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Truman says U.S will support countries fighting communism. This started with Greece and turkey. This started the American containment policy -
George marshall announced a academic aid plan to rebuild Europe. The goal of this was to stop the spread of communism and restore stability -
USSR forms Cominform to coordinate communist parties all over the globe. It makes Soviet control stronger over Eastern Europe -
The Communist Party takes control of the Czechoslovak government. It marks a turning point in Soviet domination of Eastern Europe. -
The U.S. begins distributing aid to 16 European countries. This speeds up recovery and makes Western alliances stronger -
The USSR blocks Western access to West Berlin to try to force Allied withdrawal. The U.S. and allies respond with a massive airlift. -
The U.S. and 11 other countries form a defense alliance. It institutionalizes the Western military response to Soviet threats. -
The USSR detonates its first nuclear weapon. The U.S. loses its monopoly on nuclear arms. -
Mao Zedong proclaims the People's Republic of China. The U.S. sees this as a major setback in the Cold War. -
North Korea invades South Korea with Soviet and Chinese helpp. The U.S. leads a UN force to defend the South. -
Without a formal declaration of war, U.S. makes a move one combat. This sets a precedent for future conflicts. -
China sends troops across the Yalu River. The war intensifies and extends -
President Truman fires General MacArthur for publicly opposing his policies. The incident underscores civilian control of the military. -
Negotiations start between North and South Korea. But no agreement is immediately reached. -
The U.S. boosts military aid to allies around the world. It expands containment beyond Europe. -
The U.K. joins the nuclear club. It strengthens NATO's strategic arsenal. -
The U.S. detonates the first strong nuclear weapon. It vastly increases nuclear destructive power. -
The National Security Agency is created to coordinate U.S. communications intelligence. It becomes a key player in Cold War surveillance. -
Dwight Eisenhower takes office and promotes a strong anti-communist stance. He introduces the “New Look” defense policy. -
Joseph Stalin’s death sparks a power struggle in the USSR. It leads to a brief period of political thaw. -
The fighting ends, but the peninsula remains divided. A formal peace treaty was never signed. -
Vietnam is divided at the 17th parallel. Elections to reunify are planned but never held. -
French forces are defeated by the Viet Minh. France withdraws from Indochina. -
The U.S. helps overthrow President Arbenz. He is accused of communist sympathies. -
The USSR and Eastern Bloc countries sign a mutual defense treaty. It counters NATO’s influence in Europe. -
Eisenhower and Khrushchev meet with other leaders to ease tensions. No major agreements are reached -
Soviet troops withdraw, and Austria becomes neutral. This avoids another Cold War division. -
Khrushchev denounces Stalin’s crimes in a closed Communist Party meeting. It shocks the Eastern Bloc and the West. -
Citizens rise up against Soviet control. The Red Army brutally suppresses the revolt. -
Britain, France, and Israel attack Egypt after the Suez Canal is nationalized. The U.S. forces a withdrawal to maintain Cold War unity. -
The U.S. pledges to protect the Middle East from communism. It expands Cold War influence into a new region. -
The USSR launches the first artificial satellite. It ignites the Space Race. -
A U.S. government report warns of a Soviet missile lead. It fuels public fear of a “missile gap.” -
The U.S. establishes a civilian space agency. It is a direct response to Soviet space achievements. -
Khrushchev demands the West leave Berlin. The U.S. refuses, leading to heightened tensions. -
Intercontinental ballistic missiles are stationed in allied countries. This escalates the nuclear arms race. -
He overthrows Batista and begins moving toward communism. The U.S. sees him as a threat. -
Khrushchev and Eisenhower hold informal discussions. They agree to improve dialogue, but results are limited. -
he Soviet leader meets with Eisenhower. The visit aims to reduce tensions. -
A U.S. spy plane is shot down over Soviet territory. Khrushchev cancels a planned summit with Eisenhower. -
The summit ends in failure after the U-2 revelation. Cold War tensions spike again. -
A power vacuum leads to civil conflict. The U.S. and USSR back rival factions. -
John F. Kennedy takes office with strong anti-communist rhetoric. He faces early Cold War crises. -
A U.S.-backed invasion of Cuba fails. It embarrasses the Kennedy administration. -
East Germany builds a wall to stop defections. It becomes a symbol of the Cold War divide. -
A direct phone line connects Washington and Moscow. It is created to prevent future crises. -
The world nears nuclear war when U.S. discovers Soviet missiles in Cuba. A tense standoff ends with mutual concessions -
American forces are placed on high alert. It is the closest the world comes to nuclear war. -
JFK reaffirms U.S. commitment to West Berlin. His “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech is widely praised. -
Bans nuclear tests in the atmosphere, space, and underwater. It’s a small step toward arms control. -
South Vietnam’s president is killed in a U.S.-approved coup. It leads to further instability. -
Alleged attacks on U.S. ships lead to congressional authorization for war. U.S. involvement in Vietnam escalates. -
He is replaced by Brezhnev and Kosygin. His erratic leadership is blamed for Cold War tensions. -
China becomes the fifth nuclear power. This increases U.S. concern in Asia. -
The U.S. launches a bombing campaign in North Vietnam. It marks full-scale American involvement. -
Marines land at Da Nang. U.S. ground war begins. -
Military-led killings of suspected communists follow a failed coup. Western countries silently support the crackdown. -
USSR achieves first soft lunar landing. It’s a key space race milestone. -
De Gaulle withdraws France from NATO’s integrated structure. He criticizes U.S. dominance in the alliance. -
Mao launches a purge of rivals in China. It spreads fear and disrupts leftist movements worldwide.