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Yalta Conference
The Yalta Conference was held by the U.S., the U.K., and the Soviet Union for the purpose of discussing Europe's post-WW2 reorganization. This conference took place in Crimea. -
Period: to
Cold War
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Truman Doctrine
The Truman Doctrine stated that the United Stated would provide financial aid to all countries that were threatened by Communism. The expansion of Communism was extremely terrifying to the U.S. -
Marshal Plan
After World War 2, America was the financial aid and support for Europe. The U.S. did this to prevent the spread of Soviet Communism. -
Berlin Airlift
For over 10 months, American and British aircrafts flew supplies over to Berlin. Finally, the Soviets lifted the blockade to prevent World War 3 in May of 1949. -
NATO
NATO stands for North Atlantic Treaty Organization. This was formed between France, Canada, the U.S., Great Britain, Belgium, Luxem Bourg, the Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Iceland, Turkey, West Germany, and Greece. They all had agreed to provide support if one was in danger. -
U.S.S.R. Atomic Bomb
This is what led to opposing military alliances, such as NATO and the Warsaw Pact. The Soviet Union were shot into an arms race when the Soviet atomic bomb exploded. -
Korean War Begins
On this day, North Korea marched into South Korea in pursuit of its' capital, Seoul. The U.S., along with the U.N., agreed to send American troops in to defend South Korea. In 9153, America and North Korea signed a cease-fire, which ended the was, though both Koreas remained separate. -
Rosenberg Spy Case
Both Ethel and Julius Rosenberg were suspected of being Russian spies. Their trial began on March 6th, and they were convicted on March 29th. On April 5th, they were sentenced to death for transmitting or attempting to transmit confidential information to a foreign country. -
East Germany Uprising
The government was demanding an increase in productivity, so the citizens of East Berlin began to protest. This went on for some time. -
Korean War Ends
Once North Korea had invaded South Korea, the U.S. immediately discussed it witht he United Nation. America sent its' troops in to fight with South Korea, and in 1953, the war ended with the signing of a cease-fire. -
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact was an alliance in opposition to NATO. It was composed of the Soviet Union, Albania, Bulgaria, East Germany, Poland, Czechslovakia, Hungary, and Romania. -
Hungarian Uprising
Because of all the economic difficulties in Hungary, the rebellion started. Imre Nagy declared Hungary a free nation with free elections, in attempt to control the uprising. However, Khruschev wouldn't allow it, and so the Soviet Union attached Budapest and successfully took over Hungary. -
Sputnik
The first space satelite to orbit the eath was called Sputnik. The satelite was made by the Soviets, so America was quite scared of it. The U.S. was under the impression that a "missile gap" existed betweed her and the Soviet Union. -
Nikita Khruschev's Rise to Power
After Josef Stalin's death on March 5, 1953, Georgi Malenkov was appointed leader. However, Nikita had been serving since 1918, and had proved to be loyal. He organized Soviet polititions to force Georgi to relinquish the post of firtst secretary. Nikita worked up from there till he took the office of premier for himself. -
UZ Incident
President Dwight D. Eisenhower was forced to admit to spying on the Soviet Union after an American spy plane was shot down. The pilot was sentenced to 10 years in prison, but was released after only 2 years in exchange for a captured Soviet spy. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
From the 17th to the 19th of April, the U.S. and Brigade 2506 invaded Cuba. However, the invatsion failed. Within 3 days, the men sent to liberate communist Cuba from Fidel Castro were defeated. In failing, it gave Castro more power, and hense led to the Cuban Missile Crisis. -
Berlin Wall (Building)
First, East and West Berlin were deivided by barbed wire, and in August of 1961, it was built upon with bricks until it reached 15 ft. in hight, 28 miles through Berlin, and 75 miles through West Berlin. It also had barbed wire on top, watchtoweres, and mines. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Soviet Union, after the U.S.'s failed invasion Cuba, atempted to place their nuclear missiles in Cuba. However, the U.S. had already placed theirs in Italy and Turkey.Threats went both ways until Russia pulled their weapons from their rout to Cuba. -
Praque Spring
The Praque Spring began with attacks to the president of Czechoslovakia. This led to student uprsisngs and later, the election of Alexander Dubcek as the new Czechoslovakian President. He then made a reform plan, but Soviet troops invaded them soon after. -
Berlin Wall (Taking Down)
The Berlin Wall was not entirely torn down immediately. For the weeks that followed, people came with sledgehammers and such to break off pieces of the wall as souvenirs. -
German Unification
Germany had been split into four zones by the allied powers, France, the U.K., the U.S., and Russia. In 1949, they forned East and West Germany, and then on October 3, 1990, they were reunified as one.