-
The Dawes Act is passed
This act split Native American land into individual plots and allowed surplus land to be sold to settlers. -
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is formed
NAACP fought for the legal rights of african americans and to bring an end to racial violence, -
Reagan becomes President of the United States
He had a plan for the economy based of the theory of Supply-side economics, which involved tax cuts and business incentives to stimulate investment. -
Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Versailles was signed.
The Treaty of Versailles- A treaty ending World War I that required Germany to pay large war reparations and established the League of Nations. It angered many Italians because they were not rewarded for thier war efforts. -
The Nineteenth Amendment is ratified
This amendment extended suffrage to women and guaranteed then equality with men in other areas. -
Hitler becomes leader of the Nazi Party
Hitler became leader of Nazi party.
Nazi Party- Munich-based National Socialist German Workers Party that highlighted extreme nationalism, anti-Semitism, anti-Capitalism and anti-Bolshevism.
Hitler- Tolitarian dictator of Germany whose aggressive actions lead to World War II. -
The National Facist Party
Mussolini estbalished the Nationalist Facist Party.
Facism- a syestem of government that stressed the glory of the state.
Mussolini- Italian facist leader that ruled as Italy's dictator for more than 20 years. -
Mussolini becomes leader
Mussolini became leader of the Italian government and established a dictatorship.
Dictatorship- government by a leader or group that holds unchallenged power and authority. -
Japan invades Manchuria
Military leaders order army to invade Manchuria without consent of the government. -
Hitler becomes chancellor
Hitler is named chancellor of Germany, a top position in the government. -
The Establishment of Nazi Concentration Camps
Concentration camps were labor camps meant to hold what Hitler called enemies of the state, focused mainly on the Jews. -
The Indian Reorganization Act is passed
This set up Tribal Business Councils and stopped the sale of tribal lands. -
Neutrality Act
American congress passed the Neutrality Act which was a law to prevent the nation from beinf drawn into war.
Isolationism- a policy in which a nation avoids entanglement in foreign wars. -
Italy Invades Ethiopia
Mussolini used a dispute about the border between Ethiopia and an Italian colony as an excuse to invade, truely wanting to rebuild the Italian empire.
Italy conquered the country. -
Germany militarizes the Rhineland
Rhineland- area in the Rhine River Valley along the French border.
By militarizing this, Germany violated the Treaty of Versailles. -
Spanish Civil War
Bloody war that started due to Spain's political conflicts. Communists and "Republicans" vs. Facists and Nationalists. It brought many other countries into the conflict; Facist Italy and Nazi Germany for Nationalists and Soviet Union and United States for "Republicans".
In the end Spain came under the control of a Facist dictator. -
Hitler gains control of Austria
At first Hitler tried to force the Austrian government to agree to Anschluss- union with Germany. When they refused, he sent troops into Austria. -
Hitler gains control of Sudetenland
Sudetenland- the German-speaking portion of Czechoslovakia.
British prime minister and French premier Edouard met with Hitler in hopes of ending the crisis and agreed to allow him to annex Sudentenland. -
Kristallnacht
Anit Jewish riots broke out across Germany. These attacks became known as Kristallnacht, "the night of broken glass". -
Thurgood Marshall fights segregation in education
Marshall served in the senate and helped chip away the ruling of court case Plessy v. Fergison. In Missouri ex rel. Gaines v. Canada, Registrar of the University of Missouri, he successfully helped argue against Missouri's refusal to offer law school to African Americans. -
The holocaust
First Hitler proposed genocide of the jews, the killing of an entire people. This was at first carried out through mobile killing units. But then Hitler's regime established the Final Solution, to murder the Jewish population of Europe and the Soviet Union. This involved the establishment of six death camps where some 3 million jews were killed. This became known as the Holocaust. -
Hitler gains control of Czechoslovakia
Hitler sent his troops into what remained of Czechoslovakia and captured it without a fight. -
The Manhattan Project Begins
The Manhattan Project began to take form. This was a top-secret American program devoted to the creation of the Atomic Bomb which was a powerful weapon that used energy released by the splitting of atoms.
