The Cold War 1947–1991 By erinmaree May 8, 1945 Germany surrenders to Allies Aug 6, 1945 U.S. drops atomic bomb on Hiroshima Aug 8, 1945 USSR enters war against Japan Aug 14, 1945 Japan surrenders; End of World War II Period: Aug 14, 1945 to Dec 26, 1991 The Cold War Mar 5, 1946 Winston Churchill delivers "Iron Curtain" speech Jun 5, 1947 Marshall Plan is announced Jun 24, 1948 Berlin Blockade by USSR begins May 12, 1949 Berlin Blockade ends Aug 29, 1949 USSR explodes its first atomic bomb Sep 1, 1949 Communists take control of China Actual date unknown Jun 25, 1950 Korean War begins Jul 27, 1953 Korean War ends May 14, 1955 Warsaw Pact formed Oct 4, 1957 USSR launches Sputnik into Earth orbit Jan 1, 1959 Fidel Castro takes over Cuba Actual date unknown Nov 9, 1960 John F. Kennedy elected President Apr 12, 1961 USSR astronaut Gagarin first to orbit Earth Apr 17, 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion, Cuba Aug 17, 1961 Construction of Berlin Wall begins Oct 22, 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis (nuclear war narrowly averted) Oct 16, 1964 China detonates its first atomic bomb Jul 20, 1969 U.S. lands first man on moon Nov 4, 1980 Ronald Reagan elected President Jan 15, 1989 Soviet troops withdraw from Afghanistan Nov 10, 1989 Berlin Wall falls Oct 3, 1990 West Germany and East Germany unite Mar 31, 1991 Warsaw Pact ends Aug 19, 1991 USSR Dissolved Dec 26, 1991 Cold War ends