-
The Russian Revolution
The Russian Revolution was a Political and Social revolution that spread across Russia that started with the end of the Zar. The Soviet Union was created at the end of this movement. The Russian Revolution spanned from March 3rd, 1917 to June 16th, 1923. The Soviet Union lead the spread of communism in Europe. -
Potsdam Conference
The Potsdam Conference was held in Potsdam, Germany. 'The Big Three' (Joseph Stalin, Winston Churchhill, and Harry S. Truman) came together to decide on how to administer Germany after the war. The goals of the conference included having the establishment of the postwar order, peace treaty issues, and also to counter effects of the war. Lasted from July 17th, 1945 till August 2nd, 1945. The Potsdam Conference was important because it determined was going to happen to Germany in the future. -
Atomic Bomb - Hiroshima/Nagasaki
Known as the 'Manhattan Project', it was the first-ever atomic bomb tested in a desert in New Mexico. Pres. Truman gives the ok to drop the atomic bomb on Japan saying, "Release when ready". The atomic bomb instantly kills thousands of people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The atomic bombs ended WWII, between 90,000 and 146,000 people in Hiroshima; 39,000 to 80,000 people died in Nagasaki. -
Long Telegram
George F. Kennan was observing the kremlin and wrote and the Long Telegram. It was an 8000-word dispatch to Washington. The Long Telegram deciphered the Soviet road ahead. And it also exposed the insecurities of the Soviet Union. Kennan recommended containment. -
Iron Curtain
Winston Churchill gave a speech about the Iron Curtain on March 5th, 1946. He explained that the Iron Curtain has spread across continents from Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic. -
The Truman Doctrine
The Truman Doctrine represented U.S change is foreign policy. It supports people in need of support to maintain their freedoms throughout the world. It also counters the spread of communism. Provided social and economic relief. Greece and Turkey were the main priority to support communism. -
Molotov Plan
The Molotov Plan was created by the Soviet Union to rebuild countries and provide aid that is apart of the Soviet Union. The Soviets refused to use the Marshall Plan. -
Hollywood 10
The Hollywood 10 was 10 people who defied HUAC(House Un-American Activities Committee), their names are Alvah Bessie, Herbert Biberman, Lester Cole, Edward Dmytryk, Ring Lardner Jr., John Howard Lawson, Albert Maltz, Samuel Ornitz, Robert Adrian Scott, and Dalton Trumbo. They were all accused of being undercover communists that were giving information to the Soviet Union. The 10 actors were blacklisted from Hollywood and served jail sentences. -
Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan created by George C. Marshall, to prevent European countries from resorting the communism. The Marshall Plan helped European countries with hunger, poverty, desperation, and chaos. It also restored the working economy in many European countries. -
Berlin Blockade
The Soviet Union blocked off supplies to Western Berlin occupied by the U.S. The Soviet Union turned off the power to American occupied Berlin. They also cut off the food line to them as well. The Soviets did this so they can get the United forces out of Berlin because the Soviets were afraid of the American forces. The Berlin Blockade lasted from June 24th, 1948 till May 12th, 1949. -
Berlin Airlift
The response to the Soviet's Berlin Blockade, America and Great Britain sent Planes to resupply West Berlin with fuel, coal and medical supplies. More than 2 million tons of cargo were airlifted into West Berlin. Also on average a flight landed in West Berlin every 3 minutes. The Berlin Airlift lasted from June 24th, 1948 until May 12th, 1949 -
N.A.T.O
N.A.T.O stands for North Atlantic Treaty Organization. In 1949, the United States and Canada join with 10 European Nations to form an alliance. In 1955, rebuilt and rearmed West Germany joined the alliance. -
First Soviet Bomb Test
In August, the Soviets successfully tested their atomic bomb which shocked the rest of the world, years ahead of expert's predictions. -
Chinese Communist Revolution
In China, communist revolutionary Mao Zedong prevailed in a decade long civil war against the Chinese national government. Nearly 500 million Chinese fell under Communist rule because of this. -
Alger Hiss Case
Alger Hiss was an American government official that was caught spy on the U.S. and secretly sharing classified information with the Soviet Union. He was also convicted of swearing to a false oath and giving misinformation about himself. Hiss was found guilty and served 2 5 year sentences. -
The Korean War
North and South Korea are divided at the 38th Parallel. North Korea was occupied by communists and the South was occupied by Nationists. War broke loose whenever communists crossed the 38th Parallel into South Korea, therefore, 21 countries formed the UN with the U.S. sending in 90% of the military troopers to South Korea. South Koreans and Americans were poorly equipped which caused them to be constantly pushed South to the point of Defeat. War lasted from June 25th, 1950 till July 27th, 1953. -
