The Cold War By DCSidney Aug 6, 1945 The Detonation of the Atomic Bomb Aug 14, 1945 Surrender of Japan 1948 USSR tests first nuclear weapon Period: 1948 to 1949 Berlin Blockade Period: 1950 to 1953 The Korean War Nov 1, 1952 US tests first hydrogen bomb Period: 1955 to 1975 The Vietnam War 1957 The Space Race Begins 1961 The Berlin Wall is built 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis 1973 Ceasefire in Vietnam between North Vietnam and the U.S 1979 Soviet Union invades Afghanistan 1983 Able Archer and the War Scare 1986 President Reagan and Gorbachev resolve to remove all intermediate nuclear missiles from Europe 1989 Berlin Wall comes down Dec 26, 1991 Soviet Union collapses