-
The Truman Doctrine
The Truman Doctrine was a "de facto declaration of the cold war." It stated that the Soviet Union was the center of all communist activity; communism could launch an internal or external attack; and that the United States of America needed to provide military and economic assistance to all nations to protect from any communist aggression. This doctrine set the guidelines for over 40 years of U.S.-Soviet relations. -
The Marshall Plan
Also known as the European Recovery Program. $13 million dollars were set aside to finance an economic recovery of Europe from 1948-1951. The plan is named after Secretary of State George C. Marshall who announced it on June 5, 1947. -
Creation of NATO
The foreign ministers of 12 countries in North America and Western Europe gathered in Washington D.C. to sign the North Atlantic Treaty. The Treaty was basically a security pact, which said that a military attack against any of the 12 countries would be considered an attack against them all. The original countries consisted of Belgium, Britain, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and the United States. -
The Korean War
75,000 soldiers from North Korean People's Army poured across 38th parallel. This invasion was the first military action of the cold war. America had entered on behalf of South Korea. Ended in July of 1953. 5 million soldiers and civilians lost their lives. -
The Vietnam War
More than million people, 58,000 Americans were killed. Half were civilians. 500,000 Americans were involved with the Vietnam conflict by 1969. Defeat of the French at Dien Bien Phu sparked the division of Vietnam. U.S. forces were withdrawn in 1973. Vietnam War ended in 1975 with communist forces seizing control of Saigon. The two parts were then unified as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam the following year. -
Creation of the Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact was created as somewhat of a response to the formation of NATO, even though it was created 6 years later. The Pact was moreso inspired by West Germany joining NATO in 1955. The Warsaw Pact was officially created 2 weeks after West Germany was officially admitted into NATO. The alliance consisted of the USSR, Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, the German Democratic Republic (East Germany), Hungary, Poland and Romania. -
Soviets Launch Sputnik
Space exploriation served as another "competition" weaved into the Cold War. Sputnik was the world's first artificial satellite and the first man-made object to be placed into Earth's orbit. It came as a surprise to America. We then countered their launch with a launch of our own; Explorer 1. -
Nikita Khrushchev Visits the USA
Even though Khrushchev had a rough relationship with the West, unlike Stalin, he visited the United States. Relations between the two countries had deteriorated in 1960 when Russians shot down the American U-2 spy plane. -
Bay of Pigs
The "army" consisted of 1,400 Cuban exiles. They had fled when Fidel Castro took over. Goal was to destroy Castro's air force. They took off in American B-26 bombers painted like Cuban planes. Kennedy wanted to call the invasion off, but it was to late. Invasion on the 17th resulted in 114 dead and 1,100 Cuban prisoners. -
Creation of the Berlin Wall
Communist government of the German Democratic Republic began to build a barbed wire and concrete "antifacist bulwark" between East and West Berlin. The purpose was to keep the western "facists" from entering East Germany and undermining the communism. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
Kennedy notified Americans of the presence of missiles in Cuba. Kennedy decided to enact a naval blockade around Cuba. Enforced that the U.S. was prepared to use military force if necesary. The disaster was avoided when U.S. agreed to allow Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev remove Cuban missiles in exchange for American promise to not invade Cuba. Kennedy also agreed to remove U.S. missles from Turkey. -
Detente
This describes a time period of improved relations between the US and the Soviet Union. It began in 1971, and took clear form when Richard M. Nixon visited the secretary general of the Soviet Communist party, Brezhnev, in Moscow, in May of 1972. Nixon became the first US president to visit Moscow. He and Brezhnev signed seven agreements covering the prevention of accidental military clashes; arms control; and cooperative research in various areas. -
US Invades Grenada
The Marxist regime of Grenada had posed threats to American nationalists. As a counteract, President Ronald Reagan ordered the Marines to invade and secure their safety. There were about 1000 americans in Grenada at the time. In just over a week, Grenada's government was overthrown. the Reagan administration claimed a great victory through this invasion. -
German Reunification and the Fall of the Berlin Wall
Berlin wall fell on November 9, 1989. East German Communist Pary announced that citizens of the GDR could freely cross the border. Berlin Wall is a powerful and enduring symbol of the Cold War. -
The Collapse of the Soviet Union
The USSR was officially dissolved on December 26, 1991. The destruction of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the years leading up to 1991 were what cause the collapse. The major turning point was the reemergance of Berlin as the new capital of a unified German nation.
