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Yalta Conference
National Cold War Exhibition Just prior to the end of WWII, Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin met to determine Germany's terms of surrender and partition Eastern Europe (including Germany) between the allied nations. Germany's four way split between Communist Soviet Union and Democratic nations of America, Britain, and France would later lead to tensions between all nations involved. -
Winston Churchill's "Iron Curtain"
Lecture, Slide #7 Europe's "Iron Curtain" British Prime Minister Winston Churchill declares Europe's separation between democracy and Soviet control as an "Iron Curtain", with areas under Soviet control considered to be on the wrong side of the curtain. -
Berlin Blockade and Airlift Begins
Lecture, Slide #6 Berlin Blockade/Airlift (1948-1949) Stalin closes off highway routes that allowed Western allies to provide for West Berlin, Germany. His hope was that this would force opponents to bargain with him to appease to Soviet needs. For more than 300 days, military aircrafts would airdrop food and supplies to West Berliners. Stalin backed down in 1949 after not receiving the results he wanted. -
NATO Forms
Lecture, Slide #7 Europe's "Iron Curtain" The North Atlantic Treaty Organization forms between the US, Canada, and many Western European nations. This mutual defense organization was formed to prevent another world war if any participating nations were to be attacked by political opponents. -
Communism wins in China
Lecture, Slide #4 Realities of International Politics Mao Zedong becomes the Communist leader in China at the conclusion of the Chinese Civil War. Nationalists in the country flee to Taiwan. This is a major shift in politics for Chinese government. -
The Second Red Scare
Lecture, Slide #9 Second Red Scare Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy capitalized on the US's fear of Communism by claiming he had a list of US State Department members who were Communist sympathizers. This sparked many investigations to find suspected Communist public officials, as well as boosted the popularity of Senator McCarthy. -
Korean War Begins
Lecture, Slide #8 Korean War North Korea (Communist State) troops invaded South Korea (anti-Communist State). Stalin supported North Korea, supplying them with weapons, while the US aligned with Korea. The event results in a stalemate by 1953. There is no clear winner, but the US boasts some victory with the retention of South Korea as a non-Communist state. -
Space Race Begins
Lecture, Slide #10 Space Race The Soviet Union launched the first and second Sputnik satellites into space, leading the way for potential spaced-based weapon use. US President Kennedy announced that the United States would take the lead in the Space Race following the Sputnik launches, ultimately leading to the arrival of the first men (American) on the moon in 1969. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
Lecture, Slide #14 Bay of Pigs Invasion (Apr '61)Cuban leader Fidel Castro had recently overthrown a previously cooperative Cuban government, bringing die-hard Communists into the mix. To avoid further spread of Communism, the US trained Cuban exiles to become commandos, and planned for them to invade Cuba as a guerrilla army to overthrow Castro and his government. The operation was quickly foiled when Castro's forces immediately captured the invaders. US President Kennedy took the blame for the embarrassing operation early into his term. -
Berlin Wall Construction Begins
History.com The Berlin Wall began to take form, separating East and West Berlin, Germany. The purpose of the wall was to prevent West Berliners from leaving their side and entering East Berlin and ruining their socialist state. Nearly 200 people died trying to cross the fortified border before it was disassembled in 1989. -
Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
Wikipedia.org Three major nuclear powers- United Kingdom, Soviet Union, and United States- signed a treaty promising non-proliferation, disarmament, and peaceful use of nuclear energy in the wake of increasing nuclear threat. A few other nations signed at the same time, and many others did so within the next two decades. The treaty was extended indefinitely in 1995. -
"Tear Down This Wall!"
Wikipedia.org In his speech at the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin, President Ronald Reagan challenged USSR leader Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down this wall", referring to the Berlin Wall, a long standing symbol of Soviet oppression in Eastern Europe. Reagan also announced his hope to end the arms race. Almost two and a half years later, East Germany finally opened the Berlin Wall. -
The Dissolution of the USSR
History.com Briefly after three Baltic republics left the Soviet Union, 11 more republics announced their establishment of a Commonwealth of Independent States apart from the Soviet Union. Discouraged by the rapid disintegration of his nation, USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev resgined from his position. The great Communist power had finally dissolved.
