Cold War - a period of tense, "cold" relations between the United States and Soviet Union, though war was never officially declared
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Greek Civil War
The Communist forces of Greece gained the support of neighboring countries and attempted to take control of the whole country. However, the financial support of the U.S and Britain to prevent the spread of Communism ended the war. Greek Communists were persecuted and many fled the country when the new democratic government was installed. -
Postwar Occupation and Division of Germany
At the end of World War II, the Potsdam Conference divided Germany and its capital city of Berlin into four zones. The Southwest was controlled by France, the Northwest by the United Kingdom, the South by the United States, and the East by the Soviet Union. This effectively split Germany into a democratic West and communist East. -
Enactment of Marshall Plan
U.S President Harry Truman signed the Marshall Act in order to deal with the aftermath of World War II. The plan provided financial aid to European countries that went bankrupt due to the war. The purpose of the plan was to boost the economy of the world as a whole while also gaining favor and increasing trade opportunities with the U.S and preventing the spread of Communism through Europe. -
Berlin Blockade and Airlift
The Soviet Union blocked off all rail, road, and canal access to West Berlin since the city was within the Russian-controlled eastern region. The United States, United Kingdom, and France could not deliver any supplies to West Berlin, leaving millions without food, electricity, and medicine. The Western powers used the air to deliver these vital supplies, dropping them in the city and effectively putting an end to the blockade. -
Chinese Communist Revolution
At the end of the Chinese Civil War, Communist leader Mao Zedong declared the country the People's Republic of China. This marked the full takeover of Communism in China and the final government upheaval of the long-lasting Chinese Revolution. The United States suspended ties with the Communist country for years after the revolution. -
Korean War
The Korean War was a conflict between Communist, USSR supported North Korea and the democratic, U.S supported South Korea. American troops quickly became involved because it was a fight against international Communism. Many casualties were suffered in the war, and Korea is still divided today. -
Cuban Revolution
Led by Fidel Castro, a group of Cuban revolutionaries launched attacks in Cuba. These armed uprisings eventually toppled the government and the Cuban President fleed. Castro quickly introduced Communism as Cuban leader, and the U.S broke off relations with the country. -
Overthrow of the Guatemalan Government
The CIA organized a coup to remove Guatemalan President Jacobo Arbenz from power. The President proposed reforms that put the American United Fruit Company in danger. He was accused of being a Communist, sparking the overthrow of the President. -
Formation of the Eastern Bloc
The Warsaw Pact formed an alliance between the Soviet Union and Eastern European countries. The Soviet Union invaded and annexed countries to make them under Communist control. This formed a collection of Communist countries called the Eastern Bloc. -
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a conflict between Communist North Vietnam and democratic South Vietnam and its U.S ally. The war divided Americans due to the controversy on the necessity of so many American casualties for a war the country was not directly involved in at first. Communist forces took control of South Vietnam after American troops withdrew, creating the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and ending the war. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
The CIA launched an invasion to remove Cuban president Fidel Castro from power. The invasion failed due to the Cuban troops greatly outnumbering the American troops. After, American President refused to provoke a war with Cubans and only approved an espionage campaign to try to overthrow Castro. -
Building the Berlin Wall
Communist East Germany began to build a wall made of concrete and barbed wire dividing the city. The wall was built to prevent East Berliners from fleeing to the democratic West. Many citizens desperately tried to cross the border, some crawling through sewers and using hot air balloons, and some died trying. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The United States and the Soviet Union stood off for 13 days with the looming threat of total nuclear war. When the Soviet Union placed nuclear missiles on Cuba, the U.S made a naval blockade around the country. The conflict was resolved with the USSR's promise to remove the missiles from Cuba and the U.S's promise to not invade Cuba and remove missiles from Turkey. -
Rise of the Palestine Liberation Organization
The Palestine Liberation Organization was founded to create a central organization with order and leadership that Palestine did not have. The groups' National Council was made up of civilians that helped create the goal of destroying Israel, that had become an independent state. A military branch was created and the organization became more violent as time went on. -
Prague Spring
When liberal leader Alexander Dubcek came to power, celebrations rang across Czechoslovakia. New freedom of speech and rehabilitation of political protesters created Prague Spring, a period of freedom. This period came to an end when the Soviet Union invaded, his the new reforms were repealed and replaced with new Communist leadership. -
Soviet War in Afghanistan
The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, falsely claiming to uphold their Friendship Treaty and provide military aid. They were met by Islamic resistance fighters that eventually pushed out the Soviets through fierce guerilla attacks. The war crippled the Soviet Union and contributed to its collapse as well as encouraged the rise of terrorism. -
Tiananmen Square Massacre
Almost a million Chinese citizens took to the streets to protest the Communist government. Chinese troops killed around 300 and arrested 10,000 democratic protestors. Americans were appallled at the act of violnece and the U.S quickly imposed economic sanctions against China. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
With the tensions of the Cold War beginning to ease, East Belin issued a new change that allowed the borders to be crossed. Berliners from the East and West celebrated and tore down the wall together. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, East and West Germany were reunified as one nation. -
Fall of the Soviet Union
Gorbachev's multi-party system slowly replaced Communism with democracy. Domestically, the Soviet Union was also dealing with war and democratic uprisings. The resignation of Gorbachev marked the transition to a country with democratic President Yeltsin as well as the dissolution of the Soviet Union into independent states. -
9/11 Attacks
Terrorists from the Islamic extremist group, Al Queda, crashed two planes into the World Trade Center and one into the Pentagon. Nearly 3,000 civilians were killed in America's largest domestic terrorist attack. The attacks launched a war in Afghanistan to destroy the Taliban and Osama Bin Laden's terrorism network.