J. Robert Oppenheimer led the American scientists in this project. -
Germany invades Poland
Hitler had a German criminal dressed in a Polish military uniform and had him shot at the border. He used this lie as an excuse to launch an invasion of Poland, claiming Germany had been attacked. Using a blitzkrieg, Germany was able to take control of Poland.
Blitzkrieg- "lightning warfare" featuringt an overwhelming combination of air attacks and fast-moving armored strikes to drive deep into enemy territory. -
Great Britain and France declare war Germany
Great Britain and France declare war on Germany and becomes know as the Allies. -
Rationing in the U.S.
The government began enforcing rationing (limiting the amount of a certain product each individual can get) on the homefront in order to conserve supplies for the troops. -
Germany invades Belgium & the Netherlands
Germany invaded Belgium and the Netherlands and conquered them within 5 days. -
Germany invades France
Germany took France by surprise and easily overwhelmed French forces. -
France surrenders to Germany
After Germany broke through the Netherlands and Belgium, they were able to overwhelm French forces. France surrendered and Germany now occupied much of France. -
The Smith Act is passed
Truman created this act to show his commitment to fight Communism in the U.S. The goverment convicted several leaders of the Communist Party under this act. -
Battle of Britain
Winston Chruchill led Britain during this time.
Germany tried to destroy the British Royal Air Force and failed.
Leftwaffe,German Airforce, began bombing London.
October 31,1940 the Battle of Britain ended and Hitler called off the invasion. -
Axis Powers are formed
Japan, Germany, and Italy made an alliance and became known as the Axis Powers. -
Douglas MacArthur leads troops to defend the Philippines
America had control over this area and the Japanese moved in for attack. General Douglas MacArthur led the defense of this island chain. No match for the Japanese forces, the Americans surrendered. -
The Lend-Lease Act is passed
Congress passed this act to allow the nation to send weapons to Great Britain regardless of its ability to pay. -
Britain sinks the Bismarck
The Bismarck was a giant german ship, the pride of the German fleet.
Britain managed to sink it on May 27, 1941 and this begun the German use of U-boats. -
The Atlantic Charter is made.
US President Roosevelt and British leader Winston Churchill made this agreement which proclaimed the shared goals of the United States and Britain in opposing Hitler and his allies. -
Japan attacks Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, located in Hawaii was an American Naval base home to the United States Navy's Pacific Fleet. The Japanese surprise attack resulted in hundreds of damaged American fighter planes and eight warships, along with 2,400 American deaths. -
The United States declares war on Japan
The United States declares war on Japan after being attacked at Pearl Harbor.
3 days later Germany and Italy declared war on the United States -
Japan attacks Hong Kong
Japanese forces were able to capture the British stronghold on Hong Kong. -
Japan attacks Dutch East Indies
Japanese forces easily took control of this area. -
Japan invades Burma
Japan takes control of Burma and demonstrates the true strength of their military. -
Rosie the Riveter is introduced
Rosie the Riveter was a symbolic figure used to represent the working women of the war.
Women took over industrial jobs and contributed to the war effort in America. -
Japan invades Singapore
Japanese are able to capture Singapore fortress in just two weeks. -
Executive Order 9066
Roosevelt issued this order to give the armed forces power to establish military zones which they could force people to leave.
This lead to the American internment, or forced relocation and confinement to camps, of Japanese citizens. -
Bataan Death March
After American surrender in the Philippines, the Japanese forced troops on a terrible journey to prison camps. -
The Battle of Midway
Japanese attack American-held Midway island. American forces were prepared for the attack due to a broken Japanese code. American bombs damaged four Japanese aircraft carriers. It was a tremendous American victory. -
Battle of Stalingrad
Stalingrad was a major Soviet industrial center.
