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World War II Ends
World war II ended when the axis power surrendered following Adolf Hitler's suicide. -
Marshall Plan
Marshall Plan (1947 - 1948) was created to give aid for European countries at risk from communism. Countries need to qualify in order to gain aid. One country must have a financial budget, stop inflation, and stabilize the exchange rate; be capitalist. -
Berlin Blockade and Airlift
June 1948 - May 1949
Stalin wanted Germany to remain weak, so he blocked access to West Berlin. Western Allies organized airlifts to deliver supplies in West Berlin. -
Creation of NATO
NATO was created to defend western countries from communist attacks. If a member of the organization is attacked, other members send military support. -
Korean War
(1950 - 1953)
North Korea invaded South Korea with the support of the USSR and China. UN sent troops to defend South Korea. -
Creation of Warsaw Pact
Warsaw Pact was created to counter the threat of NATO. It is formally known as the Treaty of Friendship Cooperation and Mutual Assistance and is signed in Warsaw in 1955. -
Hungarian Uprising
(Oct 1956 - Nov 1956)
Hungarian Uprising, also known as the Hungarian Revolution, is a revolution against the Hungarian People's Republic and it's Soviet-imposed policy. The new Hungarian government announced plans to leave the Warsaw Pact, however, USSR rejected, and invaded Hungary. -
Peaceful Co-Existence
A policy of peace introduced by Krushchev to have a competition without war between nations with different ideologies and political systems; especially between communist and non-communist, -
Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall was built by the communist government of East Berlin to prevent people from escaping to West Berlin. The Soviet and East German said it was to keep out capitalism. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
A 13-day confrontation between the US and the USSR initiated by the discovery of Soviet missiles in Cuba. -
Prague Springs End (Brezhnev Doctrine)
A period of time when a reformist named Alexander Dubcek wanted to democratize Czechslovakia. Eastern armies from Warsaw Pact invaded Czechslovakia and overthrew Dubcek. Brezhnev Doctrine is a Soviet foreign policy expounded by Leonid Brezhnev to affirm the rights of the Soviet tp intervene in communist countries to strengthen communism -
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
An international treaty signed in 1970 that promotes the prevention of spread of nuclear weapons to promote cooperation in nuclear disarmament and peaceful uses of nuclear energy. -
Vietnam War
(1955 - 1975)
Vietnam was divided into two occupations, the north being occupied by the Soviet, and south by the US. With the Cold War intensifying, President Eisenhower (1923 - 1961) strengthened its policies against the Soviet and supported Diem (a Vietnamese politician who supported the US) and South Vietnam. Domino Theory was used to emphasize the importance of South Vietnam to the US, and the need to contain communism throughout the world. -
Helsinki Accords
An effort to decrease tension between two superpowers (detente) by establishing common acceptance of the post-World War II status quo. It was signed by the United States, Canada, the Soviet Union, and every European country (except Albania) on the last day of the Conference on Security and Cooperation (CSCE). -
Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
(1979 - 1989)
USSR invaded Afghanistan to support pro-communist against Mujahadeen (Islamist guerilla fighters who battled communism. The mujahadeen were supported by the United States, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia making it a proxy war. it all started when a coup happened under Afghanistan's communist party suppressing oppositions. The communist president was murdered which soured Afghanistan's relationship with the USSR. -
Solidarity (Pro-Democracy Movement)
A Polish labor union founded on September 1980, it was the first labor union in a Warsaw Pact country that was not controlled by the communist. It became a symbol of anti-communism and inspired other groups to oppose the Soviet Union. Pope John Paul II was pressured because he was part of this movement. The Polish government tried to silence the movement and imposed strict martial law. -
Fall of Berlin Wall
As the Cold War begins to thaw, the communist party of East Berlin announced a change with the relations with the west. At midnight that day, he announced that the citizens of GDR (East Germany) were free to cross the border. -
START is Signed
START was a bilateral treaty between USSR and the US to reduce and limit the use of strategic offensive arms. It was signed on the 31st of July 1991 and was enforced on the 4th of December 1994. -
Warsaw Pact Dissolved
After 36 years of existence, Warsaw Pact dissolved, it was yet another sign that the Soviet Union was losing control over former allies, and that the Cold war was falling apart. -
Soviet Union Ceases to Exist
Soviet's oil and gas revenue dropped which caused the Soviet Union to lose grasp with its eastern alliances. On the 25th of December 1991, the Soviet hammer and sickle was lowered for the last time and was replaced by the Russian tricolor. Gorbachev resigned as Soviet Union's president and left Yeltsin as the president of Russia's new independent state,