Rosenberg Trial
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, a Jewish family, was convicted of Espionage in 1951. They were caught giving information about the radar, sonar, and jet propulsion engines. After the trial, Julius, Ethel Rosenberg were executed in an electric chair in 1953. -
Army-McCarthy hearings
McCarthy was known for his foolish accusations of people being a communist. McCarthy made a foolish mistake to call out people in the army, so the army, in turn, charged him with using improper influence to win preferential treatment for a former staff member, Pvt. G. David Schine. The McCarthy hearings dominated the national television from April to June 1954. McCarthy's career soon plummeted. -
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact also is known as the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance. It was signed in Warsaw, Poland between the Soviet Union and seven other Socialist republics in May of 1955. The Warsaw Pact was created as a balance of power to N.A.T.O. -
Hungarian Revolution
The Hungarian Revolution was a revolt against the People's Republic and the Soviet policies. At first, the volt was small but as time when on and it attracted thousands of people to join in on the revolt, they marched through central Budapest to the Hungarian Parliament building. The revolt quickly spread and the government collapsed. -
U2 Incident
The Soviet Union shot down an American U-2 Spy Plane in Soviet air space. The Soviets captured pilot Francis Gary Powers and Spy plane was obvious evidence that the U.S has been spying on the Soviet Union for years. President Dwight D. Eisenhower was forced to admit that the CIA has been spying on the Soviet Union for years. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
The Bay of Pigs invasion was a failed attempt to reverse Fidel Castro's Cuban Revolution. A Central Intelligence Agency sponsored rebel group, Brigade 2506, attempted an invasion that lasted just three days. President Dwight D. Eisenhower was very concerned at the direction Castro's government was going so in March 1960 he allocated $13.1 million to the CIA to plan Castro's overthrow. -
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall blocked West Berlin from surrounding East Germany along with East Berlin. There were guard towers that prevented people from going through the wall. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
Leaders of the U.S. and the Soviet Union engaged in a tense, 13-day political and military standoff in October 1962 over the installation of nuclear Soviet missiles on Cuba. Many people feared that they were on the brink of death. The disaster was avoided when the U.S. agreed to Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev’s that they would remove the missiles in Cuba. -
Assassination of JFK
John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas, Texas at 12:30 pm. He was riding in a presidential motorcade through Dealey Plaza with his wife Jacqueline. A former U.S. Marine Lee Harvey Oswald had assassinated John F. Kennedy with a sniper bullet to the head. -
Invasion of Czechoslovakia
The Soviet Union, led Warsaw Pact troops into an invasion of Czechoslovakia to crack down on reformist trends in Prague. Soviet Union’s actions successfully halted the pace of reform in Czechoslovakia, but it also had unintended consequences for the unity of the communist bloc. -
Nixon visits China
Nixon visited China and went to Beijing and ended 25 years of no communications. Nixon visited China to gain more leverage over relations with the Soviet Union. When the communists took over mainland China in 1949 and the nationalists fled to the island of Taiwan, the United States allied with, and recognized, the Republic of China as the sole government of China. -
Reagan elected
Republican Ronald Reagan defeated Democrat Jimmy Carter in the 1980 election. Ronald Reagan had a total of 489 electoral votes as to Jimmy Carter having only 49. After Reagan was elected, he campaigned for increased defense spending, implementation of supply-side economic policies, and a balanced budget. This was known as the "Reagan Era". -
SDI announced
Ronald Reagan announced the Strategic Defense Initiative on a nationally televised speech. He states that "I call upon the scientific community who gave us nuclear weapons to turn their great talents to the cause of mankind and world peace: to give us the means of rendering these nuclear weapons impotent and obsolete". -
Geneva Conference with Gorbachev
U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev met for the first time to hold talks on international diplomatic relations and the arms race. Similar to former president Eisenhower in 1955, Reagan believed that a personal relationship among leaders was the necessary first step to breaking down the barriers of tension that existed between the two countries. -
‘Tear down this wall’ speech
This speech by President Ronald Reagan to the people of West Berlin. President Reagan says these important words: “General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
The Berlin wall is taken down and West and East Berlin are no longer blocked.