When the Germans attacked it wasd some of the bloodiest fighting in the history of warfare. It ended in German surrender with losses of some 2 million Germans soldiers and 12 million Soviet soldiers. Along with millions of civilian deaths. -
The hydrogen bomb is tested
The hydrogen bomb got it's power from fusing together hydrogen atoms. This bomb put the United States ahead of the Soviet Union in weapons technology. The Arms Race had already begun. -
Eisenhower is elected for president
Eisenhower ran against Adlai Stevenson. Americans trusted and admired Eisenhower so he was elected for president. -
Operation Torch
Dwight D. Eisenhower, a U.S. lieutenant general was the commander of this plan. The plan called for American forces to invade the countires of Morocco and Algeria. After recieving little resistance and aid from France, the Allies turned East. -
Policy of Brinkmanship is expressed
This belief was seen during the Cold War. John Foster Dulles expressed this policy which was the diplomatic art of going to the brink of war without actually getting into war. It was related tp the concept of massive retaliation, that the U.S. should use overwhelming force against the Soviet Union which included nuclear weapons. -
Allied Invasion of Italy
German forces rushed to stop the allied invasion of Italy.
The first segregated unit of African Americans to recieve training as pilots in the U.S. military, Tuskegee Airmen, took part in this fighting. -
D-Day
D-Day was the first day of the Allied invasion of Normandy in World War 2.
The plan for this day was called Operation Overlord. It's goal was to end the war as quickly as possible through a large invasion of mainland Europe. -
The GI Bill is signed
President Truman signed the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, or the GI Bill. This act aimed at helping veterans make a smooth entry into civilian life after WWII. -
The World Bank is established
The agreement of it's creation was made at a conference of the world powers in Brentton Woods, New Hampshire. The World Bank helped poor countries build their economies by providing grants and loans. -
The Battle of the Bulge
At the Battle of the Bulge, Germany launched a surprise attack. American forces were surrounded by the Germans, but on December 26 General Patton lead troops in to help. The allies were able to push back the German offensive. -
The Yalta Conference
A key goal of this conference between the Allies was to determine what to do with the soon-to-be-conquered Germany. Winston Churchill, Roosevelt, and Joseph Stalin agreed to split divide the country into four sectors. -
Battle of Iwo Jima
American forces wanted to capture this island in order to provide a better base to launch raids. It resulted in American victory and all but a thousand Japanese soldiers fought to the death. -
Battle of Okinawa
This battle was the bloodiest task American forces faced in the Pacific. Over 12,000 American soldiers died and the Japanese lost 110,000 troops. America was able to gain control of the Island in June. -
V-E Day
On May 7 Germany surrendered after Hitler's death. It took effect on May 8, which was Proclaimed V-E day or Victory in Europe Day. -
The United Nations was established
Representatives from 50 countries met in San Fransisco to establish this organization meant to encourage cooperation. -
Potsdam Conference
When allied nations met to continue the work started at the Yalta Conference. President Truman hoped that Stalin would live up to his promises from Yalta, which was not a success. -
Atomic bombs are dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
The U.S. drops the first atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima and three days later drops a second one on the city of Nagasaki. -
V-J Day
When Hirohito, the emperpr of Japan announced the end of the war and their surrender to the Allies. -
The International Money Fund is established
The world powers agreed to this organization at a conference in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire. It was designed to encourage economic policies that promoted international trade. -
Baby Boom
The baby boom was a dramatic eise in the birthrate after WWII. -
The United States aids France in Indochina
President Truman supported the French is this war because he wanted to stop communist expansion. -
McCarthyism is used
Senator Joesph McCarthy used this tactic of spreaking fear and making baseless charges to promote action against Communism. Americans trusted him until he became increasingly wild and they began to view his tactics as unfair. -
The Truman Doctrine is issued
President Truman argued to congress that providing aid to the Greek and Turkish would help them resist Soviet Expansion. This address reflected his belief in containment, or the policy to stop the spread of communism. -
The Cold War begins
The Cold War was the era of high tension and bitter rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union.
It started roughly in 1947, after World War 2 came to a close.
