Cold War

Roosevelt Dies

Apr 12, 1945

President Franklin D. Roosevelt suddenly suffers a cerebral hemorrhage and dies, leaving his vice president, Harry Truman, to assume the presidency.

First Atomic Bomb

Jul 16, 1945

American scientists successfully test the first atomic bomb in New Mexico

Korea Divided at 38th Parallel

Aug 10, 1945

At the end of World War II, Korea—occupied during the war by Japanese forces divided at the 38th Parallel, and two new states are established.

NATO was formed

Apr 4, 1949

Ten Western European nations join the United States and Canada to form the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), an anti-Soviet military alliance that extends the deterrent threat of America's nuclear weapons

Warsaw Pact

May 14, 1949

The Soviet Union forms the Warsaw Pact, a Communist military alliance intended to counter the threat posed by the West's NATO.

East Germany Founded

Oct 7, 1949

the founding of West Germany, the Soviets declare the establishment of East Germany under the leadership of Communis

Chinese and Soviet Alliance

Dec 21, 1949

Soviet leader Josef Stalin celebrates his 70th Birthday, and Chinese leader Mao Zedong visits Moscow to negotiate an alliance with the Soviet Union.

Nuclear Frghtens

Apr 18, 1950

Soviet nuclear attack and calls for greater defense spending.

NATO Forms Military Command

Apr 23, 2015

NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) forms a joint military command, choosing American general Dwight Eisenhower as Supreme Commander.