gulf-of-tonkin-resolution -
Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty
Treaty between the US and Soviet Union on the reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms. *Source: http://www.state.gov/t/avc/trty/146007.htm
