Cold War

By AngelaC42

  • Tehran Conference

    FDR, Chruchill, and Stalin meet in Tehran, Iran to discuss the war and the post-WWII world. The state of the war is discussed, the USSR is pressured to join the war effort in the Pacific, The conference comes to no conclusion about Germany besides "unconditional surrender". It's decided that the USSR will keep the land it seized from Poland and Poland will gain some land on its western border from Germany. There's a push for a replacement for the League of Nations by the US.

  • Yalta Conference

    Big Three talked about the war (both Germany and Japan were close to defeat). They also made plans for post-war Germany, like dividing it into 4 parts but have it still be unified and the nation paying $20 million in reparations. The USSR agrees to assist the US in the Pacific theater and join the UN.

  • Potsdam Conference

    Big Three meet again. They talk about how to carry out their plans with Germany;decide to deal with demilitarization and de-Nazification own their own in each of their respective zones. During this conference, reports come to Truman that the bomb tests were successful. The USSR isn't encouraged by the US to participate in the Pacific.

  • Rebellions in Greece and Turkey

    Communist rebellions occur in Greece and Turkey. Both governments want help to squash the rebellions. The US follows the Truman Doctrine to help the democratic nations deal with non-democratic threats.

  • Marshall Plan

    The Marshall Plan is the US giving European nations financial assistance. Europe is deeply affected by WWII (since most of the war occurs in Europe) and, therefore, economic crisis comes to those European nations. The US's assistance is meant to help rebuild the continent.
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    Berlin Blockade

    USSR fears the growing strength of the FRG (West Germany) compared to the GDR (East Germany). USSR blockades Western Berlin from West Germany. In response to this, the Allies used aircraft to ship the supplies. Airlift last 324 days. One key event that led to the Cold War.

  • The Republic of South Korea is established

    The US has more influence in Asia now. NATO is established

  • USSR Explodes an Atomic Bomb

    USSR becomes the second nuclear power. Means that the US isn't alone in possessing such a powerful/destructive weapon.

  • Alger Hiss on trial

    Hiss testifies before HUAC that he's not Communist. Is convicted of perjury and is sentenced to life in prison. Part of McCarthyism and the Red scare.

  • Communists win in Chinese Civil War

    China and USSR become allies. Leads to Sino-Soviet Pact, an agreement between the USSR and China that they would work together.

  • McCarthy has a list

    Senator McCarthy announces that he has a list of 205 names of Communist workers in the US State Department. McCarthyism/Red scare

  • Rosenbergs charged

    Julius and Ethel Rosenberg are charged with conspiracy to espionage. They plead not guilty. Part of McCarthyism/Red scare
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    Korean War

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    Vietnam War

    First US loss. Conflict between the North and South. The South is backed by the US while the North is Communist. Causes anti-war protests. Nixon employs "Vietnamization", where US troops could be withdrawn and swapped out for South Vietnamese troops, armed with US weapons.

  • US explodes first hydrogen bomb

  • Rosenbergs convicted

    The Rosenbergs are convicted of spying and executed.

  • Korean War - Armistice signed

    First time the US does not win in a conflict. Non-win leads to the US's lost of power and influence globally.

  • Warsaw Pact

    The Warsaw Pact was formed by the USSR to counter NATO. It included:
    - The People's Rupbilc of Albania
    - The People's Republic of Bulgaria
    - The Hungarian People's Republic
    - The German Democrratic Republic
    - The Polish People's Republic
    - The Romanian People's Republic
    - The Czech Republic
    - The USSR

  • Russia launches Sputnik

    Sputnik was the first artificial satellite to orbit the Earth. This also meant that the Soviets were the first ones into space, beating out the US.

  • First US satellite in space

    Took several failures for the US to get a satellite into space. The space race begins.

  • Castro overthrows Cuban government

    Castro overthrows US-backed Batista. US interests are jeopardized.

  • Soviets shoots down an American aircraft

    Soviets spot a U-2 in USSR airspace and shoot it down. The US claims that it was a weather plane, but the plane's capabilities and the pilot's confession prove otherwise. This event severely damages relations between the US and USSR. Leads to the USSR having great distrust in the US.

  • Bay of Pigs

    Attempt by US to overthrow Castro's government. 1,300 exiles armed with US weapons land at the Bay of Pigs. It's expected that the locals will join in and fight. Castro and his army easily defeated them.

  • Creation of the Peace Corps

    Kennedy proposes the idea to the University of Michigan and then makes it an executive order. The purpose of the Peace Corps is to go to developing nations and aid them however they need it. The volunteer group is another attempt at halting Communism. The organization promoted peace and, by having the US helping other countries, it left a positive impression of the US to other nations. It was great PR.
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    Space Race

  • Preparation for construction of Berlin Wall

  • USSR continues atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons

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    Cuban Missile Crisis

    It was the first seroius threat of a nuclear war.

  • Grozny crosses quarantine line

    Soviet ship, Grozny, crosses quarantine line; US sends up flare to show that they are there; Soviets back off.

  • JFK gives "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech

    Propoganda to show that the US is determined to fight to keep Berlin free.

  • China explodeds their own bomb

    People's republic of China becomes a part of the A-bomb club.

  • US base bombings

    North Vietnamese and Viet Cong bomb important American bases. A lot of American artillery and other supplies are destroyed.The attack comes as a shock to America and decreases their confidence. A distraction for the South Vietnamese to prepare for the Tet Offensive.

  • Tet Offensive

    Another attack from the Viet Cong and North Vietnam. Happens on the Lunar New Year, where there's a cease-fire to observe the holiday. The North attacks 100+ cities and major towns. They also capture the US Embassy in Saigon. There is the realization for America that the war will be difficult.

  • Apollo 11 is launched

    First manned lunar landing. Win for the US in the space race.

  • Nixon visits China

    First US President to visit China, signaled dentente.

  • SALT I signed

    The Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty is an agreement between the US and the USSR about the control of arms. ABMs were only allowed at two sites and both sites could have no more than 100 missiles. The number of ICBMs and SLBMs was restricted. The treaty also set the rules for nuclear war and the development of weapons. It included the agreement to promote peaceful co-existence.