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The Yalta Conference
This post-war meeting decided the fate of Germany after world war II. They decided to split Germany into four zones. (Picture from the History Channel online http://www.history.com/photos/world-war-ii-political-leaders/photo4). -
Iron Curtain Speech
"The Sinews of Peace"Winston Churchill makes his famous speech about the "iron curtain" that separates the communist Soviet Union from the rest of Western Europe. The iron curtain was essentially a metaphor, but there was the physical boundary on the Soviet border. (Picture from Social Studies and History Teacher's Blog http://multimedialearningllc.wordpress.com/2012/04/15/cold-war-cartoon-on-iron-curtain/trackback/) -
The Marshall Plan
The U.S. comes up with a stimulating economic plan for European countries suffering from the after effects of the war. (Picture from the Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation http://www.marshallplan.at/index.php/images-of-the-marshall-plan). -
The Berlin Blockade
(June 24,1948 to May 12, 1949) In an attempt to gain control over Berlin, adding to their communist power, the Soviets set up a blockade. The blockade made sure no supplies got to these people so that they would turn to the Soviets. (Picture from http://kingdomoftots.blogspot.com/2010/06/berlin-blockade-24th-june-1948-12th-may.html). -
Berlin Airlift
(June 26, 1948 to September 30, 1949) The Soviet Union blocks roadways to Western Berlin. In response, the U.S. dropped supplies from airplanes daily. (Picture from http://jdayhistory.weebly.com/the-berlin-blockadeairlift-1948.html). -
NATO
North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Twelve countries banded together to stop the spread of communism. (Picture from http://www.iranreview.org/content/Iran_Spectrum/NATO-s-Strategy-Following-the-Cold-War-and-the-Islamic-Republic-of-Iran-s-Foreign-Policy.htm) -
Warsaw Pact
In response to the formation of NATO, the Soviet Union banded other communist nations together to form the Warsaw Pact. This was an alliance for the preservation of communism. (Picture from http://www.collectrussia.com/DISPITEM.HTM?ITEM=22632). -
The Launch of Sputnik
The Soviet Union is the first one to put a satelite into space. However, this also proved that the Soviets were more scientificly advanced than the United States. They also showed that they had a good deal of fire power. (Picture from http://www.coalwoodwestvirginia.com/sputnik.htm). -
U-2 Incident
Pilot Francis Gary Powers is shot down. He was flying a U.S. spy plane over the Soviet Union to get pictures. (Picture from Finding Dulcinea http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/on-this-day/Feb/On-This-Day--Captured-U-2-Pilot-Returned-to-U-S-.html). -
Bay of Pigs
In an attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro, U.S. CIA agents train Cuban refugees. The attack failed because the military under Castro had forces waiting. The U.S. did not snd in any support and many refugees were killed. (Picture from Avax News http://avaxnews.net/tags/Bay%20of%20Pigs) -
Berlin Wall
The physical barrier between the Soviet Union and the rest of the Western European nations is built. This wall kept its citizens in and others out. (Picture from Millard Fillmore's Bathtub http://timpanogos.wordpress.com/2006/08/13/berlin-walls-45th/) -
Cuban Missile Crisis
(October 16-28, 1962) U.S. spy plane finds Soviet missiles in Cuba. President Kennedy sets up a naval blockade to stop further imports from the Soviet Union to Cuba. The U.S. and the Soviet Union go back and forth threatening to enter nuclear war. An agreement is reached on the 13th day in which the Soviet Union removes missiles and the U.S. signs a non-invasion pledge. (Picture from Teaching History.org http://teachinghistory.org/nhec-blog/23484) -
Apollo 11
The U.S. one-ups the Soviet Union by being the first to land on the Moon. This is in part to the education reforms that President Kennedy put in place, making sure math and science were priority in schools. (Picture from Universe Today http://www.universetoday.com/31449/should-july-20-be-a-us-national-holiday/apollo-11/). -
The Fall of the Berlin Wall
The Berlin wall is finally torn down. This is after a part of the wall is opened by communist rulers. People then tore down the wall themselves. (Picture from http://www.coutausse.com/#/photojournalism/the-fall-of-the-berlin-wall-1989/berlin09) -
The End of the Soviet Union
The Soviet Union finally breaks apart and separates into the many countries that were there before. This was mostly due to the resignation of the Soviet Union's last leader. (Picture from http://hum3bg.wikispaces.com/1991_End+of+Soviet+Union-Cold+War+Ends).
