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President Truman said the U.S. would help countries fight against communism. This was the start of the U.S. trying to stop communism from spreading. -
The U.S. offered money to help rebuild Europe after WWII, so countries wouldn't turn to communism. -
Established the Department of Defense, CIA, and National Security Council, restructuring U.S. military and intelligence agencies. -
A defense alliance formed by Western European nations as a precursor to NATO. -
President Truman signed the Economic Recovery Act, officially launching the Marshall Plan. -
The Soviet Union blocked Western Allies' access to West Berlin, prompting the Berlin Airlift. -
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was established as a military alliance against Soviet aggression. -
The USSR successfully tested its first atomic bomb, escalating the arms race. -
Mao Zedong proclaimed the People's Republic of China, expanding communist influence in Asia. -
North Korea, supported by the Soviet Union and China, invaded South Korea. The U.S. and other United Nations countries stepped in to help South Korea, starting the Korean War. -
General MacArthur led a surprise landing at Inchon, South Korea, helping to push back North Korean forces. -
China sent troops to support North Korea, turning the war into a bigger conflict involving more countries. -
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were tried for allegedly passing atomic secrets to the Soviet Union. They were later executed in 1953. -
United Nations troops regained control of Seoul, the capital of South Korea, after it had been taken by North Korean and Chinese forces.
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President Truman relieved General MacArthur of his command in Korea due to disagreements over war strategy. -
Greece and Turkey became members of NATO, strengthening the alliance against the Soviet Union. -
The United States detonated its first hydrogen bomb, a more powerful nuclear weapon, escalating the arms race. -
Eisenhower, a World War II hero, was elected President, promising to end the Korean War and fight communism. -
Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union, died, leading to changes in Soviet policies and leadership. -
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed for espionage, marking a controversial moment in the Cold War. -
An agreement was signed to stop fighting in Korea, ending the war without a clear winner and leaving Korea divided. -
Vietnam defeated France in a major battle, ending French control and leading to Vietnam being split into North (communist) and South (non-communist). -
Agreements split Vietnam at the 17th parallel into North (communist) and South (non-communist), marking a formal division. -
The Southeast Asia Treaty Organization was created by Western and Asian countries to stop communism from spreading in Southeast Asia. -
West Germany became a NATO member, causing the Soviet Union to speed up forming the Warsaw Pact. -
The Soviet Union and its Eastern European allies formed a military alliance to counter NATO. -
Nikita Khrushchev rose to power as First Secretary of the Communist Party, shifting leadership after Stalin’s death. -
At a Communist Party meeting, Khrushchev denounced Stalin’s crimes, shocking many and starting de-Stalinization. -
Hungarian citizens rose up against Soviet control. The revolt was crushed by Soviet tanks, showing Soviet strength. -
Britain, France, and Israel attacked Egypt after President Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal, highlighting Cold War tensions in the Middle East. -
President Eisenhower said the U.S. would help any Middle Eastern country threatened by communism. -
The Soviet Union launched the first artificial satellite, Sputnik, into space. This shocked the U.S. and started the space race. -
USSR sent the first living creature, a dog named Laika, into space aboard Sputnik 2. -
The U.S. created NASA to catch up with the Soviet Union in space exploration after Sputnik's success. -
China bombed islands controlled by Taiwan, and the U.S. sent Navy ships to help protect Taiwan. -
The U.S. successfully tested its first Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), able to carry nuclear weapons long distances. -
Fidel Castro overthrew Cuba’s leader, turning Cuba into a communist country close to the U.S. -
U.S. Vice President Nixon and Soviet Premier Khrushchev debated capitalism vs. communism in a model kitchen exhibit in Moscow. -
Soviet leader Khrushchev toured the U.S. and met with President Eisenhower to try to ease tensions. -
China and the Soviet Union started having serious disagreements, ending their friendship and weakening the communist alliance. -
The Soviet Union shot down an American U-2 spy plane. The U.S. first lied, then admitted spying, worsening tensions. -
John F. Kennedy was elected U.S. President. He promised to stand up to communism, especially in Cuba and Berlin. -
U.S.-trained Cuban exiles tried to invade Cuba to overthrow Fidel Castro, but the mission failed. -
President Kennedy visited West Berlin and gave a powerful speech showing U.S. support for West Germans. -
East Germany, backed by the Soviet Union, built a wall to stop people from escaping to West Berlin. -
The U.S. discovered Soviet missiles in Cuba. After 13 tense days, the USSR agreed to remove them, and nuclear war was avoided. -
President Kennedy ordered a naval blockade of Cuba to stop more Soviet missiles from arriving. -
Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles from Cuba if the U.S. promised not to invade and secretly removed missiles from Turkey. -
President Kennedy gave a speech asking for peace and better U.S.-Soviet relations. -
The U.S., USSR, and U.K. agreed to stop testing nuclear weapons in the air, underwater, or in space. -
A direct phone line was created between Washington, D.C., and Moscow to help U.S. and Soviet leaders talk quickly during a crisis. -
Gave President Johnson the power to send U.S. troops to Vietnam without declaring war. -
Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev was forced to resign and replaced by Leonid Brezhnev. -
China exploded its first nuclear bomb, becoming the fifth country with nuclear weapons. -
Indonesia pulled away from Western powers and leaned closer to the communist bloc. -
The U.S. launched heavy bombing of North Vietnam to weaken the communist government. -
The first official U.S. combat troops landed in Vietnam, marking the start of major U.S. fighting in the war. -
The U.S. increased air attacks on North Vietnam, targeting cities and supply routes to weaken the enemy. -
The Soviet spacecraft Luna 9 became the first to safely land on the Moon and send back pictures — a major win in the space race. -
Mao Zedong launched a movement to strengthen communism in China by getting rid of old traditions and people seen as “capitalist.”