-
invaion of poland
The invasion of Poland in 1939, also known as the September Campaign, marked the beginning of World War II -
battle of stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad, fought from August 1942 to February 1943, was a pivotal battle in World War II where the Soviet Union defeated Nazi Germany and its allies for control of the city of Stalingrad -
d day invasion
D-Day, the Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944, was a pivotal moment in World War II, marking the beginning of the liberation of Western Europe -
postwar occupation and divison of germany
After World War II, Germany was occupied by the Allied powers and divided into four zones of occupation: the United States, Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union. This division, agreed upon at the Potsdam Conference in 1945, led to the eventual creation of East and West Germany. -
chinese communist revolution
The Chinese Communist Revolution, also known as the Chinese Civil War, was a protracted conflict that led to the establishment of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1949. It was a social and political revolution primarily led by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), resulting in the defeat of the Nationalist Party (KMT) and the rise of communism in China. -
atomic bomb on hiroshima
On 6 August, a Little Boy was dropped on Hiroshima. Three days later, a Fat Man was dropped on Nagasaki. Over the next two to four months, the effects of the atomic bombings killed 90,000 to 166,000 people in Hiroshima and 60,000 to 80,000 people in Nagasaki; roughly half occurred on the first day. -
greek civil war
The Greek Civil War took place from 1946 to 1949. The conflict, which erupted shortly after the end of World War II, consisted of a Communist-led uprising against the established government of the Kingdom of Greece. -
rise of the palestine liberation organization
The rise of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) was a significant development in the Palestinian nationalist movement, evolving from an organization initially established under the guidance of the Arab League to a major political and diplomatic force recognized internationally as the representative of the Palestinian people. -
enactment of marshall plan
The Marshall Plan, formally known as the European Recovery Program (ERP), was enacted in 1948 after a period of post-World War II economic crisis and political instability in Western Europe. It was a United States-led initiative designed to provide economic aid to European countries to help them rebuild their war-torn economies and prevent the spread of communism. -
berlin blockade and airlift
The Berlin Blockade and Airlift refer to the Soviet Union's attempt to cut off West Berlin from the rest of Western-controlled Germany in 1948 and the Allied response, which included a massive airlift of supplies to the city -
vietnam war
The Vietnam War was a protracted conflict that took place in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from approximately 1955 to 1975. It was primarily a conflict between the communist government of North Vietnam and the government of South Vietnam, which was allied with the United States. -
korean war
The Korean War, a major conflict of the Cold War, was fought between North Korea and South Korea, with international support from the Soviet Union and China for North Korea, and the United Nations Command (led by the U.S.) for South Korea. The war began with North Korea's invasion of South Korea in 1950 and ended with an armistice in 1953, but no formal peace treaty, leaving the Korean Peninsula divided to this day. -
cuban revolution
The Cuban Revolution was a socio-political movement that overthrew the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista in 1959 and established a new government led by Fidel Castro. Driven by widespread dissatisfaction with Batista's regime, the revolution involved guerrilla warfare and ultimately resulted in Castro's forces taking control of Havana on January 1, 1959 -
bay of pigs invation
The Bay of Pigs Invasion, which occurred in April 1961, was a CIA-backed attempt by the United States to overthrow Fidel Castro's communist government in Cuba. The invasion involved a brigade of Cuban exiles who were trained and armed by the CIA to land at the Bay of Pigs and spark an uprising against Castro. The invasion was a complete failure, leading to a strengthened Castro regime and closer ties between Cuba and the Soviet Union. -
building the berlin wall
The Berlin Wall, a concrete and barbed wire barrier, was constructed by the East German government starting on August 13, 1961, to prevent mass defections from East to West Berlin. The construction, which started with barbed wire and later included concrete walls, effectively divided the city and symbolized the Cold War. -
cuban missile crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a 13-day confrontation in October 1962 between the United States and the Soviet Union, with Cuba as a key player, which brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. It stemmed from the Soviet deployment of nuclear missiles to Cuba, a move that threatened the United States. President Kennedy responded with a naval blockade of Cuba, demanding the removal of the missiles. -
overthrow of the allende government
On the morning of September 11, 1973, the military launched another coup against the Allende government. At 9:10 a.m., Allende made his final broadcast from the presidential palace, announcing that he would not resign the presidency and rallying his supporters with the cry, “Long live Chile! Long live the people! -
soviet war in afghanistan
The Soviet-Afghan War (1979-1989) was a major conflict during the Cold War, involving the Soviet Union and its Afghan ally against Afghan resistance fighters (Mujahideen), who were supported by various Western countries, including the United States. The war was seen as a major setback for the Soviet Union, contributing to its eventual decline. -
tiananmen square massacre
The Tiananmen Square protests, known within China as the June Fourth Incident, were student-led demonstrations held in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China, lasting from 15 April to 4 June 1989. -
fall of the berlin wall
The Berlin Wall fell on November 9, 1989, marking a pivotal moment in history. East German officials, in a press conference, inadvertently announced new policies regarding border crossings, prompting East Berliners to flock to checkpoints, where they were eventually allowed to cross into West Berlin. This event symbolized the end of the Cold War and the division between East and West Germany. -
fall of the soviet union
The Soviet Union dissolved on December 26, 1991, due to a combination of domestic economic problems, political reforms, and the waning of centralized control, ultimately leading to the independence of its republics. The collapse was a gradual process, marked by increasing political instability, ethnic separatism, and the failure of Gorbachev's reforms.