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Chinese Revolution
In late 1949, communist leader Mao Zedong created the People's Republic of China (PRC). This action taked by Zedong ended the Chinese civil war between the Chineses Communist Party (CCP) and the Nationalist Party (KMT) that had been going on since the end of WWII. Not only did the creation of PRC mark the fall of China to communism, but it also marked the end of ties between China and the United States. This meant limited trading and zero diplomatic ties, creating international tension. -
Korean War
On June 25th, 1950 the Korean War began when large amounts of soldiers from North Korea crossed the 38th parallel. This invasion of South Korea was the first of the Cold War. North Korea was Soviet backed and the United States supported South Korea. In less than a month, the US entered the war to fight on behalf of South Korea. The Korean War had some Americans fearing a third world war, but in July of 1953 the Korean War came to an end. The Cold war had spread to Asia. -
Uprisings in Hungary and Czechoslovakia
In Czechoslovakia, students held demostrations for freedom of speech and access to the Western Pass. Czech President, Novothy, wanted to supress the movement at all costs to reinforce his "Stalinist regime". This lead to the sudden Hungarian uprise again Soviet controlled government. The attempt to overthrow the Soviets was a failure, but the uprising eventually lead to the fall of the USSR decades later. -
Sputnik Launch and The Space Race
In October of 1957, the Soviet Union launched the first satellite. The United States recognized this as a threat and it intensified the arms race and heightened Cold War tensions. The United States feared the thought of falling behind the Soviet Union in technology especially when the USSR launched the first intercontiental ballistic missle. While this alarmed many US citizens, President Eisenhower downplayed the importantce but pumped more funds into the space race. -
Sputnik Launch and The Space Race pt. 2
These extra funds eventually lead to the invention of the Explorer, who launced farther into space than Sputnik. The devleopment of new and improved arms impacted the Cold War in many ways. The United States feared they had fallen behind in technology, and this lead to countries developing new ways of attacking eachother. -
U2 Spy Plane Shot Down / Francis Gary Powers
A U2 spy plane was shot down over Soviet air space. This lead to the cancellation of the Paris SUmmit, the possibility of arms control treaty and the relaxation of tensions between the USSR and the US. The U2 plane was flown by CIA agent Francis Gary Powers and was shot down by Soviet fighter jets when he flew over 2,900 miles of Soviet Russia. He was not killed in the crash, but he was captured by the KGB and interrigated. -
U2 Spy Plane Shot Down/Francis Gary Powers pt. 2
Powers was captured and held for 2 years as a POW, but was eventually traded for a captured KGB spy. This event affected the Cold War because it heightened tensions between Eisenhower and Khrushechev, allowing for no progress between divided Germany, the USSR and the US. -
The Berlin Wall goes up
In early August of 1961, the communist government of the German Democratic Republic (GDR/East Germany) began to build a wall of barbed wire and concrete between East and West Germany. The goal of the wall was to keep western "fascists" out of East Berlin. The Berlin Wall created even more tension between the USSR and the US, making it seem like the Cold War will never end -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was the closest the world has ever seen to a nuclear war. It was direct and dangerous confrontation between the US and the USSR. To begin with, the United States tried to overthrow Fidel Castro, communist leader of Cuba, with the Bay of Pigs invasion. To prevent any further incvasions, Cuba teamed up the the Soviet Union so they could place their missile sites on Cuba, only 90 miles from Florida. -
Cuban Missile Crisis pt. 2
President Kennedy soon found out about the missile launching sites. He soon issued a public warning against the introduction of nuclear weapons into Cuba. Despite the warning, the missile sites continued to be built, this was the onset of the Cuban missile crisis. This had a lasting affect on the Cold war by increasing tensions between the United States and now Cuba. -
Russia Invades Afghanistan
Soviet Russia is neighbors to Afghanistan, always providing and helping them out. A soviet supported communist government took over the country, the new country was called the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (DRA). Many citizens didn't like the new government because of the new laws, especially the ones against the muslim religion. In September, Afghanistan became more unstable when the leader Hafizuilan Amin killed the current president and took over. -
Russia Invades Afghanistan pt. 2
The leaders of the Soviet Union became concerned that President Amin was communicating with the US. So on December 24th, 1979 the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan and had President Amin killed and replaced. Yet again, the tensions between the Soviet Union and the US heightened with the invasion, lengthening the war.
