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The Truman Doctrine
The Truman Doctrine was created by President Truman. The purpose was to declare the US would support Greece and Turkey in resisting the Soviet Communism by providing economic and military aid. It ended up sending $400 million and no military forces to the area. This convinced both countries to take part in NATO. -
The Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was the United State's plan of economic relief for Western Europe. The main goal was to boost these countrie's economies to prevent the spread of Communism. It involved the rebuilding of those countries ravaged by WWII, removal of trade barriers to stimulate trade, modernize the industries, and to provide monetary boosts to these countries. -
Creation of NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed as a peace treaty between the countries who signed and also a promise for those countries to defend each other in case any of them was attacked, similar to the Alliance System of WWI. -
Soviets Create & Test Nuclear Bomb
The first atomic bomb that the USSR tested was called RDS-1, codenamed First Lightning. The proceeded over the next decade and a half to further test and develop their atomic bomb. The race was started after the US dropped the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki to end WWII because the USSR was worried of the US's capabilities. -
The Korean War
A three-year war that involved heavy support from both sides of the Cold War on the North Korean and the South Korean sides. Created a cease-fire between the two countries and reestablished the 38th parallel. Korean DMZ created, a 4km wide buffer between the two countries where no fighting is allowed. Involved a few major pushes between the two countries before settling at the 38th parallel. -
Rosenberg Spy Case
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were acting as USSR spies, sharing US atomic bomb secrets with them. They were caught and convicted to execution. -
US creates and tests the hydrogen bomb
The US began designing the H-Bomb after the success of the A-Bomb. The first full-scale test was in November 1952, called the "Ivy Mike" shot. The bomb itself was called the "Sausage." It possessed 450x the destruction force of the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. -
Creation of the Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact was the USSR's reaction the creation of NATO. It is fundamentally the same; if one country gets attacked the rest will defend. It is similar to the Alliance System of WWI. -
Vietnam War
19 year war. North Vietnam vs South Vietnam. US wanted to prevent communist takeover in South Vietnam. US/South Vietnam lost the war to North Vietnam, resulting in communist takeover of all of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos; reunification of Vietnam, -
Soviets Launch Sputnik 1
The Sputnik 1 was Russia's, and the world's, first satellite launched.The launching of the Sputnik 1 was important because it started the Space Race of the Cold War. Both countries were launched into a race to be superior in space exploration to show scientific and security superiority. -
Nikita Khrushchev visits the USA
Nikita Krushchev visited the USA upon invitation by President Nixon after was visiting Moscow. Nothing special happened on this visit other than an informal agreement between President Eisenhower and Krushchev to try to peacefully resolve the issue at Berlin. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
The US was afraid of what Fidel Castro would turn Cuba into and decided to fund the CIA's creation of Brigade 2506 with the goal of having small group of 1400 men invade Cuba and assassinate Fidel Castro. The group was destroyed within a few days and was forced to surrender. This actually increased Castro's support and convinced him to strengthen ties with the USSR and openly declare his plans to move towards socialism. -
The Berlin Wall Goes Up
The Berlin wall was erected to prevent the mass immigration that was occurring between East and West Berlin. The publicized purpose was to provde safety and security for the Berilners. Once erected/set in effect, families were trapped on opposite sides of the wall with no way to return and see each other for many years to come. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The USSR began creating nuclear launch sites in Cuba in case the US attempted a second invasion after losing the Bay of Pigs Invasion. The US heard about this and created a military blockade around Cuba to prevent further weapons shipments. The only fighting waswhen the Soviets shot down a US plane, but otherwise no fighting was conducted. The conflict ended when they came to an agreement that the USSR would remove its nuclear launch sites and the US would remove those in Turkey and Italy. -
US sends a man to the moon
As the US was preparing to send a man to the moon, the USSR was attempting to beat the US in returning a piece of the moon back to Earth. They would have succeeded if it were not for their probe having had an accident and being destroyed on its decsent. Just two hours later the US Apollo 11 launched, sending Neil Armstrong and Buzz Alrdin to the moon. -
Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty
This goal of this treaty was to prevent mass destruction by limiting the use of WOMD. It limited the number of ballistic missile launchers at their levels at the time and allowed only for creation of new launchers after previous ones have been destroyed. -
US Invades Grenada
The US invaded Grenada because the government was falling apart and they feared that the Soviets might take control if they didn't act quickly. The whole invasion was completed in a matter of weeks. It was controversial because some saw it as Imperialism, which had been agreed would not continue. -
Intermediate-Range Nuclear Force Treaty
The purpose of the treaty was to dismantle any ground-launched missiles that have a range between 500-5,000km [intermediate range]. It affected the US and the USSR. -
German Reunification and the Fall of the Berlin Wall
The Germans wanted peace and to be one country again. Through sheer numbers a mob of Germans managed to convince the border guards to let them through, and the wall was torn down later. Two weeks after the wall 'fell' the process of German Reunification began, putting East and West Germany back into one. -
Collapse of the Soviet Union
The USSR was officially disbanded on this date when the Soviets lowered their flag, replacing it with the Russian flag, and declared its subcountries' independence. This event officially marked the end of the Cold War. Approaching this event. the USSR was giving its republics more freedoms and a democraticesque government, and some countries were asking for independence.
