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Chinese Revoluiton
Who was involved? The Beijing Government What happend? There was a revolt that overthrew the Qing (or Manchu) dynasty and created a republic. Impact on Cold War? It led to the collapse of national unity and orderly government in China (leads to communism). -
Korean War
Who? North/South Koreans, USA, USSR, UN and China (side with North Koreans) What happend? North invades south, advised by USSR and then USA helps South. Demilitarized zone is established at the 38th parallel Impact on the Cold War? The Korean War basically “set the standards" for the Cold War. It was the first actual combat between the US and Soviets. Proxy War: two superpowers fighting in another country. This helped avoid an all-out war between US and USSR. -
Uprisings in Hungary and Czechoslovakia
Who? Nakita Khrushchev, Hungarians, Czechoslovakians What happened? Khrushchev gives a speech to the Hungarians and Czechoslovakians that attacked Stalin’s rule. This creates an uproar that breaks into fighting and the Soviets invade Hungary in 1956 and Czechoslovakia in 1968 Impact on the Cold War? The Soviets were able to show how they could control countries and turn them Communist, so the US was concerned about them turning a lot of the little countries communist. -
Sputnik Launched (and the space race)
Who? USSR What happend? Launched this into orbit for a year. Then on Nov. 3, 1957 they launch Sputnik 2 with dog Laika, the first living creature to go into orbit. Impact on the Cold War? The US feared that they had fallen behind so US policymakers accelerated space and weapon programs. This intensified the arms race and raised Cold War tensions. -
U-2 Spy Plane Shot Down
Who? Francis Gary Power (surviving pilot), USSR (Nakita Khrushchev), USA (Dwight Eisenhower)
What happened? An American spy plane was shot down over the USSR while conducting espionage. If the plane crashed it was supposed to basically self-destruct and the pilot was instructed to kill himself in this situation. The government told the people a weather plane had crashed but Khrushchev managed to find the plane, barely even damaged and a very much alive pilot. -
U-2 Spy Plane Shot Down (Continued)
Eisenhower was forced to announce publicly that the plane has been a spy plane. Impact on the Cold War? This incident caused much tension between the US and USSR. Because of Eisenhower’s lie, Khrushchev didn’t trust the US and walked out of a meeting. -
Berlin Wall
Who? USSR and US What happend? Soviets blockade East Berlin so US doesn’t have access to it.Berlin Airlift- US flies planes every few minutes into Berlin to drop off supplies, food etc. Impact on the Cold War? After the airlift took place for 300 days, Stalin gives up. 10 years later Nakita Khrushchev announces that all of Berlin needs to be under East German sovereignty and if the West refused there would be war. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
Who? USSR, US, and Cuba What happend? Soviets had promised to protect Cuba so they put missiles in Cuba aimed at the US. US puts a blockade on Cuba so nothing can be shipped there or leave Cuba. Soviets take back weapons and Kennedy promised to move ours out of Turkey. Impact on the Cold War? This was the climax of the Cold War and marked the closest point the world has ever come to global nuclear warfare. -
Russia invades Afghanistan
Who? Russia and Afghanistan What happened? Russian troops invaded during Christmas and killed the leader of Afghanistan because many Muslims didn’t like that he was trying to “westernize” the country. Many UN nations funded the war on the Afghanistan side. Impact on the Cold War? This was one of the last events to impact the cold war. The Russians had been able to show how easy it was for them to take over a country and turn them communist.
