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President Harry Truman announced the U.S. would provide political, military, and economic aid to countries threatened by communism, beginning with Greece and Turkey. This marked the start of America’s Cold War policy of containment to stop the spread of Soviet influence. -
A major U.S. aid program to help rebuild Europe and prevent the spread of communism. -
The Soviet Union created Cominform to strengthen communist control in Eastern Europe. -
A communist coup in Czechoslovakia shocked the West and helped gain support for the Marshall Plan. -
The U.S. officially passed the plan, giving over $12 billion to help European countries recover. -
The Soviet Union blocked all roads and railways into West Berlin, trying to force the Allies out. -
NATO was formed by the U.S., Canada, and several Western European countries to protect each other from the threat of Soviet expansion. It marked a major step in uniting Western nations against communism during the Cold War. -
The Soviet Union lifted the blockade after 11 months of Allied airlifts. -
The Soviet Union shocked the world by testing its first nuclear weapon, ending U.S. monopoly. -
North Korea invaded South Korea, starting a major conflict between communist and capitalist forces. -
The United Nations formed a military coalition, mainly led by the U.S., to support South Korea. -
China joined the war to support North Korea, making the conflict more dangerous. -
President Truman fired General MacArthur for wanting to expand the war into China. -
The war reached a stalemate near the 38th parallel, leading to long peace talks. -
U.S. passed law giving military aid to allies fighting communism. -
Stalin offered German reunification, but the West rejected it, suspecting a trap. -
Britain became the third nation with nuclear weapons. -
The U.S. detonated a more powerful bomb, starting the hydrogen arms race. -
Dwight D. Eisenhower takes office with a firm anti-communist stance. -
Joseph Stalin's death led to power shifts and new Soviet policies. -
Both sides agreed to stop fighting, dividing Korea at the 38th parallel. -
France lost Vietnam to communists, leading to U.S. involvement. -
Vietnam was split into North and South after peace talks. -
U.S. started sending aid to South Vietnam to fight communism. -
Nikita Khrushchev rose to power in the Soviet Union. -
Western powers allowed West Germany to join NATO, angering the USSR. -
Soviet Union created a military alliance with Eastern Bloc nations. -
Khrushchev criticized Stalin’s rule, beginning a period called “de-Stalinization.” -
Hungarians protested Soviet control, but the USSR crushed the uprising. -
Britain, France, and Israel attacked Egypt after it nationalized the Suez Canal, causing tension with the USSR and U.S. -
The U.S. promised to help Middle Eastern countries resist communism. -
The USSR launched the first satellite, starting the Space Race. -
U.S. report said the USSR might be ahead in missiles, increasing Cold War fears -
The U.S. created NASA to compete in the space race. -
U.S. placed missiles in Turkey, raising Soviet security concerns. -
Khrushchev demanded the U.S. leave West Berlin, starting a standoff. -
Fidel Castro took control of Cuba, eventually aligning with the USSR. -
Nixon and Khrushchev debated capitalism vs. communism at a U.S. expo in Moscow. -
First visit by a Soviet leader to the U.S., signaling a brief thaw -
U.S. spy plane was shot down over the USSR, ending peace talks. -
John F. Kennedy defeated Richard Nixon in a close election. -
First televised debates influenced public opinion and election outcome. -
Failed U.S. attempt to overthrow Castro using Cuban exiles -
Kennedy showed support for West Berlin in a famous speech. -
East Germany built the wall to stop East Berliners from fleeing to the West. -
The U.S. and USSR nearly went to war over Soviet missiles in Cuba. -
Kennedy announced a blockade to stop Soviet ships. -
USSR agreed to remove missiles in exchange for U.S. promises. -
U.S., UK, and USSR agreed to stop testing nuclear weapons in the atmosphere. -
U.S. and Soviet Union set up direct phone link to avoid nuclear war. -
JFK was killed in Dallas; LBJ took over as president. -
U.S. claimed North Vietnam attacked its ships, leading to more U.S. involvement. -
Brezhnev took control of the Soviet Union. -
China became the fifth nuclear power country. -
U.S. started heavy bombing campaign in North Vietnam. -
First American troops landed in Vietnam, marking major escalation. -
Military coup led to mass killings of communists in Indonesia. -
USSR became first to land spacecraft safely on the Moon. -
Mao launched campaign to keep communist ideas alive. -
France distanced itself from U.S. influence in NATO.