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The Marshall Plan
The Marshall plan was the American program to aid Europe. It was proposed by George Marshall the US Secretary of State. The United States gave money, about $13 billion, to European countries to help build their economies after the end of World War II. The goals the United States had were to rebuild regions destroyed in war, remove trade barriers, and modernize industry to make Europe successful once again. -
Berlin Airlift
June 1948- May 1949 – The Soviet Union kept West Berlin Hostage, and cut off all Land access to the city. With all highway, water, and rail traffic and the city faced starvation. Stalin hoped that the blockade of West Germany would convince the Western countries to surrender control of Berlin. To keep the people of West Berlin alive, US and British planes airlifted supplies to the city. -
Creation of NATO
This organization is a system of collective defense where its member states agree to mutual defense in response to an attack by any outside force. The nations included in NATO are Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States. -
Rosenberg Spy Case
Julius Rosenberg and his wife Ethel Rosenberg were both arrested for conspiracy after it was found that they had sent classified military information to the Soviet Union. The Cold War had the government anxious with any issues pertaining to treason; they wanted to make an example of the Rosenbergs. Both were sentenced the death penalty and became the first U.S. civilians to suffer the death penalty in an espionage trial. -
Korean War
North Korea attacks South Korea, and drives south and captures Seoul. The UN stepped in with troops from all 16 of its member nations to help, under the control of General MacArthur. MacArthur pushed the North Korean troops back only to be met by a fierce Chinese army who drove MacArthur back down and recaptured Seoul. The two sides fought continuously for two years. In March 1951, Seoul was retaken by South Korean troops. Finally in July 1953 the two sides signed an armistice ending the war. -
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. It was fought between the Nationalists of North Vietnam, and the dictatorship government of South Vietnam. The US also poured lots of resources and money into Vietnam. They fought the spread of communism in a guerrilla-like war against anti-communist forces in the region to try to prevent a communist takeover of South Vietnam. -
Bay of Pigs
The Bay of Pigs was an unsuccessful military invasion of Cuba. The attack was launched from Guatemala, but it was not well planned out because the Guatemalan invading force was defeated by the Cuba’s armed forces under the command of Prime Minister Fidel Castro within 3 days of its launch. -
The Berlin Wall Goes Up
East German troops began to build a wall between East and West Germany. A concrete wall topped with barbed wire separated the city in two. It reduced the number of refugees that fled East Germany into West Germany, and heightened Cold War tensions. -
Cuban Missle Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a 13-day confrontation between the Soviet Union and Cuba and the United States. A US aircraft had taken several pictures showing sites for medium-range and intermediate-range nuclear missiles which had the potential to reach the US. The United States considered attacking Cuba, to prevent them from the potential use of the missiles but decided on a military blockade instead. -
The Six Day War
The Six Day war was fought between Israel and Jordan and Syria. The war started when Israel launched a surprise bombing raid against Egypt. Within six days, Israel gained control over the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, the West Bank and East Jerusalem from Jordan, and the Golan Heights from Syria. The six day war may have ended many many days ago but unrest and fighting in these areas for control over land still continues today. -
US Sends Man to the Moon
Since the start of the Cold War, the US and Soviet Union had been competing on every level. This competition spread into scientific research, specifically the “Race to Space”. On 12 April 1961, the Soviets launched the first man in orbit around the Earth. Apollo 8 launched on 21 December 1968, and was the first spaceship with a man-crew to leave Earth and go to the moon. Apollo 11 was the first ever successful landing on the moon, and Neil Armstrong was officially the first man to set foot on th -
Olympic Hockey Game
The Soviets were the heavy favorites going into the Lake Placid games. They had won the last four gold medals in Olympic hockey. The US team was made up of many collegiate players, with only one returning member of the previous Olympic team. The Americans beat the Soviets in the gold medal match, 4 to 3, a great upset. -
US Invades Grenada
This conflict involved the U.S. and Cuba on the other. President Reagan and his administration were concerned that the Marxist government of Prime Minister Maurice Bishop was allowing Cuba influence in Grenada. Bishop was constructing a military-grade airport with the help of Cuban military engineers. President Reagan's was trying to help stop the spread of communism world-wide, so this gave him a perfect reason to enter and eliminate a Marxist government. -
German Reunification
East Germany opened the Berlin Wall, after 28 years of being separated the two halves of Germany were reunited. Berlin people pounded away at the wall with hammers and other tools, destroying it. On October 3rd the two German nations became one. -
The Collapse of the Soviet Union
Mikhail Gorbachev became the general secretary of the Communist Party and later the president. He started peace talks with the US. He recognized that good relations with the US will cut unnecessary spending and help the Soviet Union make good reforms. Gorbachev helped to restore free elections and eliminate government censorship. This led to the ultimate downfall of the Communist Party and the birth of a loose federation known as the Commonwealth of the Independent States.
