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The Red Scare
The Red Scare was a period of unrest and suspicion due to immense conflict between the US and USSR. It produced mass hysteria in the US. Due to the Red Scare, people were very suspicious of each other in the US. This led to many allegations of being a communist, as well as the distribution of propaganda showing how to spot one. -
Berlin Blockade
The US was providing support to Germany and other European nations as well as attempting to phase out in the East Mark. The Soviet Union retaliated by closing all rail, canal, and road access to West Berlin. The civilians there had no access to food or other basic resources, so the allies organized a program to airlift supplies in. This event rose tensions between the US and USSR dramatically. The Berlin Blockade was the first major event of the Cold War. -
The Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was a plan to support European nations that were affected by WWII. About $15B were put into this program. Since many of these countries were under Soviet control, the US's support of these countries was seen as an act of aggression. This event is seen as the catalyst for the Cold War. -
Creation of NATO
The Marshall Plan opened the door to new connections between the US and European nations. Truman took the opportunity to form the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). NATO was the first alliance the US made with European nations during peacetime. It allowed for much more opportunities for diplomacy. -
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Korean War
US soldiers, supported by South Korea, invaded North Korea by crossing the 38th parallel. US forces were pushed back but eventually made it back to the 38th parallel. The Korean War was the first military action of the Cold War. It symbolized the fight against Capitalism and Communism. -
Geneva Peace Accords
A series of documents that related to Indochina. It was composed of military agreements and declarations between countries. The Geneva Accords created a division between Vietnam along the 17th Parallel. It also made communist troops evacuate Cambodia. -
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Dien Bien Phu
The battle of Dien Bien Phu was a conflict between the Vietnamese and the French. By the end of the conflict, the Vietnamese gained their independence from the French. The battle split Vietnam into two parts: North and South Vietnam. This set the stage for the Vietnam War that would come a few years later. -
Bay of Pigs
The Bay of Pigs invasion was a failed attempt at invading Cuba by the US. Castro anticipated the attack and stopped the invasion. The Bay of Pigs showed how US and Cuban relations completely deteriorated with Castro's takeover. It continued to fuel the fire between the US and the USSR (who were stationed in Cuba). -
Berlin Wall Built
The Berlin Wall, constructed by East Germany, permanently separated East and West Berlin. It stopped the people of East Berlin from fleeing to West Berlin. The Berlin Wall was important because it symbolized the Cold War. It was a physical divide that showed the incompatibility of democracy and communism. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a conflict between the US and USSR regarding the Soviet bombs planted in Cuba. Because of their proximity to the US, the bombs were a major threat. The Cuban Missile Crisis is the closest the world has come to atomic warfare between nations. It scored a 2 on the DEFCON scale. -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
After an attack on US naval ships in Tonkin (near Vietnam), Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. It gave president LBJ the power to use military force without declaring war. This bill was very controversial because it was unconstitutional. It effectively allowed LBJ to fight without direct approval from Congress. -
Tet Offensive
The Tet Offensive was a large-scale attack by North Vietnam. It was intended to make the US less involved in the war. The American public saw the war play out during the Tet Offensive on television. Seeing that the war was not going to end soon, many Americans stopped supporting the war. -
My Lai Massacre
American soldiers killed about 500 innocent villagers of My Lai. The military tried to cover up the event, but word got out and the American public became even less supportive of the war. Along with the Tet Offensive, the My Lai massacre diminished support of the Vietnam war even further. It contributed to America leaving Vietnam later on. -
Kent State Shooting
During an antiwar protest at Kent State University, 4 college students were killed by the National Guard. They were protesting against Nixon's decision to invade Cambodia. This event contributed to Nixon's PR dropping dramatically. Following the shooting, he was accused of declaring the war on Cambodia without consulting Congress. -
Pentagon Papers
Ellsburg gave the New York Times top secret documents related to the Vietnam War, called the Pentagon Papers. The NYT published these documents publicly. The US tried to prevent these papers from getting out, but the Supreme Court ruled that the NYT was allowed to publish the documents under freedom of speech. The Pentagon Papers made the American public even less supportive of the Vietnam War. The documents exposed previous presidents lies, making future presidents work hard to stay honest. -
War Powers Act
The War Powers Act served as a restriction to the president's power to initiate wars or military action without the support of Congress. This act was passed in part due to the controversy surround the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. This act continues to affect presidental decisions today. Many presidents since then have ignored the act. -
Paris Peace Accords
The Paris Peace Accords was the meeting of North and South Vietnam as well as the Viet Cong and US in Paris. They discussed and created a treaty that enforced a seize-fire in Vietnam. The Paris Peace Accords ended the Vietnam War. There was no more fighting after the cease-fire. -
Fall of Saigon
After the US withdrew from Vietnam, the South Vietnamese were pushed back to Saigon by the North Vietnamese. General Duong Van Minh of the South Vietnamese surrendered. This marked the end of the Vietnam war for the Vietnamese. North Vietnam accepted South Vietnam's surrender.