-
Period: to
Collapse of the Grand Coalition and a new bipolar world
After the Allied power reached their main goal to beat Nazi Germany it was clear that the coalition wouldn't last long. England and France grew weak after WWII, leaving the USA and the USSR remaining great powers. The US was strong due to the war industry and A-bomb and the USSR "liberated" many countries where communism was introduced. The two superpowers had opposing interests and huge influence on the world that was thus polarized politically, militarily and ideologically. -
Truman doctrine
According to the domino theory if one country would fall for communism, the surrounding countries are also prone to fall. To stop the USSR's spreading Truman set up the containment policy, which meant that the US would fight for every single country to remain capitalist and rich enough to not fall for the promises of communism. That is why the Marshall Aid was also given to any European state after WWII. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
After a communist takeover in Cuba and a failed attempt of the US to take it back Krushchev sent missiles to the island for the request of Castro. Kennedy blockaded the island but Krushchev didn't draw the missiles back, which pushed the world at the brink of an atomic war. Eventually they agreed that Krushchev would remove missiles from Cuba while Kennedy from Turkey. They realized how close WWIII was, so they set up a hotline between them and intensive diplomacy started. -
Period: to
Brezhnev doctrine
The détente between the USSR and the USA started after the Cuban Crisis was solved however, hardliners in the SU understood it as a failure. Brezhnev kicked Krushchev out and became first secretary. He issued his policy according to which the SU has the right to "safeguard" socialism and keep it up in countries even with force. He put the Prague Spring down and continued Soviet support in Afghanistan. -
Period: to
SALT I and II
The Strategic Arms Limitation Talks aimed to reduce the arm race between the two superpowers. They succesfully agreed on the reduction of nuclear weapons, mostly the bombs that were outdated, and it showed at least will to ease the situation. -
Helsinki Accords
In this meeting a new wave of détente started, however it was ambigueous. The US and SU agreed on peaceful disputes, non-intervention in internal affairs and all the UN stuff, however it was clear that Brezhnev didn't respect these. -
Period: to
Reagan doctrine
Reagen ended the détente of the late '70s and tried to beat the SU once and for all. In his doctrine he looked at the SU as "the evil empire" and he used paramilitary troops against the USSR in Afghanistan. He also realized the economic weakness of the SU and started the SDI or "Star Wars" plan which meant the space race that the USSR couldn't finance. Among many reasons this contributed to the fall of the USSR and the end of the Cold War -
End of the Cold War
At a summit in Malta Gorbachev and Bush announced the end of the Cold War.