Cold War Timeline

By ejcornelius

  • Berlin Airlift

    Berlin Airlift
    Russia cut off all highways to drive Britain, France and the US out of Berlin. Instead, the US and its allies supplied their people from the air.

  • Creation of NATO

    Creation of NATO
    NATO was the alliance of 13 countries in Europe and North America whose purpose was to secure peace in Europe, to promote cooperation among its members and to guard their freedom.

  • Korean War

    Korean War
    North Korea invaded South Korea in a strategic invasion crossing the 38th Parallel, the line between communist and non-communist governments.

  • Creation of the Warsaw Pact

    Creation of the Warsaw Pact
    A military and political alliance between Russia and several eastern European countries.

  • Vietnam War Begins

    Vietnam War Begins
    A long war between North and South Vietnam with a principal ally, the US. This was only intensified by the Cold War.

  • Sputnik

    Sputnik
    First artificial Earth satellite, launched into orbit by the Soviet Union. This began the “Space Race” between the US and Soviet Union.

  • Construction of Berlin Wall Begins

    Construction of Berlin Wall Begins
    German communist governments built the wall to keep out so-called “Western Fascists” from East Germany. Many people in Germany viewed this as a symbol of division.

  • Cuban Missile Crisis

    Cuban Missile Crisis
    The Soviet Union placed nuclear missiles in Cuba only 90 miles from US soil. The Soviet Union ended up moving the missiles in exchange for the US promising not to invade Cuba.

  • Moon Landing

    Moon Landing
    The US put men on the moon for the first time ever, beating Russia in the Space Race.

  • Destruction of Berlin Wall

    Destruction of Berlin Wall
    The Berlin Wall was a wall made to divide West Germany and East Germany, seen as a symbol of division in the country. But unexpectedly one night, a German official announced they would be bringing down the wall and the people were free to cross.