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Period: to
World War ll
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Potsdam Conference
Stalin, Churchill, and Truman met in Potsdam Germany to continue negotiating Germany post-WWll. -
Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
An American B-29 bomber dropped the world's first atomic bombs over Hiroshima, and three days later, Nagasaki. Combined, about 120,000 would die from the explosion alone. Japanese Emperor Hirohito would surrender days later. -
Period: to
Cold War
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Iron Curtain Speech
Winston Churchill stressed the growing threat of communism and tyranny in Europe. -
Long Telegram
George Kennan (worked for the US, fluent in Russian) who was stationed in Moscow analyzed Stalin's behaviors/motives and articulated containment toward the USSR in an over 5,000 word message. -
Truman Doctrine
Harry S. Truman requested pay for Greece and Turkey in order to fund anti-communism measures (a dramatic change in foreign policy). -
Marshall Plan
George C Marshall experienced firsthand the devastation of war in Europe and argued that people would choose communism to try and avoid starvation. The Marshall Plan was proposed to -
Molotov Plan
After the Soviet Union rejected the Marshall Plan (the government wanted control over possible aid Germany would receive), they created their own 'plan' to counteract it. The Molotov Plan supplied financial aid to already existing communist countries. -
The Hollywood 10 (HUAC)
House Un-American Activities Committee investigated Hollywood's communist influence. Movie stars, directors, etc were called in to testify. Ten individuals called on freedom of association and refused to speak. As a result, they were convicted of contempt, imprisoned, and blacklisted. -
Berlin Blockade
The Soviets blocked all of Berlin (Soviet Union controlled East Berlin AND US/French/British controlled West Berlin) from importing or exporting goods. -
Berlin Airlift
In response to the Berlin Blockade, the United States sent pilots with all supplies, food, and other goods for the German people of West Berlin. -
Chinese Communist Revolution
Mao Zedong ultimately won in a civil war against the Chinese nationalist government. He would later support other revolutions in Asia (Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaya, Korea, etc). -
Alger Hiss Case
Whittaker Chambers, a former communist accused former state department employee Alger Hiss of giving information to the Soviet Union. Before the case was excused, Richard Nixon pressed the committee to look closer, and Alger Hiss was convicted of perjury. -
NATO
The United States, Canada, and many European nations formed a military alliance to increase security against the Soviet Union (and growing communism!). -
First Soviet Bomb Test
The Soviet Union successfully tested a nuclear bomb, years before American experts anticipated. -
Korean War
North Korea's Army marched across the 38th parallel, the boundary between Soviet-backed North Korea and American-backed South Korea. This was considered the first military action of the Cold War, and Americans saw it as a fight against communism. -
Rosenberg Trial
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were arrested for suspicion of sharing bomb secrets with the Soviet Union. At the trial, they argued that they were being persecuted for being Jewish and far left-they were found guilty and executed by electric chair in 1953. -
Korean Armistice
In the spring of 1951 the Korean War hit a stalemate, thought the war continued for two more years before hostilities ended. -
Period: to
Eisenhower Era
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Army-McCarthy Hearings
When Senator Joe McCarthy began to lose popularity, he pitted himself against the United States Army for more "red scare" clout. The trial was found inconclusive, but the American people were disgusted by his baseless accusations made for political gain. -
Battle of Dien Bien Phu
France had controlled Indochina since the 19th century (regained after WWll). Communist Ho Chi Minh led Viet Minh forces in 1954 at Dien Bien Phu, leading to the end of French presence in Vietnam. -
Warsaw Pact
In retaliation to NATO, the Soviet Union created the Warsaw Pact. It issued financial aid to Soviet Union 'satellites' who had been pressured into rejecting NATO. -
Period: to
Vietnamese War
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Hungarian Revolution
Hungary revolted against Soviet control, though their efforts were smothered in a couple weeks due to the Soviet's aggressive counterattack. -
U2 Incident
A US U-2 plane was shot down by the Soviet Union and the pilot, Francis Gary Powers, captured. President Eisenhower was forced to admit that the United States had been conducting secret spy missions over the Soviet Union for several years. After Powers spent 2/10 years in prison, he was swapped in exchange for a captured Soviet agent. -
Berlin Wall
A guarded concrete (initially barbed wire) barrier that divided USSR's East Berlin and US/French/British West Berlin. It is estimated 140 people died, 100 of those individuals dying from an incident involving their attempted escape. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
1,400 Cuban exiles backed by American forces were supposed to invade Cuba at the Bay of Pigs, but due to several mishaps the invasion was botched. The CIA failed to disguise WWll B-26 planes properly, Fidel Castro knew about the invasion just under a year in advance, bad weather ensued, and the last attempt to help the Brigade's B-26 aircraft arrived an hour late. -
Period: to
Kennedy Era
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Cuban Missile Crisis
A 13 day long confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union involving the installation of nuclear armed Soviet missiles on Cuba (90 mi from Florida). It ended with the agreement to remove US missiles from Turkey (though that was secret at the time) in exchange for the removal of USSR missiles in Cuba. -
JFK Assassination
Lee Harvey Oswald (a communist with connections to the Soviet Union and Cuba) allegedly shot (There is a CIA involved conspiracy with decent backing, and there is a prolonged order of the JFK assassination files) President John F. Kennedy during a presidential motorcade through Dealy Plaza in Dallas Texas. He died at 1:00 pm, a half an hour after being shot. -
Tonkin Gulf Resolution (aka The Blank Check)
Vietnam shot at US ships (a declaration of war!). Congress proceeded to hand the president the power to wage war without congressional approval. -
Period: to
Johnson Era
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Tet Offensive
Communist North Vietnamese surprise-attacked (during New Year, in the earlier years of the war it had been a rest period for soldiers) every south Vietnamese city and military bases (including US embassy in Saigon). -
Democratic Convention Riots
Anti war protestors at the Democratic Convention of Chicago were confronted by police. -
Period: to
Nixon Era
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Kent State
4 students shot dead, 11 wounded during an anti war demonstration at Kent State. -
Ceasefire in Vietnam
President Nixon coined the term "Peace with Honor" when describing the ceasefire in Vietnam. North Vietnam would be allowed to leave troops already in South Vietnam, while the US would remove all troops. There were no provisions for POWs or MIAs, who would be in danger when North Vietnam resumed war. -
Fall of Saigon
After all US troops leave 03/1973, North Vietnam continues the battle for unifying Vietnam under communism. They succeed when they capture Saigon. -
Reagan Elected
Reagan was elected because of his bold approach towards communism;unlike previous presidents, he adopted the idea of 'destroying, not containing'. Reagan build his campaign around the idea that it was America's right to support those who fight against communism. -
Period: to
Reagan Era
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SDI announced
The SDI, or Strategic Defense Initiative introduced the idea of lasers zapping potential nuclear effect from space. It was dubbed "star wars" by the media. The US government knew full well that this plan was decades from any realistic execution, but used it as a way to strain Soviet Union resources during the Cold War. -
"Tear Down This Wall!" Speech
Nearby communist Germany, Reagan dares Soviet Union President to tear down the Berlin Wall if he truly wants peace for the people. The Soviet Union President complied, and shortly after, the Soviet Union came crumbling down. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev allowed for the Berlin Wall to be breached as Eastern Europe began revolutions. At home, the president was ridiculed, but in other countries he was celebrated. -
End of the Cold War