-
Period: to
Cold War 1947-1966
-
Truman Doctrine
President Truman said the U.S. would help countries like Greece and Turkey fight against communism. This started the U.S. policy of containment, which meant trying to stop the spread of Soviet power during the Cold War. -
Marshall Plan
The U.S. announced the Marshall Plan to help European countries recover after World War II. It gave money and support to fight poverty, disease, and hunger. This set an example for helping other nations in need. -
Rio Pact
The U.S. and 19 Latin American countries signed the Rio Pact. They agreed to protect each other if any country in the Western Hemisphere was attacked. This created a security zone to guard against threats like communism. -
Communist takeover in Czechoslovakia
Communists took control of the government in Czechoslovakia. They forced out non-communist leaders and made the country part of the Soviet sphere of influence. This event increased fears about the spread of communism in Europe. -
Truman's Loyalty Program
President Truman started the Loyalty Program to find and remove government workers who might be communist spies. Employees had to go through background checks to prove they were loyal to the U.S. This was part of the fear of communism during the Cold War. -
Brussels Pact organized to protect Europe from communism
Five European countries signed the Brussels Pact to defend each other against the threat of communism. It was an early step toward forming a stronger military alliance in Europe. This pact helped lead to the creation of NATO. -
NATO ratified
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was officially ratified. It created a military alliance between the U.S., Canada, and several Western European countries to protect each other from communist threats. NATO became a key part of the Cold War defense strategy. -
Berlin Blockade ends
The Soviet Union ended the Berlin Blockade, which had cut off supplies to West Berlin for almost a year. The U.S. and its allies had responded with the Berlin Airlift, flying in food and supplies to help the city. The end of the blockade was seen as a win for the West in the Cold War. -
Russia tested its first atomic bomb
The Soviet Union successfully tested its first atomic bomb. This marked the beginning of the nuclear arms race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. It also ended the U.S.'s monopoly on atomic weapons and increased global tensions. -
Truman approved H-bomb development
President Truman approved the development of the hydrogen bomb (H-bomb). This decision marked a significant escalation in the arms race, as the H-bomb was far more powerful than the atomic bomb. The U.S. aimed to stay ahead of the Soviet Union in nuclear weapon technology. -
Joe McCarthy begins Communist witch hunt and loyalty tests
Senator Joe McCarthy started his famous anti-communist witch hunt. He accused many government officials, celebrities, and others of being communists or communist sympathizers, leading to loyalty tests and widespread fear. This period became known as "McCarthyism." -
Korean War begins
The Korean War began when North Korea, supported by Stalin and equipped with Soviet weapons, invaded South Korea. This sparked a military conflict between the communist North and the non-communist South, drawing in forces from the U.S. and other countries under the United Nations banner. -
Federal Civil Defense Administration established
The U.S. established the Federal Civil Defense Administration (FCDA). Its goal was to prepare the country for potential nuclear attacks by educating citizens on emergency procedures and developing civil defense programs. -
Truman fires MacArthur
President Truman fired General Douglas MacArthur due to disagreements over how to handle the Korean War. MacArthur wanted to expand the war into China, but Truman opposed escalating the conflict, leading to a public clash that resulted in MacArthur's dismissal. -
A-bombs developed by Britain
Britain successfully developed its first atomic bomb. This made the United Kingdom the third country, after the United States and the Soviet Union, to possess nuclear weapons. The development was a significant step in the global arms race during the Cold War. -
Nuclear Arms Race atomic test series of 11 explosions at Nevada Test Site
The United States conducted a series of 11 atomic tests at the Nevada Test Site. This series was part of the ongoing nuclear arms race during the Cold War, where both the U.S. and the Soviet Union were developing and testing increasingly powerful nuclear weapons. -
RAND report on the "Vulnerability of U. S. Strategic Air Power"
The RAND Corporation published a report titled "The Vulnerability of U.S. Strategic Air Power." The report warned that the Soviet Union could potentially destroy the U.S. strategic bombing fleet in the event of a nuclear conflict, leading to changes in U.S. military strategy and air defense planning. -
Korean War ends
The Korean War officially ended with the signing of an armistice agreement on July 27. The agreement created the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and effectively divided Korea into North and South, but no formal peace treaty was signed, leaving the two Koreas technically still at war. -
H-bomb Castle-Bravo test
The United States conducted the Castle Bravo test, which was the first hydrogen bomb (H-bomb) test at Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. The test was much more powerful than expected, causing radioactive fallout to spread over a large area and leading to concerns about the effects of nuclear testing. -
KGB established CIA helps overthrow unfriendly regimes in Iran and Guatemala
The Soviet Union formally established the KGB (Committee for State Security), which became the primary security and intelligence agency in the USSR, responsible for internal security, espionage, and suppressing opposition to the Soviet government. In the same year, the CIA played a key role in orchestrating covert operations to overthrow unfriendly regimes. -
Vietnam split at 17th parallel
The Geneva Accords were signed, officially splitting Vietnam at the 17th parallel into two zones. The northern part was controlled by the communist government of Ho Chi Minh, while the southern part was led by an anti-communist government under Emperor Bao Dai, later replaced by President Ngo Dinh Diem. This division set the stage for the eventual conflict known as the Vietnam War.