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Churchill announces in a speech the start of the Iron Curtain. The "curtain" is the imaginary separation of Europe into the Soviet/communist side, and the rest of democratic Europe. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/churchill-delivers-iron-curtain-speech
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Truman announces his policy that the U.S. is going to support countries that are under threat from communism/the Soviets. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/truman-doctrine-is-announced
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Soviets blocked the ability of France, Great Britain, and the United States to travel to Soviet controlled areas of Berlin. http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/berlin-blockade
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The Korean War was a proxy war between the Soviet-backed North Korea and the pro-Western South Korea. It was the first military action of the Cold War. http://www.history.com/topics/korean-war
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The Soviet Union and the United States competed technologically in the new area of space travel. The Soviets were the first to launch a satellite with Sputnik in 1957.
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Soviets shot down an American spy plane that was observing over the USSR. The incident raised tensions between the U.S. and the USSR. http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/u2-spy-incident
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The U.S. tried to take Castro out of power from the Soviet-backed Cuba. The U.S. was badly outnumbered by Castro's troops and they surrendered. http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/bay-of-pigs-invasion
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Soviets installed missiles on Cuba so that they would be closer to the U.S. The U.S. countered by creating a naval blockade of Cuba. Soviets removed the missiles in exchange for U.S. saying they wouldn't invade Cuba. http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/cuban-missile-crisis
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Johnson sent in troops and bombing squads to Vietnam in order to help fight against the Soviet-backed North Vietnam. http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/vietnam/index-1965.html
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The treaty was an arms control agreement signed by the US the USSR and other countries. It's considered an important step in stopping the proliferation of nuclear weapons. https://history.state.gov/milestones/1961-1968/npt
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An important treaty signed between the U.S. and the Soviet Union aimed at controlling nuclear weapons. It's important because it was the foundation for future arm agreements like SALT-2. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/salt-agreements-signed
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The Soviet Union invades Afghanistan and the U.S. fights back by supporting the Afghan group Mujahadeen. It was very costly for the USSR and led to their demise. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/soviet-tanks-roll-into-afghanistan
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Reagan has a very famous speech at the Berlin Wall. He speaks against the Soviet Union and urged Gorbachev to "tear down this wall" It's important because it led to the eventual end of Berlin Wall. http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/reagan-tear-down.htm
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East and West Germany reunify to form a single German state. The Berlin Wall was torn down and the city was reunited. Strong signal for the end of the cold war. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/east-and-west-germany-reunite-after-45-years
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The Soviet Union finally collapses and becomes the country of Russia. Gorbachev hands off his power to Yeltsin. This is the end of the cold war.
http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/fall-of-soviet-union
