-
Word War II Ends
The Japanese sign the surrender aboard the USS Missouri, officially ending World War II. https://www.ushmm.org/learn/timeline-of-events/1942-1945 -
"Two Camps" Speech
Joseph Stalin delivers his "Two Camps" speech, stating that the U.S. cannot coexist. http://www.nationalcoldwarexhibition.org/timeline/ -
Iron Curtain Speech
Winston Churchill condemns the Soviet Union’s policies in Europe when he gave one of the most famous speeches of the Cold War period. This was considered one of the opening speeches announcing the Cold War. (http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/churchill-delivers-iron-curtain-speech) -
The Marshall Plan
Worried about the spread of Soviet Communism and the quick deterioration of European economies, George C. Marshall proposed a comprehensive program to rebuild Europe. Congress passed the Economic Cooperation Act that approved upwards of $12 billion for the re-building of Western Europe. (https://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/marshall-plan) -
The Berlin Airlift
The first Berlin crisis of the Cold War was when the Soviets placed a blockade on the Allied-controlled areas of Berlin to starve the population into Soviet alliance to gain supremacy. The United States and United Kingdom reacted by airlifting food and fuel to Berlin. (https://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/berlin-airlift) -
Forming of NATO
The possibility of further Communist expansion prompted the United States and several other Western nations to form the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). It remains the largest peacetime military alliance in the world. (https://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/nato) -
Soviets Detonate Nuclear Bomb
The United States lost atomic supremacy after finding out that the Soviets detonated their own nuclear bomb. President Harry Truman ordered the development of the hydrogen bomb. (http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/soviets-explode-atomic-bomb) -
Forming of Warsaw Pact
After feeling threated by the formation of NATO, the Soviet Union and its affiliated Communist nations in Eastern Europe responded by forming a rival alliance, the Warsaw Pact, in 1955. (http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-warsaw-pact-is-formed) -
Vietnam War- Domino Theory
The cold war was over the world’s resources and fought by the United States and the Soviet Union. South Vietnam was a United States Allie while North Vietnam was a Soviet Union Allie. Because of the Domino Theory, the United States feared that if North Vietnam won the war, other countries in South Asia would also fall to Communism. (http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/domino-theory) -
Sputnik Crisis
The Sputnik crisis was the American reaction to the success of the Sputnik program. The Soviet’s launching of the first artificial Earth satellite caused extreme Cold War tensions. For fear that the United States had fallen behind in technological advances, President Dwight D. Eisenhower referred to the Soviet’s success as the “Sputnik Crisis” and poured additional resources into the space program in effort to catch up. (https://history.state.gov/milestones/1953-1960/sputnik) -
The U-2 Incident
A United States U-2 spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union airspace. At first, the United States government denied the plane’s mission and purpose, but was soon forced to admit its role as a covert surveillance aircraft when the Soviet government produced its surviving pilot and intact remains. This became one of the most dramatic moments of the Cold War. -
Bay of Pigs
The Bay of Pigs invasion refers to the CIA sponsored American attack of the Cuban government in order to overthrow Fidel Castro. The 1,400 American-trained Cubans were badly outnumbered by Castro’s troops and surrendered within 24 hours. -
Creation of Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was constructed by Eastern Germany, the German Democratic Republic (GDR) to keep the Western “fascists” from entering, and remained for 28 years. “To this day, the Berlin Wall remains one of the most powerful and enduring symbols of the Cold War.” (http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/berlin-wall) -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was the closest the world ever came to nuclear war. The United States armed forces were at their highest state of readiness as the Soviet field commanders in Cuba were prepared to use battlefield nuclear weapons to defend the island if it was invaded. (http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/cuban-missile-crisis) -
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT)
These agreements were the most far-reaching attempts to control nuclear weapons. Upon a monumental breakthrough, two major issues were agreed upon and the documents were signed on May 27th, 1972. Each country was allowed a maximum of two antiballistic missile sites, and there were no additional intercontinental ballistic missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles to be added. This was considered a tremendous achievement. (http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/salt-agreements-signed)
