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Iron Curtain
Winston Churchill makes Iron Curtain speech in Fulton, Missouri. Churchill’s speech is considered the announcing the beginning of the Cold War. Churchill advised that in dealing with the Soviets there was “nothing which they admire so much as strength, and there is nothing for which they have less respect than for military weakness.” -
Turkey and Greece
The western democratic countries were threatened by the Communist East. Soviet backed communist threatened the government of Greece and Turkey . -
The Truman Doctrine
Following the threats on Greece and Turkey, President Truman announces the Truman Doctrine. The Truman Doctrine states that the US with provide economic and military aid to stop the spread of communism. The US would be committed to stopping "armed minorities or outside pressures." -
The Marshall Plan
To stop poor European countries from turning to communism, the US would economically aid European countries. The US gave up 13 billion dollars for rebuilding Europe. The plan was named after the US secretary of state -
The Berlin Airlift
Soviets blocked off all roads, rails, and water route. Berlin force to use cargo planes to supply them with food, coal, and other supplies. -
End of the Berlin Airlift
Cargo planes were coming every 30 second for about a year. After constantly depending on supplies from cargo plane, the Soviets called off the blockade. -
Hydrogen Bomb
The US tested their brand new fusion-power hydrogen bomb. It was so powerful it completely vaporized an entire island -
Warsaw Pact
The United States, Canada, and most Western European countries created a military alliance, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization). In response the Soviet Union and the Communist nations of Eastern Europe formed the Warsaw Pact -
Sputnik
The Soviet Union launches Sputnik, or Traveling Companion. Sputnik is a man made satellite, or an object that orbits Earth. -
UN Meeting
A US spy plane captured photographs of a missile on a launch pad. The US ambassador confronts the Soviet ambassador in front of the United Nations -
IRF Treaty
President Reagan began talking about weapon reduction with the Soviet Union. The INF Treaty banned certain types of missiles.
