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Truman Doctrine
The Truman Doctrine was the United State's pledge to bring military and economic aid if need be. This was to prevent the growth and influence of the Soviet Union. This doctrine is also considered the start of the Cold War and the policy of containment. -
The Marshall Plan
General George Marshall created the Marshall Plan in order to aid war-torn Europe. He feared that if they did not help the struggling countries, they would turn communist. In this plan the US promised $13 billion in aid to Europe. -
Creation of NATO
NATO, or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was initially an alliance between the nations of Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and the United States. It was formed to combat potential Soviet aggression. An armed attack against one of the nations was considered an attack on all of the nations. -
The Korean War
The Korean War was a war fought over the divided North and South Korea. North Korea was supported by China and South Korea was supported by the UN. The war ended with an armistice and a demilitarized zone being created around the 38th Parallel. This war is often called the "forgotten war" because of its lack of public attention during and after the war. -
Rosenberg Spy Case
The Rosenberg Spy Case involved Ethel and Julius Rosenberg. They were charged of passing information of the US's atomic bomb on to the Soviets. They were convicted of espionage and executed. -
Creation of the Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact was an alliance between the communist nations of Central and Eastern Europe. It was made in response to the creation of NATO and was signed in Warsaw, Poland. -
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was fought throughout Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. It was fought between South and North Vietnam, the South being backed by the anti-communist countries and the North being backed by communist countries. The US started its involvement in the war in an attempt to stop the spread of Communism. The Vietnam War was widely unpopular in the US. It finally ended with the Paris Peace Accords and was seen as a loss for the US. -
The Soviet Union launches Sputnik
Sputnik was the first satellite sent into Earth's orbit and it triggered a Space Race between the US and the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union used Sputnik as propaganda for superior Soviet technology and their superiority over the US. -
Bay of Pigs
The Bay of Pigs was an unsuccessful militiary invasion of Cuba. When the Leftist ruler Fidel Castro came into power, Cuba severed their ties with the US and started becoming allies with the Soviet Union. The invasion occurred in an attempt to stop this from happening. -
The Berlin Wall Goes Up
After WWII, Berlin was divided between the Allied powers. The western half was controlled by France, Britain, and the US, and the eastern half was controlled by the Soviet Union. When the alliance between the Soviet Union and the other 3 allies started to dwindle, the Soviet Union created the Berlin Wall to contain western Berlin. This wall soon became a symbol of the Iron Curtain in Europe. -
The Cuban Missle Crisis
The crisis began when US reconnaissance discovered nuclear missles being built on Cuba. Cuba allowed The Soviet Union to build these weapons in fear that the US would try to invade Cuba again. This was the closest the world has ever gotten to a full out nuclear war. Thankfully, no missles were launched and the crisis resulted in the US and Soviet Union withdrawing their missles from Cuba, Turkey, and Italy. -
US Sends a Man to the Moon
The US can be seen as the winners of the Space Race with their achievement of landing the first manned aircraft on the moon. Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins where the men who made it to the moon. -
US Invades Grenada
The invasion of Grenada ended with a US victory. The US invaded in order to stop yet another communist government being set up, especially so close to home. There was very few US casualties and the public opinion on the invasion was generally good. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall did not fall until about 30 years after it was built. When the Berlin Wall was torn down, Germany began its process of reunification and Berlin was reunited into a single city. -
Collapse of the Soviet Union
In 1989, various revolutions took place throughout the USSR nations. These revolutions consisted of overthrowing the communist governments. The Soviet Union was formally dissolved in 1991 due to revolutions, and failing economies and politics. The colapse resulted in 14 independent countries and the end of the Cold War
