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U.S. Drops Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima
Source: http://www.ushistory.org/us/51g.asp
The United States drops the first atomic bomb on Japan on Aug. 6 on the city of Hiroshima, dropping the second on Nagasaki three days later. This leads to a quick surrender by the Japanese and the end of World War II. It also positions the United States as the new world superpower coming out of the war, with rival superpower, the communist Soviet Union, posing as their greatest threat. -
President Truman Presents Truman Doctrine to Congress
Source: https://history.state.gov/milestones/1945-1952/truman-doctrine
Inspired by a fear of Soviets gaining control of Greece and Turkey, President Truman asks Congress to provide economic and military aid to these countries. He requests that $400 million be sent to Greek and Turkish governments to help combat Soviet expansion. This doctrine helps to shape foreign policy approach throughout the Cold War. -
President Truman Signs the Marshall Plan
Source: http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=82
The Marshall Plan is introduced in 1948 as an economic recovery plan to help reconstruct Western Europe following WWII. The aim of the plan is to stabilize Western Europe so that it will not fall to communism. Soviets refuse any aid. -
Berlin Blockade Begins
Source: http://www.coldwar.org/articles/40s/berlin_blockade.asp
The Soviets impose a road blockade on Berlin as a show of resistance to Western government and ideals in the western part of the city. For the next year, Western powers such as the United States airlift food and supplies into West Berlin. Stalin officially lifts the blockade on May 12, 1949. The blockade is the first confrontation of the Cold War. -
Establishment of NATO
Source: http://www.nato.int/history/nato-history.html
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is formed as a response to fears of Soviet attack and control of democratic nations. Members of the group include the United States, Canada, and much of Western Europe. The members promise to protect each other and vow that an armed attack against one nation is an attack against all. -
The Age of McCarthyism Begins
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U.S. Sen. Joseph McCarthy comes forward with a list of 205 individuals in the State Department who are alleged communists. This launches a nationwide panic over communism. McCarthy continues to investigate and accuse people in various U.S. agencies over the next few years, often with little or no evidence. This state of panic becomes known as McCarthyism. -
Korean War Begins
Source
The Korean War, which is the first military engagement of the Cold War, begins when communist North Korea crosses the 38th parallel line and invades nationalist South Korea. North Korea is allied with communist China and assisted by the USSR, while South Korea is supported by UN troops made up mostly of Americans.The war ends in a stalemate in 1953, with N. Korea remaining communist and S. Korea remaining democratic. -
Execution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg
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As the Red Scare sweeps across the nation, former members of the American Communist Party Julius and Ethel Rosenberg are arrested in 1950 on suspicion of sharing atomic secrets with the Soviets. At their trial, they are convicted on weak evidence. Despite a widespread public campaign to release them, they are executed by electric chair in 1953. After this, the Red Scare starts to die out in the United States. -
Launch of Sputnik
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With the successful launch of the world's first earth-orbiting satellite, the USSR ushers in the age of the space race. The U.S. responds to the USSR's technological achievement with panic. They immediately take action to fund scientific research and education, hoping to catch up with the Soviets. This results in the launch of the first U.S. satellite, Explorer I, in Jan. 1958 and the creation of NASA in Oct. 1958. -
Castro Seizes Power in Cuba
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Fidel Castro, who has led a Cuban resistance force since 1953, overthrows the government and assumes power on New Year's Day 1959. He establishes Cuba as a communist nation and becomes allies with the USSR, leading President Eisenhower to sever diplomatic relations with the country. -
U-2 Incident
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Concerned about the USSR's nuclear power, President Eisenhower approves the use of a U-2 spy plane to fly over the USSR and take high-resolution pictures. After the plane is shot down, Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev uses the incident as an excuse to call off an important summit between the two nations, during which they were to discuss nuclear arms control. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
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A group of about 1400 Cuban exiles, armed and trained by the CIA, land at the Bay of Pigs in Cuba on April 17. Their goal is to overthrow Castro. They hope to gain support from the local population, but the Cuban people do not revolt. Castro's army quickly steps in and kills or captures the exiles. -
Erection of the Berlin Wall
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Influenced by the mass exodus of East Germans to West Berlin, the Soviets begin to build up a large wall of concrete and barbed wire. This wall physically dvides East Berlin from West Berlin and prevents residents from crossing over into West Berlin. The wall will continue to stand for nearly 30 years and serve as a physical symbol of the Cold War. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
Source U.S. aerial recon photos reveal that the Soviets have missile launchers in Cuba, which is very close to U.S. soil in Florida. The United States views this as an act of aggression, while the USSR thinks it is only fair because the U.S. has missiles in Turkey. After a tense few days during which President Kennedy tries to decide his next move, Soviet premier Khrushchev decides to remove Soviet missiles from Cuba. -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution Passes
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In August 1964, President Johnson reports to Congress about alleged attacks of U.S. ships by the North Vietnamese. In response, Congress overwhelmingly passes the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which authorizes the president to take "all necessary measures" to protect U.S. forces in Southeast Asia. This allows Johnson to escalate the war against communism in Vietnam, leading to widespread public outrage. -
Apollo 11 - One Giant Leap for Mankind
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As hundreds of millions the world over watch on TV, Americans Neil Alden Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin of the Apollo 11 mission become the first humans to step foot on the moon. This is not only a historic event but also a huge point of pride for the U.S. in the space race, as they have succeeded in sending men to the moon before the Soviets. -
The Berlin Wall Falls
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In November 1989, destruction of the Berlin Wall begins. West and East Berlin are no longer separated, paving the way for reunification of Germany. The fall of the Berlin Wall is celebrated around the world as a symbolic fall of communism and a victory for democratic nations. -
Collapse of the Soviet Union
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On Dec. 25th, 1991, Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev resigns, realizing that the communist regime is no longer sustainable and that he cannot control the power of the Russian people. The United States and democratic nations around the world rejoice, as the Cold War has finally come to an end and democracy has prevailed.
