The Cold War By ReyBohol Feb 4, 1945 Yalta Conference meeting of FDR, Churchill, Stalin - the 'Big Three'Soviet Union has control of Eastern Europe. The Cold War Begins Yalta Conference meeting of FDR, Churchill, Stalin - the 'Big Three' Soviet Union has control of Eastern Europe. The Cold War Begins May 8, 1945 VE Day - Victory in Europe. Germany surrenders to the Red Army in Berlin Jul 1, 1945 Potsdam Conference - Germany was officially partitioned into four zones of occupation. Aug 6, 1945 The United States drops atomic bomb on Hiroshima (20 kiloton bomb 'Little Boy' kills 80,000) Aug 8, 1945 Russia declares war on Japan Aug 9, 1945 The United States drops atomic bomb on Nagasaki (22 kiloton 'Fat Man' kills 70,000) Aug 14, 1945 Japanese surrender End of World War II Aug 15, 1945 Emperor surrender broadcast - VJ Day Feb 9, 1946 Stalin hostile speech - communism & capitalism were incompatible Mar 5, 1946 "Sinews of Peace" Iron Curtain Speech by Winston Churchill - "an "iron curtain" has descended on Europe" Mar 10, 1946 Truman demands Russia leave Iran Jul 1, 1946 Operation Crossroads with Test Able was the first public demonstration of America's atomic arsenal Jul 25, 1946 America's Test Baker - underwater explosion Mar 12, 1947 Truman Doctrine - Truman declares active role in Greek Civil War Jun 1, 1947 Marshall Plan is announced setting a precedent for helping countries combat poverty, disease and malnutrition Sep 2, 1947 Rio Pact - U.S. meet 19 Latin American countries and created a security zone around the hemisphere Feb 25, 1948 Communist takeover in Czechoslovakia Mar 2, 1948 Truman's Loyalty Program created to catch Cold War spies Mar 17, 1948 Brussels Pact organized to protect Europe from communism Jun 24, 1948 Berlin Blockade begins lasting 11 months Apr 4, 1949 NATO ratified May 12, 1949 Berlin Blockade ends Aug 29, 1949 Russia tested its first atomic bomb Oct 1, 1949 Communist Mao Zedong takes control of China and establishes the People's Republic of China Dec 1, 1949 Chiang Kai-shek moved to Formosa and created Nationalist government Jan 30, 1950 Truman approved H-bomb development Feb 1, 1950 Joe McCarthy begins Communist witch hunt and loyalty tests Jun 24, 1950 Korean War begins. Stalin supports North Korea who invade South Korea equipped with Soviet weapons Jan 12, 1951 Federal Civil Defense Administration established Apr 11, 1951 Truman fires MacArthur Jan 1, 1952 A-bombs developed by Britain Mar 17, 1953 Nuclear Arms Race atomic test series of 11 explosions at Nevada Test Site Apr 15, 1953 RAND report on the "Vulnerability of U. S. Strategic Air Power" Jul 15, 1953 Korean War ends Dec 8, 1953 Ike's Atoms for Peace speech Mar 1, 1954 H-bomb Castle-Bravo test Mar 1, 1954 KGB established Jul 1, 1954 vietnam split at 17th parallel Mar 1, 1955 Warsaw Pact formed Jun 29, 1956 USSR sent tanks into Poznan, Poland, to suppress demonstrations by workers Sep 4, 1956 USSR sent military aid to Afghanistan Oct 1, 1956 Rebellion put down in Communist Hungary Oct 29, 1956 Suez Crisis began with Israeli attack led by Moshe Dayan against Egyptian forces in the Sinai Aug 26, 1957 Vostok rocket launched 1st ICBM Oct 4, 1957 Sputnik launched into orbit Nov 3, 1957 Sputnik II launched - Laika died in space Jan 31, 1958 Explorer I launched Jul 1, 1958 NASA began Mercury project using Atlas rocket Nov 1, 1958 Khrushchev demands withdrawal of troops from Berlin May 1, 1960 Soviet Union reveals that U.S spy plane was shot down over Soviet territory Nov 1, 1960 John F. Kennedy elected President of USA Dec 19, 1960 Cuba openly aligns itself with the Soviet Union and their policies. Apr 1, 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion Aug 13, 1961 Berlin border is closed Aug 17, 1961 construction of Berlin Wall begins Jan 1, 1962 U.S. involvement in Vietnam increases Oct 1, 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis Jan 1, 1963 President Kennedy assinated in Dallas, Texas Nov 1, 1963 Nuclear Test Ban Treaty ratified