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The Yalta Conference
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin, and U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt meet to discuss what to do with Germany and how to split up the defeated nation. -
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The Arms Race
The United States and Soviet Union "race" to beat each other in nuclear weapons and see whose missiles can be bigger, faster, stronger, more effective, etc. -
Formation of the United Nations (UN)
The UN replaced the failed League of Nations, after World War II in order to prevent another war like it. At its founding, the UN had 51 member states; there are now 193. -
The Truman Doctrine Speech
American president Harry S. Truman gives a speech to Congress that starts up what is known as "The Truman Doctrine." This changes American foreign policy and has the country help other democracies in trouble. -
The Marshall Plan
The US gave $13 billion to help Europe recover financially and economically from WWII. -
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Berlin Airlifts
West Berlin, surrounded by East Germany, is cut-off and cannot last for much longer. The Allies fly supplies, food, water, and more into the city to keep them going. -
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Berlin Blockade
The USSR formed a blockade around West Berlin to limit the amount of influence the UK, US, and France could have on it. This also was to weaken West Berlin to make it fall to East Germany. -
Forming of NATO
The spread of the Soviet Union's communist beliefs made United States and 11 other Western nations make the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). This meant those countries that signed to participate would defend each other from communist attacks and spread. -
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The Korean War
North Korea invades South Korea. The US gets involved to help South Korea. 5 million soldiers and citizens died in the conflict. The Koreas are still divided today. -
Eisenhower's Inauguration
WWII General Dwight D. Eisenhower becomes President of the United States on January 20th, 1953 -
Death of Joseph Stalin
Stalin had a stroke on March 1st, and then died 4 days later on May 5th. He was 74 years old. -
Nikita Khrushchev Comes to Power
This man is selected to be the next Secretary of the Communist Party. He gets the title in September of the same year and becomes premier in 1958. -
The Warsaw Pact
The Soviet Union, Albania, Poland, Romania, Hungary, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, and Bulgaria sign a pact that states if any of them get attacked by people not of this treaty, the rest of them were to fight back to help the victimized country. -
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Vietnam War
Northern Vietnam and its southern allies, the Viet Cong, against Southern Vietnam and the United States. It ended in 1973 when the US forces withdrew, and the unification of Vietnam 2 years later as a communist nation. 3 million people died in this war. -
Launch of Sputnik I
The 1st satellite to be launched into space. It is a Russian satellite. It was launched on October 4th, 1957. It launched the Soviet Union into a race against the United States to control space. -
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The Space Race
The United States and Soviet Union race to become superior in spaceflight and outer space travel. Started with the launch of Sputnik 1 by the USSR, and ended with the US's 1st precise moon landing. -
The U-2 Incident
A US spy plane was shot down in Soviet airspace. -
Yuri Gagarin Becomes 1st Man in Space
Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first person to go into orbit when he launched into space on the Vostok 3KA-3 spacecraft (Vostok 1). -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
Cuban nationalist Fidel Castro invades and takes over Cuba. On April 17th, 1961, there were roughly 1,400 American-trained Cubans that went and tried to take the country back. They surrendered within 24 hours. -
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The Berlin Wall
This was built to keep East Germans in East Germany and West Berliners out of it. It separated the democratic West and communist east. -
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Cuban Missile Crisis
Fidel Castro (Cuban political leader) aligns with the Soviet Union. Soviet nuclear missiles are transported into Cuba, 90 miles from American soil. American president John F. Kennedy calls for a military blockade and standoff until the crisis is averted and the nukes are removed/disarmed. -
JFK's Assassination
While parading in Dallas, Texas, United States President John Fitzgerald Kennedy is shot down violently and horrifically. Lee Harvey Oswald is/was to blame, with many conspiracies involving multiple gunmen, those responsible not being Oswald, conspirators trying to get Kennedy out of power, and reasons as to why it happened. -
Lyndon B. Johnson's Inauguration
Immediately following the death of former US President John F. Kennedy, Vice-President Lyndon B. Johnson is sworn in as President on Air Force One. -
The 1st Moon Landing
After years of preparation, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins pilot Apollo 11 to the moon, land, and become the 1st humans to walk on the moon. This event was televised live. The men returned 4 days later on July 24th. -
Watergate Scandal/Nixon's Resignation
On June 17, 1972, several burglars were arrested in the office of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), located in the Watergate building in Washington, D.C. The prowlers were connected to President Richard Nixon’s reelection campaign, however. They had been caught attempting to wiretap phones and steal secret documents. Nixon's knowledge and involvement led to his impeachment and resignation on August 8th. Nixon is still the only US president to resign his role as president. -
Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
30,000 Soviet troops invade a weakened Afghanistan and overthrow their government. Eventually the USSR would try to take over the whole nation with more soldiers, and millions of Afghans flee or seek asylum. -
Gorbachev Comes to Power
Mikhail Gorbachev is the only man to outlive their competition and is selected to be the Soviet Union's new leader. -
INF Treaty
The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty) is the abbreviated name of the treaty between the US and Soviet Union on the elimination of their intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles. This was signed by US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
After 28 years, the Berlin Wall is destroyed with global celebration. -
The German Reunification
Less than a year after the fall of the Berlin Wall, East and West Germany unify together to make Germany one whole nation again for the first time in roughly 45 years. -
Breakup of the Soviet Union/USSR
Because of ethnic conflict, a lack of support for communism, and economic troubles, Mikhail Gorbachev resigned his post as president of the Soviet Union, also disbanding the Communist country. This left Boris Yeltsin as president of the newly independent state of Russia.
