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Forming of NATO
In 1949, the prospect of further Communist expansion prompted the United States and 11 other Western nations to form the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). -
The Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact was a collective defense treaty among the Soviet Union and seven Soviet satellite states in Central and Eastern Europe in existence during the Cold War. These satellite nations were basically under Soviet control so they had no other choice but to join them. -
(FIRST) Fidel Castro Comes to Power in Cuba
Fidel Castro was born on August 13, 1926 in Biran, a small town in eastern Cuba. In July 1953, he led 120 men to army barracks in Santiago de Cuba. He and his troops failed, Castro was captured by the U.S. and sent to 15 years in prison. However, two years later, the U.S. let Castro go so he went to Mexico for a year and then sailed to Cuba with 81 other men. They were ambushed arriving at Cuba and only 18 survived, including Castro. Then him and his soldiers fled deep into the Sierra Maestra -
(SECOND) Fidel Castro Comes to Power
Mountains in southeastern Cuba with very little weapons or supplies. However, they started recruiting men and getting weapons, and by 1957 they were winning small battles against Rural Guard Patrols. Although Castro and his men did not have many resources, they fought hard. They attacked and controlled Batista, a large city in Cuba on January 1, 1959. A week later Castro arrived in Havana and took over as prime minister. Castro then nationalized all U.S. owned businesses, including oil companies -
(THIRD) Fidel Castro Comes to Power
factories, and casinos. Because of this, the United States imposed a trade embargo on Cuba. -
(FIRST) The Bay of Pigs
About two years after Castro gaining control, 1,400 Cuban exiles trainefunded by the CIA landed near the Bay of Pigs with the intent of overthrowing Castro. However, they failed miserably due to bombers missing their targets and an air strike being called off. Ultimately, more than 100 exiles were killed and nearly everyone else was captured. Later, -
(SECOND) The Bay of Pigs
Catro freed all of the people they captured for 52 million dollars worth of baby food and medical supplies. In May 1960, Castro established diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union, and the United States responded by prohibiting the importation of Cuban sugar. -
(THIRD)The Berlin Wall Goes Up
On August 13, 1961, the Communist government of East Germany began to build a barbed wire and concrete wall between East and West Berlin. The official purpose of this Berlin Wall was to keep Western “fascists” from entering East Germany and coming into socialist territory, but it primarily served the objective of preventing mass defections from East to West. The Berlin Wall stood until November 9, 1989. -
Olympic Rivalry: Basketball
The United States and the Soviet Union faced against eachother in the championship basketball game of the 1972 olympics. This game was full of drama and heartbreak. This game was also known for the horrible calls by the referees. USA was up by one with 5 seconds left and it was the Soviet's ball. The time clock was accedently started too early and the Soviet's shot the ball and missed an the buzzer went off which declared the United States the 1972 world champions. After many fans stormed the -
SECOND Olympic Rivalry: Basketball
court and many other celebrations. Minutes later, the refs blew their whistles, reset the clock, and kicked the fans off the court. They callled the game back on. With just a few seconds left, the Soviet's chucked the ball down the entire court and scored a basket at the buzzer. The Soviet's were then delared the winner and took home the gold medal. The United States basketball team did not attend the ending ceremony and still to this day did not collect their silver medals. -
U.S. Invades Grenada
President Ronald Reagan, citing the threat posed to Americans in the Caribbean nation of Grenada. Then, Reagan ordered the Marines to invade and secure their safety. There were nearly 1,000 Americans in Grenada at the time, many of them students at the island’s medical school. In little more than a week, Grenada’s government was overthrown. The situation on Grenada had been a concern to Americans since 1979, when the Bishop seized power and began to develop close relations with Cuba. -
SECOND U.S. Invades Grenada
Bernard Coard had the Bishop assassinated and took control of the government. Protesters clashed with the new government and violence escalated which caused danger to the U.S. citizens in Grenada, Reagan ordered nearly 2,000 U.S. troops into the island, where they soon found themselves facing opposition from Grenadan armed forces and groups of Cuban military engineers. Reagan brought in 6,000 more troops and Coard's government collapsed and was replaced soon after.
