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Hiroshima
The United States drops an atomic bomb on top of the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The destruction caused by the bomb shows exactly how much power can be held with nuclear weapons and sets the stage for the nuclear age. -
The Ircn Curtain
The Ircn Curtain represented both a physical and ideological border between countries under the influence of the Soviet Union and the rest of Europe. This border came about as a result of World War II endingand lasted until the end of the Cold War. -
Truman Doctrine
Truman issues a speech which states that America will assist any nation in the world that is in conflict with Communism. This begins in the containment of Communism by influencing neutral countries to become democratic. -
The Marshall Plan
The Marshall Plan was an extension of the Truman Doctrine to help combat communism in Europe by providing aid to help rebuild economies as a result of World War II. By giving aid, the US was influencing countries to become democratic and not fall to the sway of communism. -
The Berlin Airlift
The Berlin Airlift was one of the first major events of the Cold War and was a response to the Soviet Union blocking Allied access to Berlin. The Soviet Union sought to gain control of Berlin as it was an important landmark and access point. The Allied responded by airlifting supplies to Berlin for nearly a year until the USSR withdrew. -
The creation of NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an alliance between countries that lie along the north part of the Atlantic Ocean. This pact was originally created to combat a potential invasion by the USSR and to also be a deterrent against said invasion. The alliance allows any country in the treaty to receive immediate aid from other's in NATO in the event of war. -
Korean War
The Korean War was a war between North and South Korea that shared characteristics with the Vietnam War. North Korea had a communist government that was supported by the USSR and China while South Korea had a democractic government that was supported by the United Nations. This was another proxy war primarily between the US and the USSR which resulted in a ceasefire after the war reached a stalemate. -
The creation of the Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact was an treaty among the Communist countries on the east side of the Iron Curtain. This pact was created in reaction to the formation of NATO as a way demonstrate power to the rest of the world. The formation of both NATO and Warsaw Pact set the stage for another world war, despite one not happening. -
The Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a proxy war derived from the US-USSR agression towards one another. North Vietnam has a communist government that was supported by the Soviet Union and South Vietnam followed a democractic government that had the support of the United States. This war was a failed example of the Containment plan that the US was attempting to enact. -
Sputnik
The USSR became the first to launch a satellite into orbit, prompting the United States to quickly form NASA and begin their own space research. This began what was referred to as the Space Race and was seen as another race for more power. -
U-2 Incident
The U-2 incident refers to an U-2 US spy plane being shot down over the Soviet Union while doing surveillance. After the plane was recovered and it's purpose was revealed, the US was forced to reveal it was indeed a spy plane and helped deteoriate the US-USSR relations further. -
Bay of Pigs
The Bay of Pigs invasion was an US covert operation to take over communist Cuba and overthrow leader Fidel Castro. The failed invasion led Cuba to enter an alliance with the Soviet Union to deter future aggression againtst the country and could be seen as a precursos to the Cuban Missile Crisis. -
The Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a physical boundary that separated Berlin, Germany into two different cities. East Berlin became a socialist state and erected the wall in order to shut out NATO and other European countries. This wall was the most visible example of the "Iron Curtain" that divided Europe. -
Cuban Missle Crisis
The Cuban Missle Crisis was the closest that the US and USSR came to entering nuclear war with each other. Soviet leader Nikita Krushchev and Cuban leader Fidel Castro agreed to put missles in Cuba to deter any harassment towards the country. These missles were in range of the United States, which led John F Kennedy to enforce a military blockade of Cuba. After 14 days of tense negotations, the USSR agreed to dismantle it's missles and return them. -
The USSR dissolves
In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev became the General Secretary of the USSR and sought a way to bring his country back into power. Realizing the arms race with the US was causing too many problems and ended up dissolving the USSR.
