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The Yalta Conference
Meeting between U.S. Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet Union Premier Joseph Stalin to discuss postwar decisions including the terms of surrender for Germany, the division of Germany between the democratic Western countries and communist USSR, and communism in Eastern Europe.
Cite: U.S. Dept. of State Office of the Historian. The Yalta Conference. https://history.state.gov/milestones/1937-1945/yalta-conf -
The Potsdam Conference
The "Big Three" meet to discuss handling of recently defeated Germany. This is significant because they will end up dividing Germany into four zones between the U.S., Great Britian, USSR, and France and Berlin into the democratic West and communist East, and was the last postwar reconstruction meeting between the U.S. and USSR.
Cite: U.S. Dept. of State Office of the Historian. The Potsdam Conference. https://history.state.gov/milestones/1937-1945/potsdam-conf -
The August Revolution
Ho Chi Minh and his Viet Minh Communist Party capture Hanoi, Vietnam and declare independence from Chinese and French control. This is significant because it spread communism to Vietnam where the U.S. would soon be in a conflict of containment.
Cite: Alpha History. The August Revolution. http://alphahistory.com/vietnam/the-august-revolution/
Picture: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f7/Hanoi,Vietnam_Liberation_Army_Vo_Nguyen_Giap_reviewed_the_troops,_August_26th,_1945.jpg -
Iron Curtain Speech
Winston Church with the attendance of Pres. Truman delivers his famous "Sinews of Peace" address at Westminister College in Fulton, MO criticizing the spread of communism in Eastern Europe and naming the policy of containment by the U.S. and Great Britian. This is significant because it names the beginning containment by the U.S. and GB thus the solid starting point of the Cold War.
Cite: National Churchill Museum. Sinews of Peace, 1946. https://www.nationalchurchillmuseum.org/sinews-of-peace-ir -
The Truman Doctrine
Pres. Truman announces doctrine that states "the United States would provide political, military and economic assistance to all democratic nations under threat from external or internal authoritarian forces." This is significant because it is stating that the U.S. will now use its power to contain communism and similiar governments from spreading.
Cite: U.S. Dept. of State Office of the Historian. The Truman Doctrine, 1947. https://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/truman-doctrine -
Berlin Blockade and Airlift
Berlin, located entirely in the communist East Germany was blockaded by Soviet forces preventing West Berlin from contact with UK and US aid. In response US and UK forces began airlifting food and fuel to residents in West Berlin until May 12, 1949 when the Soviets ended the blockade. This is significant because it was a high tension point in the beginning of the Cold War and division of Germany.
Cite: U.S. Dept. of State Office of the Historian. The Berlin Airlift. -
NATO formed
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is formed between the United States and 11 other Western countries to form a pact that any attack on one country was an attack on all of them and the goal was to stop the spread of communist influence over Europe.
Cite: History.com. Formation of NATO and the Warsaw Pact. http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/formation-of-nato-and-warsaw-pact
Picture: https://coldwarevents.wikispaces.com/file/view/truman_nato.jpg/192603656/truman_nato.jpg -
Korean War begins
The Democratic Peoples of Korea (North Korea) forces cross the 38th parallel into the Republic of Korea in an attempt to establish a communist Korea; American and UN forces would enter the conflict to contain communism to the North.
Cite: U.S. Dept. of State Office of the Historian. The Korean War. https://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/korean-war-2
Picture: https://www.mtholyoke.edu/~park25h/classweb/worldpolitics/images/korean%20war.jpg -
Warsaw Pact formed
In response to the formation of NATO, the USSR and six other communist nations form the Warsaw Pact, focused on preserving communism in Eastern Europe and defending each other against NATO.
Cite: Curtis, G. (1992). Czechoslovakia: A Country Study. The Warsaw Pact. http://www.shsu.edu/~his_ncp/WarPact.html
Picture: http://pre04.deviantart.net/fdac/th/pre/f/2013/197/7/1/coat_of_arms_of_the_new_warsaw_pact_by_redrich1917-d6dqxo1.jpg -
Bay of Pig Invasion
Failed invasion by the U.S. CIA to overthrow Fidel Castro's communist regime in Cuba. This is significant because it was an attempt to contain communism in a country only 90 miles away from the U.S. and lead to strained relations between the countries.
Cite: JFK Presidential Library and Museum. The Bay of Pigs. http://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/JFK-in-History/The-Bay-of-Pigs.aspx
Picture: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/BayofPigs.jpg -
Berlin Wall Built
The building of the Berlin Wall begins in East Germany and becomes a visible sign of the Cold War and separation of the West from communism.
Cite: Royal Air Force Museum. The Cold War TImeline 1961. http://www.nationalcoldwarexhibition.org/timeline/
Picture: http://travel-babel.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/BerlinWall.jpg -
Cuban Missile Crisis
In October 1962, an American spy plane discovered nuclear missiles being imported from the Soviet Union to Cuba. In response, the U.S. launched a naval blockade around Cuba to prevent more missiles being imported to be used against the U.S. The event was very fragile and considered to be the closest point to actual fighting between the U.S. and USSR. On Oct. 22, JFK addressed the issue to the American public.
Cite: JFK Presidential Museum and Library. Cuban Missile Crisis. -
Vietnam War Begins
The United States sends in 3,500 Marines into Vietnam to join the 23,000 military advisors fighting against the Viet Cong and North Vietnam Army. This war became one most controversial events of the Cold War and questioned the cost for containment.
Cite: The History Place. The Jungle War 1965-1968. http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/vietnam/index-1965.html
Picture: http://www.vietnampix.com/bilder/end2.jpg -
Vietnam War Ends
After 10 years of war, the United States withdraws from Vietnam leading to South Vietnam falling to the communist North. This war becomes a failure of containment for the U.S and the most fighting during the Cold War era.
Cite: The History Place. The Bitter End 1969-1975. http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/vietnam/index-1969.html
Picture: http://coldwarwarrior.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Saigon-Surrenders.jpg -
Geneva Summit
President Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev meet at the Geneva Summit to discuss relations for the first time since the start of the Cld War and became a significant event in establishing the transformation of the Soviet Union.
Cite: The National Security Archieve (2005). To the Geneva Summit: Perestroika and the Transformation. http://nsarchive.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB172/
of U.S.-Soviet Relations -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
The reunification of Germany and beginning of demolition signified the end of the communist regime in Europe and the crumbling of the Soviet Union.
Cite: BBC History. The Berlin Wall. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/places/berlin_wall
Picture: http://www.thelocal.de/userdata/images/article/de/48785.jpg -
Soviet Union is Abolished
Gorbachev resigns as President of the Soviet Union signaling its end and the USSR flag is replaced by the Russian Federation flag over the Kremlin. This event signifies the official end of the Cold War and democracy's victory over communism in Europe.
Cite: Royal Air Force Museum. Cold War Timeline 1991. http://www.nationalcoldwarexhibition.org/timeline/
Picture: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/world/SovietLead.jpg -
Additional sources cited
These are additional sources I used on most events in assisting the creation of this timeline: Royal Air Force Museum. National Cold War Exhibition Timeline. http://www.nationalcoldwarexhibition.org/timeline/ Taylor Jr., Q. US History Timeline: Cold War. University of Washington Department of History. http://faculty.washington.edu/qtaylor/a_us_history/cold_war_timeline.htm
