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Yalta Conference
The purpose was to decide the European post-war reorganization and decide the re-establishment for the war-torn nations. In attendance was president Roosevelt, prime minister Churchill, and premier Stalin. -
Japanese surrender WWII unconditionally
Japan’s surrender in the second world war made for the end to the war. The Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting operations. The droppings of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki also left the Japanese impaired. -
The Republic of Austria is reconstituted.
It goes back to its 1937 borders, but was divided into four zones of control: America, British, French, and the Soviets. -
Philippines gain independence
A treaty of general relations between the two governments of the United States and the Republic of the Philippines, recognizing the Philippines as an independent nation. -
Truman Doctrine
This doctrine was proposed by President Harry Truman that stated that the U.S. would support both Greece and Turkey in a economic and militaristic way, in order to keep them from falling into the Soviets sphere. This was the beginning step to stop Soviet expansion. Truman pledged to contain all communism expansion in Europe, and provide aid to any countries in need. -
India and Pakistan gain independence from the UK.
This was led by the independence leader Ghandi, who promoted peaceful rebellions and was revolutionary with the Islamic religion. -
NATO founded
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was founded by Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and Portugal, the UK, the US, in order to resist Communist expansion. -
Soviets Test First Atomic Bomb
The Soviets testing of the atomic bomb came as a shock to the United States, who did not think the Soviets would express nuclear knowledge so soon. Truman’s reaction to this was for the U.S. to build up its own nuclear weapons to protect themselves against the dangers in the Soviet Union. -
North Korea invades South Korea.
This causes a disrupt throughout the world, and the countries operating under the UN increases to 16: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Ethiopia, France, Greece, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. -
Mutual Security Act
This is a United States federal law that authorized almost $7.5 billion for foreign military, economic, and technical foreign aid to U.S. allies. It’s main point was to prepare Europe, as the Cold War developed. It also ended the Marshall Plan. -
USS Nautilus
The United States begins to work on the first nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Nautilus. This caused huge advancements in military technology and was a huge nuclear deterrent. -
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Stalin Dies, Kruhchev becomes leader
At 73 years of age, Joseph Stalin suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and died. Nikita Khrushchev became Stalin’s successor and issued a less repressive era in the Soviet Union. -
JFK assassinated
President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. He was shot by Lee Harvey Oswald, who was later shot by Jack Ruby. -
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact is founded in Eastern Europe. It included Eastern Germany, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Albania, Bulgaria, and the Soviet Union. This was the Communist country’s reaction to counteract NATO. -
Hungarian Revolt
The Hungarian Revolt was a spontaneous nationwide revolt against the People’s Republic of Hungary and its Soviet imposed policies. It was the first major threat to Soviet control since the USSR drove out the the Nazi’s, ending WWII. The uprising was a failure, but served to be influential in the downfall of the Soviet Union later. -
Sputnik
The satellite Sputnik launched by the Soviets, and later on November 3, Sputnik 2 was launched. This caused a disturbance in America and the race to get control over space began. More money was now put into these kinds of advancements. -
The Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution. Fidel Castro becomes the leader of Cuba. This warfare also triggered some more Cuban-inspire guerrilla warfare movements which sprung up across Latin America. Though he didn’t declare the country to be Communist, he later declared himself to be a “Marxist-Leninist.” -
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Bay of Pigs
The Bay of Pigs was a failed military invasion of Cuba by the CIA in attempts to overthrow the revolutionary left wing government of Fidel Castro. The invasion was defeated in three days by the forces of Fidel Castro. Note: no actual pigs were harmed during this invasion. -
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall is built. This was built by the Soviets following the breakdown in talks to decide the future of Germany. This showed the power of the Soviets in Europe and the Americans were angered by this. -
The Cuban Missile Crisis
The Soviets had been installing secret military weapons on Cuba, which contained nuclear weapons. Kennedy ordered a naval blockade of the island because this was 90 miles away from the US mainland and would not leave until the USSR promised to remove the weapons. This caused tension and many thought that we were on the brink of a nuclear war, but in the end both sides agreed to a compromise and the weapons were removed in exchange with similar Ameri -
Gulf of Tonkin
The Gulf of Tonkin incident was two separate confrontations involving North Vietnam and the United States. The USS Maddox engaged three North Vietnamese torpedo boats, resulting in a sea battle. Four North Vietnamese soldiers were killed, six were injured, and there were no U.S. casualties. -
North Vietnam vs South Vietnam
North Vietnam won the war against South Vietnam. The South Vietnam regime surrendered and the two countries are now united under a Communist government. -
U.S. Invades Grenada
Known as Operation Urgent Fury, this Caribbean island that lies North of Venezuela forced the U.S. into military action after a military coup which ousted a four year revolutionary government. The invasion resulted in the restoration of a constitutional government. -
The Revolutions of Eastern Europe
The Revolutions of Eastern Europe. The Soviet reforms and their state of bankruptcy allowed Eastern Europe to rise up against the Communist governments there. The Berlin wall falls, and the borders are reopened. -
Gulf War Ends
Codenamed “Operation Desert Storm,” was a response of the United States to Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait. The Gulf War ended in February 1991, as the U.N. established cease-fire terms. -
Dissolution of Soviet Union
On December 26th the Soviet Union formally ceased to exist. The increasing political unrest led the establishment of the Soviet military to attempt a coup d’etat to oust Gorbachev and establish a strong central regime.