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The Cold War
Traces the important events of the United States Involvement in the Cold War. -
Yalta Conference
Yalta Conference
At the Yalta Conference Joseph Stalin "claims" he was given permission to occupy Eastern Europe, and make it part of the Soviet "Sphere of Influence." This added to the mistrust that already existed between the USA and the USSR. -
Truman Doctrine
Truman Doctrine
The Truman Doctrine stated that the United States would limit Communist aggression throughout the world by stopping it from spreading. This establish a new foreign policy of "Containment." -
Berlin Airlift
Berlin Airlift
The Soviet Union cut off all contact between West Berlin and the world in order to force West Berlin to fall under the Soviet Block. Enforcing our new foreign policy of containment the United States and NATO forces airlifted supplied into West Berlin until the USSR gave up their quaranteen of West Berlin. -
NATO Created
NATO
Mutual Defense Alliance formed after WWII to prevent the Soviet Union from capturing Western Europe. Original member nations included: USA, United Kingdom, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Italy, France, Norway, Portugal, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxemburg. -
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Korean War
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Start of Korean War
Korean War 1950-1953
After North Korea invaded South Korea the United States, with the United Nations, came to South Korea's aid. Eventually the UN forces drove North Korea and their Chinese allies north across the 38 degrees paralell successfully containing the spread of communism. -
SEATO Formed
[SEATO](http:///www.history.com/this-day-in-history/seato-established)
Southeast Asian Treaty Organization was a mutual defense alliance that attempted to stop the spread of communism into Southeast Asia. Member countries were Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philipines, Thailand, United Kingdom, and the United States. The US became involved in the Vietnam War in an attempt fulfill our committments to France. -
Eisenhower Doctrine
Eisenhower Doctrine
The doctrine was an attempt by the United States to stop the spread of Communism in the Middle East. Since, this involved the spread of Soviet influence as opposed to a conversion to communism the US decided to support any pro-western government. This allied the US with less than ideal Middle Eastern leaders, such as the Shah of Iran. -
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Vietnam War
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Bay of Pigs
Bay of Pigs
This was an attempt by the Kennedy Administration to provoke a revolution within Cuba in an attempt to remove Soviet backed Fidel Castro. Largely executed by the CIA it ultimately failed when Kennedy refused to provide aircover. Kennedy feared that aircover would escalate the event, and provoke war with Cuba and the USSR. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
Missile Crisis
Tensions rose to a breaking-point between the US and the USSR as the Soviet Union attempted to place offensive nuclear missiles in Cuba. After a naval quarantine by the US Navy, the Soviet Union backed down and remove all equipment from Cuba. Likely the closest the US and USSR ever came to war. -
SALT Signed
SALT
Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty was an agreement between the US and USSR to limit the production of nuclear weapons. Combined with the initiation of SALT II talks beginning in 1972 this began an era of "detente" (easing of tensions) between the US and USSR. -
Nixon Goes to China
Nixon to China
Nixon opened a renewed relationship with China. Resulted in a culture exchange between the two countries known as "ping-pong diplomacy." This openning with China pressured the Soviet Union to improve relations with the United States. US officially recognized China in 1979. -
Vietnam Falls
Fall of Saigon
Communist North Vietnam successfully invaded South Vietnam unifying Vietnam under Communism. The last of US personel fled from the rooftop of the United States embassy in Saigon. -
Reagan's "Evil Empire" Speech
Evil Empire Speech
President Reagan desiring an ultimate victory over the Soviet Union declared them an evil empire and promised to throw them on the "trash heap" of history. After a tense era between the two Super Powers the Soviet Union will collapse in 1991. -
Gorbachev Leads USSR
Gorbachev
During his time as a leader of the Soviet Union Gorbachev intiated economic reform (perestroika) and democratic reforms (glasnost). -
Berlin Wall Falls
Berlin Wall Falls
Seen as the "Beginning of the End" of the Soviet Union the people of Berlin rose up and tore down the Berlin Wall as Soviet troops watched on helplessly. -
USSR Collapses
USSR Collapses
Boris Yeltsin and the Soviet military arrest Gorbachev and begin the complete Democratization of the Soviet Union as well as the release of Soviet states.
