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Yalta Conference
The meeting of Stalin, Roosevelt, and Churchill to discuss future post-war plans. They discussed the occupation of Germany and Poland problems (borders, elections, government). -
Potsdam Conference
Stalin, Truman, and Churchill/Atlee met to discuss Germany and Poland. They set up the ACC in Germany and agreed to take reparations from their own zones. Also, discussed Poland borders. -
Atomic Bombs in Japan
Two atomic bombs were dropped by the United States on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan. Japan’s surrender shortly followed. -
Eruption of Greek Civl War
Civil war in Greece following World War II between the Communists and the Greek government, which was backed by Great Britain. Great Britain was losing the war and the United States eventually stepped in to help fight Communists. Stalin never supported Communist uprising in Greece. -
Long Telegram
A 7,000-word telegram which George Kennan sent from Moscow, warning of the Soviet Union’s postwar intentions. Analysis provided the intellectual justification for a policy of containment, and Kennan was widely understood in Washington to be the father of that policy. -
Iron Curtain Speech
A speech that was given by Churchill. He declared that “from Stettin in the Baltic to Triest in the Adriatic an iron curtain has descended across the continent” he wanted to lift the curtain to liberate Eastern Europe and to hold the Russians back. -
Paris Peace Treaties
Council of Ministers met to discuss the details of post-war peace treaties with Italy and the minor Axis powers. Reparations debated and negotiations concluded in 1947. -
Truman Doctrine
An American foreign policy announced by President Truman that proposed military aid to any threatened anti-communist government. -
Cominform
After the Marshall Plan, Stalin forbade any Communist country to ask for aid. In October 1947 he set up Cominform. All Communist countries in Europe joined, and this allowed for Stalin to control Communism in Europe. -
Creation of Bizonia
Union of British and American zones of Germany economically. The first step to an independent Western state. -
Brussels Treaty
It pledged mutual defense arrangements (France, Britain, Benelux countries), America promised to extend aid to those who signed. There was a fear of war in Europe. -
Marshall Plan
General George Marshall stated in 1947 that Europe was so poor that every country was in danger of turning Communist. He proposed to give $17 billion of aid to Europe to help revive its economy and prevent the spread of Communism. -
Currency Reform
The Western allies introduced the Deutschmark for new currency in western Germany. The Soviets followed four days later by introducing the Ostmark in eastern Germany. -
Berlin Blockade
It was a total blockade on all ground and water traffic to Berlin by Soviets. Blockade began in response to the introduction of the Deutschmark in West Germany amid growing tension between the West and the Soviet Union in Germany. -
Berlin Airlift
The Western response to the Berlin Blockade. It consisted of flying round the clock missions into Berlin, supplying up to 13,000 tons of goods per day. -
Tito-Stalin Split
Marshal Tito in Yugoslavia struck out on an independent course. Truman extended economic aid to Tito, thus widening the split in the supposedly monolithic Communist bloc. Stalin tried to topple Tito, failed, and expelled Yugoslavia from the Cominform. -
Comecon
Stalin created Comecon (Council for Mutual Economic Assistance), which was an economic union of the Communist countries in eastern Europe. This allowed Stalin to control the Communist economies for the benefit of Russia. -
Formation of NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty was signed in Washington (Britain, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Italy, Portugal, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Canada, and the US). The signatories pledged themselves to mutual assistance in case of aggression against any of them. -
Division of Germany
Two German states were established by the end of 1949. The Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) in the West and the German Democratic Republic (GDR) in the East, which was Communist. -
Soviet Union Atomic Bomb
The Soviet Union tested its own Atomic bomb on September 22, 1949. The United States no longer had an atomic monopoly and the development of the hydrogen bomb accelerated. -
Communist China
China erupted in Civil War following World War II. China finally fell to the Communists under Mao Zedong in 1949. Many in the United States felt the US did not send enough aid to Chiang. -
NSC-68
The first comprehensive statement of American national strategy. It advocated an immediate and large scale build up of American military and general strength to prevent Russian and Communist expansion. -
Outbreak of Korean War
The war between North and South Korea. The North Koreans, communist, invaded South Korea. The US entered the war to support South Korea and invaded into North Korea, causing China to enter the war with North Korea. Ceasefire eventually reached and 38th parallel reinstated as border. -
New Look Policy
President Eisenhower’s foreign policy. It combined domestic, military, and foreign considerations. It rejected premise of NSC 68, deficit spending, and supported containment. -
Geneva Conference
A meeting in Geneva Switzerland between Eisenhower, Eden (Britain), Bulganin (Soviet Union), and Faure (France) to discuss the reunification of Germany, European Security, disarmament, and the development of contacts of East and West. -
Warsaw Pact
The Soviet Union’s military response to NATO. It was a collective defense treaty between the Soviet Union and its satellite states. -
Hungarian Revolution
Hungarians demanded that Stalinist puppets be replaced with Imre Nagy, the Red Army to be removed, and the creation of an anti-Communist political party. Nagy announced Hungary was withdrawing from Warsaw Pact, which caused Russia to begin fighting in Hungary, and the Russians crushed the Hungarians. -
Suez Crisis
After America decided to not support the Aswan Dam project, Nasser seized the Suez Canal. British, French, and Israeli forces invaded Egypt to regain control of canal. British and French threatened by the US and Soviet Union so they retreated. -
Sputnik
The Soviet Union successfully launched the first man-made satellite into space called Sputnik. -
U-2 Plane Shot Down
An American U-2 plane was shot down over the Soviet Union. This was the first time the Soviet Union had the technology to shoot down these planes, which had been spying on the Soviet Union.
