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Truman Doctrine
Harry S. Truman established that the US would provide supprt for all Democratic nations that were under threat from external or internal forces. This support included political, military, and economic assistance. -
The Marshall Plan
It was officially known as the European Recovery Program, and the Marshall Plan was created to economies and the spirits of western Europe. Sixteen nations became apart of the program and Eropean nations recieved $13 billion in aid. -
Berlin Airlift
In June of 1948 Russians closed all Berlin highways, railroads, and canals in attempt to take Berlin for themselves. They believed that by doing this people in Berlin would not be able to get food or supplies, and eventually everyone would leave the city for good. But the US decided to supply everyone with food and supplies by air. So for over a year 2.3 million tons of supplies was airlifted into Berlin. -
Creation of NATO
The United States and 11 other Western Nations created the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 1949. In reaction to this, the Soviet Union and other European communist nations created a rival alliance called the Warsaw Pact. This created a political division between the European continent and miltary standoff throughout the Cold War. -
Korean War
This war was between North Korea and South Korea, and the North invaded the South. The war was over communism becasue the North wanted the entire land of Korea to be under communism. The war ended in July of 1953, and they finished where they started. They ended in a tie, nobody won the war. -
Vietnam War
It lasted from the mid-1950's until 1975. The US and the Republic of Vietnam opposed the revolutionary movement. It was the Democratic south with the United States against the Communist north and its southern allies, the Viet Chog. The war ended in 1975 when communist forces siezed control of Saigon. The country was unified as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. -
Creation of Warsaw Pact
Eight different nations of Western Europe formed the Warsaw Pact created in 1955. The creation of the Warsaw Pact was in reaction to the creation of the NATO, which was seen as a threat by the Soviet Union. -
Soviet launch Sputnik
Americans were very shocked and frightened when the Soviet Union successfully launces a satellite in October of 1957. Americans were worried that the Soviet Union was now farther ahead with their technology that the US was. They also feared that they had advanced further in the "arms race." US president, Dwight D. Eisenhower then helped the US space program to launch the satellite Explorer on January 31, 1958. The "space race" had now begun. -
Bay of Pigs
The United States unsuccesfully tried to overthrow the Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. Armed with US weapons, 1300 exiles landed in the Bay of Pigs to try to overthrow Castro, and they were hoping to have the help of the local population. Unfortunately Castro's army stopped the invasion, and this left the US very embarrassed. -
The Berlin Wall Goes Up
During the night of August 12-13 soldiers and construction workers began putting up cement posts and barbed wire that created a wall which separated the east and the west. Whatever side people went to sleep on that night was the side that they had to stay on. -
German Reunification/Fall of Berlin Wall
The German Democratic Republic began to build a wall made of barbed wire and concrete between eastern and western Berlin. The wall was supposed to keep people from eastern Germany from entering western Germany and "undermining the socialist state". November 9th, 1989 crowds of people swarmed the wall and began to chip away at the wall. Still today, the wall is considered on of the most powerful symbols of the Cold War. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
In October of 1962 the US and the Soviet Union had a political and military stand off due to Soviet missles located on Cuba. JFK made it clear that the US was ready to use military force if it was necessary. This disaster was avoided when the Soviet leader offered to remove the missiles from Cuba in exchange for the US no invading Cuba. -
The Six Day War
Israel launced an attack on its enemies, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq. Israel destroyed Egyptian tanks and cleared out Jordan forces. The war was a disaster for Arabs and a huge success for the Israelies. -
US invades Grenada
After the US reveived a threat from the island of Grenada, president Ronald Regan ordered 2000 US troops into Grenada. By the time fighting was over there was around 6000 US troops on the island. The Grenadan government collpsed and was then "replaced by one acceptable to the United States." -
Collapse of the Soviet Union
Eleven nations that were a part of the Soviet Union decided that they were no longer going to be a part of it. The instead would create a Commonwealth of Independent States. Now only one of the fifteen republics remained a part of the Soviet Union. Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev then resigned on December 25th.
