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Marissa Cook Chapter 26 Cold War Timeline
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The Yalta Conference
The atomic bomb had not yet been tested, and the President wanted Soviet help if an invasion of Japan became necessary. The Red Army had occupied that country and supported the Communist-dominated government. The Yalta meeting stalled until Stalin agreed on elections to let Poles choose their government, using the Communist-dominated regime as a framework, disputes about Poland were not over; they would continue to strain American-Soviet relations for years to come. -
The establishment of the United Nations in San Francisco
Delegates from 50 nations met in San Francisco to adopt a charter, or statement of principles, for the UN. The charter stated that members would try to settle their differences peacefully and would promote justice and cooperation in solving international problems. In addition, they would try to stop wars from starting and “take effective collective measures” to end those that did break out. -
The Potsdam Conference
During the conference, Churchill was replaced by Clement Attlee, who had just won the British election. New representatives from Britain and the United States now faced off against Stalin. They continued to debate the issues that had divided them at Yalta, including the future of Germany and of Poland. Stalin renewed his demand for war payments from Germany, and Truman insisted on the promised Polish elections. -
The Army-McCarthy Hearings
Democrats asked that the hearings be televised, hoping that the public would see McCarthy for what he was. Ever eager for publicity, the senator agreed. For weeks, Americans were riveted to their television sets. Most were horrified by McCarthy's bullying tactics and baseless allegations. -
The launch of Sputnik
The size of this technology gap became apparent in 1957, when the Soviets used one of their rockets to launch Sputnik. It was the first artificial satellite to orbit Earth. The realization that the rocket used to launch Sputnik could carry a hydrogen bomb to American shores added to American shock and fear. -
The U-2 Incident
It shattered the confidence, and made Americans willing to expend considerable resources to catch up to and surpass the Soviet Union. One legacy of the Cold War was the creation of what Eisenhower called a “permanent armaments industry of vast proportions.” As he left office, he warned that the existence of this military-industrial complex, employing millions of Americans and having a financial stake in war-making