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Period: to
Cold War
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Truman Doctrine
President Harry S. Truman established that the US would provide political, military, and economic assistance to all democratic nations under threat from external or internal authoritarian forces. -
Marshall Plan
Proposed by Secretary of State Genergy George C. Marshall. To prevent the spread of communism, the Marshall Plan provided $13 billion to rebuild war-torn Europe. -
Policy of Containment
Well-known US dipolmat George Kennan argued for a policy of containment to keep communism within its existing boundaries and prevent further Soviet aggressive moves. -
Berlin Airlift
Soviets cut off all rail, road, and water routes to West Berlin in an attempt to force the Allies out of the city. Allies began sending cargo planes filled with food and supplies to the people of West Berlin. -
COMECON
Soviets response to the Marshall Plan. Council for Mutual Economic Assistance. Created for the economic cooperation of the Eastern European states. Ultimately failed because the Soviet Union couldn't provide much financial aid. -
NATO Created
North Atlantic Treaty Organization created in Washington D.C., between the US and its European allies. -
Berlin Blockade/Airlift Lifted
The Soviets admitted defeat and lifted the blockade of West Berlin. -
Germany Splits-West
The Federal Republic of Germany, or West Germany, is created. Its capital is Bonn. -
China Becomes Communist
Chiang Kai-shek finally lost control of China, and the Communist Mao Zedong announced the formation of the People's Republic of China. -
Germany Split: East
German Democratic Republic, or East Germany, was created by the Soviets. Berlin was divided into East and West sectors as well, and Eas Germany's capital was East Berlin. -
Korean War begins
The war began as an attempt by the Communist government of North Korea, which was allied with the Soviet Union, to take over South Korea. -
Ike Becomes President
Dwight D. Eisenhower becomes President of the United States. -
Stalin Dies
Joseph Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union, dies, starting a power struggle to succeed him. -
Korean War ends
An armistice was signed to end the fighting, although there was no final victory. The 38th parallel remains the boundary line between North and South Korea. -
SEATO created
Southeast Asia Treaty Organization. Created between the US, Great Britain, France, Pakistan, Thailand, the Philippines, Australia, ad New Zealand to stem Soviet aggression in the East. -
Khrushchev comes to power
Nikita Khrushchev emerges as the new leader of the Soviet Union. Pushed Malenkov out of office. -
CENTO created
Central Treaty Organization. Created between Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Great Britain, and the US to help prevent the Soviet Union from expanding south. -
Warsaw Pact Created
The Warsaw Pact was created between the Soviet Union and its European Allies in Warsaw, Poland. -
Sputnik launched
The Soviets launched Sputnik I, the first human-made space satellite, to orbit Earth. This made the US fearsome of the Soviets and made the president create NASA and other science related programs. -
NASA created
Created in response to the Soviet launching of Sputnik I. Began the Space Race. US was scared that the Soviets were scientifically more advanced than them. -
Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro took over as Prime Minister of Cuba. He was pretty anti-American and eventually came the Cuban Missle Crisis. -
JFK Becomes President
John F. Kennedy is elected president. Succeeded Eisenhower. -
Berlin Wall Built
Construction began on the Berlin Wall, dividing East and West Berlin. Eventually, it became a massive barrier guarded by barbed wire, floodlights, machine-gun towers, minefields, and vicious dog patrols. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion begins
President John F. Kennedy launched the Bay of Pigs invasion against Cuba. The purpose was to cause a revolt against Castro. It was a disaster. -
Cuban Missle Crisis Begins
President Kennedy found out the Soviets were placing missles on Cuba. He dcided to bloackade Cuba to prevent the fleet from reaching its destination. -
The Cuban Missle Crisis Ends
Krushchev agrees to turn his fleet back and remove Soviet missles from Cuba if Kennedy pledges not to invade Cuba. Kennedy agrees. -
Hotline Communications System
Installed between Moscow and Washington, D.C., so that the superpowers could now communicate quickly in times of crisis. -
JFK Assassinated
President John F. Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas, Texas, by Lee Harvey Oswald. -
LBJ Inauguration
Lyndon B. Johnson is inaugurated on Air Force One following the assassination of JFK. -
Vietnam War
Sometime in 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson sent increasing numbers of US troops to Vietnam. Lots of hippies protested because war is bad. -
Nixon into Office
Richard Nixon is sworn into the presidency succeeding LBJ. He won with his pledge to stop the war and bring the American people together. Finally, in 1973 he reached an agreement with North Vietnam to withdraw American soldiers.
