-
The Start of The Cold War
The Cold War was a period of conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union. It consisted in many different forms including the nuclear arms race, the space race, sporting events, and more. It is called the "Cold" War because there wasn't much of a war but more an intimidation contest. -
NATO Pact Signed
NATO or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was set up as a form of defense against Soviet aggression towards the countries that were in the pact. It basically stated that the countries would agree to defend each other in the event of a Soviet attack. NATO was the main United States led military alliance against the Soviets throughout the Cold War. -
Death of Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin was the leader of the Soviet Union and started the cold war. Stalin was one of the leaders that helped defeat Hitler but then started the cold war with his push for nuclear weapons. -
US Launches First Nuclear Submarine
The United States took to the water and launched the first ever nuclear powered submarine. This submarine sparked a new era in underwater reconnaissance with a vessel that could circle the globe underwater multiple times without needing refueling. It also carried with it nuclear missiles and the threat to strike from anywhere without detection. -
Splitting of Vietnam
Following the Vietnam war, the country was split along the 17th parallel. The north part of the county was to be communist and the south was not to be communist. This was a big event in the cold war because the cold war was also a fight against communism. -
Sputnik 1
The Soviets successfully launched the first artificial satellite called Sputnik one. It was the first man made satellite to orbit the earth. This successful launch and orbit marked the beginning of the space race between the United States and Soviet Union. The launch and space race was just one more form of competition between the nations that fueled the cold war. -
Vostok 1
The Soviet space capsule Vostok 1 with cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin inside was the first manned space craft to orbit the earth. This was a major blow to the Americans as it was a huge accomplishment for the Soviets. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
During October of 1962 and American U2 spy plane flying over Cuba spotted Soviet missile sites being constructed. President Kennedy was alerted and after discussing with his advisors, created a naval blockade around Cuba and demanded the removal of the missiles. This stand off was a very tense moment in the Cold War because the nations were on the brink of nuclear war. The crisis was resolved and the Soviets removed their missiles from Cuba. -
Kennedy Assassination (explicit video)
President John F. Kennedy was assasinated in Dallas while campaigning for the upcoming election. He is said to have been murdered by a defector to the Soviet Union, Lee Harvey Oswald. His assasination came about a year after the Cuban Missile Crisis. Kennedy was in office at the height of the Cold War as well as other domestic and forigne problems, affairs, and crisis. All these polocies created a large amounts of opposition to President Kennedy. This created many theories about who killed him. -
Apollo 11 Moon Landing
The United States space program had successfully landed a man on the moon, delivering on the promise made by President Kennedy. This was a huge victory for the United States and effectivley ended the space race. The space race was a huge part of the cold war competition that went on between the Americans ans Soviets. Apollo 11 was a major victory in the Cold War for the Americans. -
Nixon WIthdraws Troops From Vietnam
Amidst a war schroded in contriversy, President Nixon withdrew american troops from Vietnam as a cease fire was signed by the north and south. This was a big releif to America because there was a huge lack of support for the war, however the dammage had already been done. Throught the next two years fighting continued in the south and eventually the communist north won the vietnam war. This was a fight against communism in which democracy lost. -
MIracle on Ice
In the midst of the cold war at the 1980 winter olympics the United States mens hockey team of college kids defeated the Soviet Union's undefeated team of professional players that were considered the best in the world. This was a huge source of pride for the United States because the soviets were thought to be impossible to beat. The game has since become called the MIracle on Ice. This was just another front in which the cold war was fought. -
Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty
The intermediate nuclear forces treaty was singed, calling for a reduction in the nuclear arms of the United States and Soviet Union. This treaty was the first to be made that called for a reduction as opposed to just restrictions. -
End of the Cold War
In a speech to the United Nations, Mikhail Gorbachev announced the changing of the Soviet Union. This came with a reduction of troops, a reduction in arms, and withdrawls from Soviet Sattelite countries. This speech effectivley was the end to the cold war. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall stood as one of the bigest signs of communism in the cold war era. The fall of the wall represented a huge victory and an end to the communism. -
Fall of the Soviet Union
The Soviet Union had decided to dissolve into a commonwealth of independent states. This coming after six years of reforms that had brought about the fall of the union. This was officially the last day of the Soviet Union's exsistance.
