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Vietnam War
The vietnam war was a struggle between nationalist forces and the US. U.S. leaders lost the American public's support for the war. -
Creation of the Marshall Plan
The plan was debated by congress for several months. Many people opposed giving away $12.5 billion. In February 1948, Soviet tanks came into Czechoslovakia and took over the country. The Marshall Plan was then quickly approved. -
Berlin Airlift
This event was in response of the U.S and Great Britian to the Soviet Union's blockade of Berlin, Germany. This was the first international crisis of the cold war between the Soviets and the west. American and British started the Berlin Airlift to fly food and supplies into West Berlin. West Berlin survived because of the airlift. -
The Creation of NATO
Ten Western European nations joined with the US and Canada to form a defensive military alliance. The countries promised that an attack on one would be regarded as an attack on all. -
Soviets Create & Test Nuclear Bomb
The Soviet effort was led by Igor Kurchatov. After the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the program accelerated into high gear. The bomb was detonated at the Semipalatinsk Test Site in Kazakhstan. -
The Korean War
North Korean troops started the war by invading South Korea. When President Truman heard about the invasion, he decided to take military action. He ordered naval and air support for South Korea. -
The Warsaw Pact
The Soviet Union formed their own military alliance, called the Warsaw Pact, with the Eastern European satellite nations under its control. -
Bay of Pigs
1300 exiles armed with U.S weapons landed at Bay of Pigs along the southern coast of Cuba. Within the first few hours of fightng, it was clear that the exiles were going to lose. The invasion was stopped by Castro's army. By the end of the fighting on April 19th, 90 exiles had been killed, and the rest taken as prisoners. -
The Berlin Wall Goes Up
The Berlin Wall ended the Berlin crisis, but further aggravated Cold War tensions. The wall reduced the flow of East German refugees. However, the wall became a symbol of Communist oppression. -
The Cuban Missile Crisis
The president found out that the Soviets were secretly building missile bases on Cuba, and that some were ready to launch. Any missile attack from Cuba would trigger an all-out attack on the Soviet Union. The first break in the crisis occurred when the Soviet ships suddenly halted to avoid a confrontation at sea. -
The Six Day War
The war was against Syria, Jordan, and Egypt. The Israelis launched a military campaign against their enemies. The war was a disaster for the Arabs, and it weakened their leader. -
US Sends a Man to the Moon
The take off went smooth and was on schedule. However, the landing was difficult. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first people to walk on the moon. -
The Invasion of Grenada
Direct military force was used on Grenada. After noting that the island was developing ties to Communist Cuba, President Reagan dispatched about 2,000 troops to the island. The government was overthrown, and replaced with a friendlier one to the US. 18 soildiers died in the attack. -
The Fall of the Berlin Wall
East Germany opened the Belrin Wall, uniting the 2 halves of Germany for the first time in 28 years. -
The Collapse of the Soviet Union
The cause of the collapse was economic and political. The United States was able to profit from its imperialist exploitation of other countries, while socialism could only lose economically in that competition. By the end, the ruble collapsed as Soviet consumers turned to imports to satisfy their needs.
