-
World War I Begins
World War I began when Franz Ferdinand, an important political figure, was assassinated causing many countries to be pulled into the conflict due to a messy network of alliances. -
Russian Revolution
The Tsar regime was overthrown and the Imperial family was executed. This opened up way for Communism to enter the Soviet Union. -
World War I Ends
The War officially ended with Germany signing the Treaty of Versailles. -
The Great Depression
With the stock market crash on October 10, 1929, a great depression was sparked in the United States and eventually spread throughout the world. This depression lasted for a decade. -
World War II Begins
During the Great Depression, a German political figure, Adolf Hitler, gained popularity in Germany. With dreams of expanding German power, Hitler lead the world into World War II by invading Poland. -
The Atomic Bomb Drops on Hiroshima
One of two atomic bombs created in the Manhattan project was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan killing around 70,000 people. -
Atomic Bomb Drops on Nagasaki
The second atomic bomb created in the Manhattan Project was dropped just two days after the first on Nagasaki, Japan killing around 35,000 people. -
World War II Ends
Although Germany had surrendered earlier in the year of 1945, Japan continued to fight. After the dropping of the two Atomic bombs, Japan surrendered, officially ending the War. -
Cold War Begins
With WWII over, the United States and the Soviet Union entered into a political power struggle that became known as the Cold War. During the Cold War there were no direct battles between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. However, there were proxy battles such as the Korean War and Vietnam War. -
Korean War Begins
The Korean War was between North Korea with the support of China and the Soviet Union and South Korea with the support of the United States. The War began when North Korea invaded South Korea. -
Korean War Ends
The Korean War Armistice was accepted by the United Nations which ended the conflict although it wasn't considered a peace treaty. -
Vietnam War Begins
The Vietnam War was also considered a proxy battle during the Cold War. The War was between North Vietnam supported by the Soviet Union and South Vietnam supported by the United States. -
The Moon Landing
Another result of the Cold War was the Space Race. The Soviet Union and United States competed in their explorations of space. The Soviet Union succeeded in sending the first satellite to space. The United States succeeded in sending the first man to the moon. -
Vietnam War Ends
The United States gradually pulled themselves out of the war in Vietnam in an effort to allow the Vietnamese soldiers to take control. North Vietnam eventually captured the capital of South Vietnam, Saigon, ending the war. South and North Vietnam were reunified the next year. -
Berlin Wall Falls
The Berlin Wall was erected to separate East and West Berlin. The purpose of the Wall was to keep Westerners from coming to the East and disrupting the socialist state as well as to keep those in the East from defecting to the West. The Wall was torn down beginning in 1989. -
Cold War Ends
In 1991, the Soviet Union dissolved which disrupted many communist regimes in other countries. With the Soviet Union dissolved, the United States remained as the only superpower and the Cold War ended.
