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Period: to
Cold War 1947-1966
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Truman's Loyalty Program
Truman's Loyalty Program created to catch Cold War spies within the United States. -
Truman Doctrine
Truman declares active role in Greek Civil War -
Rio Pact
U.S. meet 19 Latin American countries and created a security zone around the hemisphere -
Communist takeover in Czechoslovakia
The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia seized power in February 1948 through a coup d'état, following a period of political crisis and the resignation of non-Communist ministers. -
Brussels Pact
The Brussels Pact, formally known as the Treaty of Brussels, was a collective defense agreement signed in 1948 by the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg -
Marshall Plan
The United States initiated the Marshall Plan, offering economic aid to war-torn European nations to help them rebuild. -
NATO ratified
On April 4, 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty was signed in Washington, D.C., establishing NATO, a military alliance between the United States and several European nations -
The Berlin Blockade Ends
The Berlin Blockade, a critical Cold War event, ended on May 12, 1949, when the Soviet Union lifted its blockade of West Berlin. This 11-month blockade, initiated in June 1948, had cut off land and river access to the western sectors of Berlin, which were under Allied control. -
Russia tested its first atomic bomb
The Soviet Union tested its first atomic bomb on August 29, 1949, at the Semipalatinsk Test Site in Kazakhstan. The test, code-named "First Lightning" by the Soviets and "Joe-1" by the Americans, was a plutonium-based implosion-type bomb similar in design to the US "Fat Man bomb. This test marked the beginning of the nuclear arms race during the Cold War. -
Joe McCarthy begins Communist witch hunt
In February 1950, Joe McCarthy, a Republican Senator from Wisconsin, began publicly accusing individuals of being communists, sparking the "Red Scare" and the McCarthyism era. -
Truman approved H-bomb development
Yes, President Harry Truman approved the development of the hydrogen bomb. On March 10, 1950, he formally approved the request from the Joint Chiefs of Staff to proceed with all-out development of the weapon. -
Korean War begins
Korean War begins. Stalin supports North Korea who invade South Korea equipped with Soviet weapons -
Trial of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg
The trial of the American couple, accused of espionage for the Soviet Union, began in March and concluded with their conviction and death sentence. -
Truman fires MacArthur
In April 1951, President Harry Truman relieved General Douglas MacArthur of his command as commander of United Nations forces in the Korean War. Truman's decision followed a period of public disagreement with MacArthur about the conduct of the war and the appropriate strategy for achieving victory. -
ANZUS Treaty
Australia, New Zealand, and the United States signed this treaty, a crucial step in strengthening the Western alliance against Soviet influence. -
Greece and Turkey joined NATO.
Greece and Turkey joined NATO on February 18, 1952. This was the first enlargement of the alliance after its founding in 1949, bringing the total membership to 14. The decision was driven by the Cold War and the strategic importance of both countries, particularly Turkey's location bordering the Soviet Union. -
A-bombs developed by Britain
Britain developed both atomic and hydrogen bombs. Their first atomic bomb, code-named "Operation Hurricane," was tested in 1952. -
United States First Hydrogen Bomb
The first U.S. hydrogen bomb, codenamed "Ivy Mike," was successfully tested on November 1, 1952, at Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands. The test, part of Operation Ivy, resulted in a 10.4-megaton explosion, 500 times more powerful than the Nagasaki bomb. -
Dwight D. Eisenhower as US president
Dwight D. Eisenhower's presidency (1953-1961) was largely defined by the Cold War. He focused on building a strong nuclear arsenal and delivery system to deter Soviet aggression, while also cutting back on traditional military spending. His administration also addressed key issues like the Hungarian uprising and the Sputnik launch, which led to the establishment of NASA and a focus on science and technology education. -
RAND report on the "Vulnerability of U. S. Strategic Air Power"
A RAND report from 1953, titled "Vulnerability of U.S. Strategic Air Power," estimated the impact of a surprise Soviet attack on Strategic Air Command's combat capabilities. -
Korean War ends
The Korean War officially ended on July 27, 1953, with the signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement. This agreement, negotiated after two years and 17 days of talks, established a Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) along the 38th parallel, a four-kilometer-wide buffer zone between North and South Korea. While the armistice ended the fighting, it did not officially end the war, and the Korean peninsula remains technically at war.