-
The Greek Civil War
The Axis occupation in Greece during WWII created divide between the left and right ideologies in the country; it was the first proxy war of the Cold War, an example of how postwar involvement affected another country. The Kingdom of Greece (backed by the US and UK) fought against the Communist Party of Greece, a rebel group backed by the Soviets. As usual, it was another war of communism vs capitalism. The Kingdom of Greece was victorious in the end, another victory for anti-communism. -
The Formation of the Eastern Bloc
Soviets established communist regimes throughout Central and Eastern Europe after WWII and the 40s. The Eastern Bloc consists of the Soviet Union, and the countries involved in the Warsaw Pact. In many countries, the communists were the minority, so certain steps would be followed:
1. A coalition forms of left-wing, antifascist forces.
2. This coalition would grow as communists would gain the upper hand, neutralizing those who failed to recognize their supremacy.
3. Complete communist takeover. -
The Potsdam Conference
Germany would be divided into four zones: the British, French, and US zones, and the Soviet zone. In reality, two main political zones formed: the democratic half and the communist half of Germany. Berlin was also divided into four zones for the four countries, and again, it was really two zones; for the Soviet Union and then everyone else. -
The Chinese Communist Revolution
After the Chinese Communist Party formed among the working class in China, social and political revolution occurred. Eventually, the Chinese Civil War resulted in a Communist victory. This transformed China into the 2nd major socialist state, and would change the global climate greatly. -
The Marshall Plan
The United States enacted the Marshall Plan, in which economic aid would be provided to rebuild the infrastructure of postwar Europe. Over $13B in aid was provided ($115B in today's money). The goal of this from the perspective of the United States was to modernize European industry, remove trade barriers, and contain the spread of communism in Europe. -
The Berlin Blockade + Airlift
The Soviet Union blocked all Western access to Berlin, cutting off railroads, canals, and roads. In response to this, the Allies initiated the Berlin Airlift, in which they flew over Berlin to drop necessities such as food and fuel. Eventually, on May 12, 1949, the Soviet Union ended the blockade due to economic issues. -
The Korean War
Communist North Korea invaded Democratic South Korea, following some South Korean rebellions. The Soviet Union backed North Korea, while the United States backed South Korea. Each side wanted to spread communism and capitalism respectively. -
The Cuban Revolution
Fidel Castro lead an armed revolt against the dictatorship in Cuba. This revolution continued until the dictatorship fell, and then they replaced the old government. The Communist Party of Cuba formed, which strained relations with the United States. Measures were taken to decrease tensions in the future. -
1953 Iranian Coup D'état
The United States and the UK wanted to strengthen the monarchal rule of the Shah, so they could have more control over the oil industry. The Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddagh's democratic government was overthrown. As a result, the monarchy increased its power and anti-communism was spread to the Middle East. -
The Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was another war rooted in communism vs capitalism. Like in the Koreas, Soviets backed the communist North Vietnam and the Americans backed the capitalist South Vietnam. Many Americans strongly opposed the war, and President Nixon withdrew troops in 1973. -
The Hungarian Uprising
A countrywide revolution occurred by the Hungarian people against the Hungarian People's Republic, instituted by the USSR. Eventually, Hungarians formed militias to fight communist leaders. In the end, the Soviets won and the uprising was repressed. -
The Bay of Pigs Invasion
When Fidel Castro rose to power in Cuba, the United States did not trust him due to his relations with the Soviets. The CIA would develop a plan to train Cuban exiles to invade Cuba and overthrow the government to replace it with a non-communist one. However, the invasion failed due to rain ruining equipment and poor training. Cuba launched a successful counterattack, which left many dead, wounded, and captured. -
The Berlin Wall
A large barrier of concrete, barbed wire, traps, and surveillance was constructed to divide East and West Berlin by the Soviets. The goal of the wall was to keep West Berliners from escaping the communist half of Berlin into the capitalist half. The wall would become a political symbol for the divide between the two sides, which would eventually be called the "Iron Curtain". -
The Cuban Missile Crisis
The US Air Force photographed Soviet missiles in Cuba, which marks the time the two sides came closest to nuclear war. In response to this, President Kennedy almost launched an air attack, but wanted to go a less aggressive route to avoid war. So, he initiated a naval "quarantine" (not a blockade- which is legally considered an act of war) to prevent future missiles from entering Cuba. Finally, the Soviets agreed to remove the weapons if the US agreed to remain out of Cuba. -
The Soviet-Afghan War
Several insurgent groups such as the Mujahideen (backed by the US, UK, and others) fought against the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan and the USSR. This conflict was another Cold War proxy war. Mass destruction occurred in Afghanistan, and many scholars believe it to be a contributing factor to the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Lots of civil division was created in the USSR over this war, much like what happened in America during the Vietnam War. In the end, the Mujahideen won. -
Polish Solidarity
The Independent Self-Governing Trade Union called "Solidarity" was the first trade union recognized by the state in a Warsaw Pact country. It was an anti-authoritarian social movement, holding civil resistance to fight for workers' rights and civil change. The United States and the Vatican financially backed it. Eventually, it's founder became the President of Poland and the country made its transition from a communist state to a liberal capitalist state. -
Tiananmen Square
Student protesters in China held a demonstration in Tiananmen Square, in attempts to block the military's advance into the square. In response to this, armed troops fired assault rifles at the students, killing over 300, and wounding around 2,000. Afterwards, the Chinese government attempted to censor the massacre. Textbooks, films, books and newspapers were not allowed to mention it. Lots of media was shut down and destroyed to destroy the public's memory of what happened. -
The Berlin Wall Comes Down
Many economic issues in the Eastern Bloc contributed to the fall of the Berlin Wall. What really triggered the chain-reaction of peace was the Pan-European Picnic, a peace demonstration held by Austria-Hungary. At the end of it, Germany was unified once again, the Iron Curtain fell, the Warsaw Pact and communist alliances fell, and the Cold War was at its end. -
The Fall of the USSR
In 1991, communists elites attempted to overthrow Gorbachev in opposition to his reforms, but failed. Eventually, the Moscow government lost more power, and many former-Soviet republics claimed independence. Gorbachev eventually stepped down, leaving only the Parliament which voted to end itself. Following his resignation, the Soviet flag was lowered over the Kremlin for the last time and replaced with the Russian tricolor. -
9/11
On 9/11, two planes crashed into the Twin Towers in New York City. Around 3,000 people are estimated to have been killed. Al-Qaeda was he terrorist group responsible. Following the attacks, President Bush declared a global "war on terrorism", and US security measures were greatly enhanced. The controversial USA PATRIOT Act was passed, which increased government surveillance powers.