The Cold War - The cold war had been called "cold" because the US and the Soviet Union had been in a rivalry but did not use direct fighting to go at the war.
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The Formation of the Eastern Bloc
The Eastern Bloc was a formation of countries with equal views. It was the group of communist states of Central and Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America aligned with the Soviet Union. During the Cold War, countries in the Eastern Bloc supported each other against the democratic countries of the Western Bloc. -
Postwar occupation and division of Germany
After World War two, Germany was divided and occupied by the victorious countries. France, Britain, and the United States merged into West Germany, while East Germany was controlled by the Soviet Union with a communist government. Berlin was also Split into East and West Berlin with a wall built to separate them. -
Enactment of the Marshall Plan
After the war, Europe was a mess. 50 nations, including the United States, signed the Marshall Plan which proposed that these nations would assist to help restore European countries. Democratic countries sped up their recovery and helped prevent communism from spreading. The stronger the country the less likely communism would take place. -
Berlin Blockade and Airlift
Soviet Forces created a blockade to disallow access to West Berlin which was controlled by allied forces. The Soviets hoped the allied forces would abandon West Berlin, however the Unites States and the United Kingdom airlifted food and fuel into West Berlin. This went on until the Soviet Union lifted the blockade in May of 1949. -
Chinese Communist Revolution
The Chinese Communist Revolution was social and political, and the People's Republic of China was proclaimed. The People's Republic began assisting communism in other countries. Their successful revolution interested people in communism. -
Korean War
North Korea invaded South Korea, North Korea was supported by the Soviet Union and China. South Korea was supported by the United States. The United States sent troops to support South Korea. The war ended with the Korean Armistice Agreement being signed. -
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was an attempt to overthrow the government of Cuba. Rebels led by Fidel Castro organized an armed attack on the Cuban military barracks. The rebels successfully toppled the government and took over. -
Overthrow of the Mossadegh Government
Also known as Operation Ajax, this operation was set up by the US and the UK to remove the democratically elected prime minister of Iran, Mohammed Mossadegh. This operation succeeded and had led to Mohammed Reza Pahlavi becoming the Shan of Iran, strengthening his monarchist way of ruling. -
Overthrow of the Guatemalan Government
A coup in Guatemala overthrew the democratically elected Guatemalan president, Jacobo Arbenz. The country was taken over by the military dictator of Carlos Castillo Armas. The coup was supported by the US and was the first in a series of US-backed authoritarian rulers in Guatemala. -
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a conflict fought between North Vietnam and South Vietnam. The North was fighting for communism and was supported by the Soviet Union and China. The South was opposed to communism and was supported by the United States. The War lasted for nearly twenty years and neither side had solidly won. -
Hungarian Uprising
This was an attempted revolution against the government of the Hungarian People's Republic. This was fueled by the unpopular policies caused by the government's subordination to the Soviet Union. The revolution had fallen on November 4th, 1956 by Soviet forces. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
Cuban exiles were supported by the United States to invade Cuba, but the mission had failed. Aiming to overthrow Fidel Castro's communist government did not succeed because Cuban forces quickly defeated the forces. This had solidified Castro's control over Cuba and had slightly embarrassed the United States. -
Building of the Berlin Wall
The Soviet Union built a wall to control East Germany to prevent residents of East Berlin from escaping into West Berlin. West Berlin, controlled by the UK, the US, and France, was democratic. Civilians were not allowed to pass through the wall and it was heavily guarded and quite difficult to get over. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Soviet Union and the United States had a conflict. The Soviet Union planted missiles in Cuba to have weapons closer to the US. After the US intelligence discovered this the conflict started. After being pressured by the US the Soviets removed their missiles. -
Rise of Palestine Liberation Organization
Established in 1964, the PLO was created to control Palestinian nationalism. The PLO largely represented the views of President Nasser of Egypt while it was supposed to represent the Palestinians. -
Prague Spring
Alexander Dubcek, the leader of Czechoslovakia, had led a period of political liberation wanting to put reforms such as more freedom of speech and decentralization of the economy into effect. in August of 1968, this movement ended due to the Soviet Union and other Warsaw Pact countries invading and crushing the reforms and putting communism back into effect. -
Tiananmen Square Masacre
In China, there were pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square. The Chinese government had sent tanks into the square. Many university students and others were injured and killed. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
The East German officials decided to loosen restrictions on the crossings at the Berlin Wall. Half a million Germans flocked to the wall, they began taking sledgehammers and other instruments to the wall. They tore down portions of the wall, which was opened for travel the completely taken down shortly after. -
Fall of the Soviet Union
Gorbachev, the leader of the Soviets at the time, was trying to institute reforms. Communists who were against these reforms planned a coup that failed and caused political turmoil making the government lose some of its power. The Soviet Union fell after the Soviet Republican states started declaring independence. -
9/11 Attacks
A group of al-Queda terrorists hijacked four commercial airplanes, one crashed into the North tower of the World Trade Center. Shortly after another plane hit the South Tower, then one into the Pentagon. The fourth was overtaken by passengers and fell into a field in Pennsylvania. A total of 2,996 people has been killed.