Stalin, the Soviet leader, wanted to spread Communism and this made the U.S. nervous. Winston Churchill reflected his belief of the sharp division in Europe Communism had created through the term, "Iron Curtain". -
The Central Intelligence Agency is formed
This agency was formed to collect information about, and to spy on, foriegn governments. -
Sputnik is launched
The Soviets launched the first-ever artifical satelite, Sputnik. -
The Hollywood Ten found guilty
This occured during the Second Red Scare. The HUAC (house un-american activities committe) investigated communism and congress found ten hollywood writers and directors guilty and sentenced them to a year in jail. -
The General Agreement on Tarrifs and Trade is made
This was an international organization created to promote economic cooperation. -
The Marshall Plan is signed
Truman signed George C. Marshall's plan which was for the reconstruction of Europe after World War II. -
The Berlin Airlift
The crisis began when Soviet's were not pleased with the Western style government in the middle of their zone of occupation. So they cut off supplies to West Berlin with a blockade. To counter this British and American aircrafts began making deliveries to the people in what is called, the Berlin Airlift. -
Berlin Airlift
British and American reaction to the Berlin Crisis. Airplanes began making deliveries of supplies to West Berlin -
The Berlin Crisis
Soviets block any road, rail, or river traffic into West Berlin because the didn't approve of the British and Americans setting up democratic governments in their zones of occupation after World War II. -
The Second Red Scare
The Second Red Scare happened during the Cold War and was fueled off the fear of spreading Communism. -
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The Commision on Human rights was established in April of 1946. In 1948 they presented to the UN General Assembly the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which was a document that stated all human beings are created free and equal, and tried to set standards for human rights. The UN General Assembly adopted the declaration. -
The Fair Deal
This plan was purposed by President Truman. It included a number of programs in the tradition of the New Deal, such as a federal health insurance program and new founding for education. -
NATO is formed
The United States and six other nations joined Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom to create a military alliance, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization or NATO. This was formed in response to the Berlin Crisis and to counter Soviet agression. -
The Korean War Starts
The Korean War started due to it's division after World War II in which the North was under temporary Soviet Control and Communism, while the South was under U.S. control and a democratic system. North Korea wanted to unite the two sides under Communism so they invaded the South. -
The McCarran Act is passed
The McCarran International Security Act was further action to help fight communism. It required Communist organizations to register with the government and established a special board to investigate Communist involvement. -
Brown v. Board of Education
The arguments regarding segregation in the school system made in this case were heard by the surpreme court over a two-year period. In the end all nine justices agreed that separate schools for African Americans violated the consitution. -
Malcom X offers a message of hope and inspires black muslims
Malcom X was a fiery minister who offered a message of hope in black pride. He was critical of nonviolence and many civil rights leaders viewed him as an extremist. -
The Geneva Conference
After the French surrendered in the first Indochina war this conference was created to work out a peace aggreement. -
U.S. begins supplying South Vietnam in war
President Eisenhower decided to supply South Vietnam with money and weapons to prevent the unification of Vietnam under communism. -
The Warsaw Pact is formed
The Soviets established this as a military alliance with the Soviet-dominated countries of Eastern Europe. -
Civil War in Vietnam begins
Communist leaders in Noth Vietnam, like Ho Chi Minh, wanted to reunify Vietnam under communism. North vietnamese Army forces began to move into South Vietnam to fight along side with the Vietcong. -
Montgomery Bus Boycott
90% of African Americans stopped taking the bus in Montgomery and the boycott expanded and lasted for almost a year, led by Martin Luther King Jr. It helped convince the court to end segregation on buses. -
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her seat to white riders and is arrested
Rosa Parks, a NAACP member, is riding a Montgomery bus and when the white section becomes filled she refuses to give up her seat to white riders and is arrested. -
The Montgomery Improvement Association is created
This association helped continue the Montgomery bus boycott. Martin Luther King Jr was selected as it's leader. -
Southern Christian Leadership Conference is formed
A group that would organize racial protest activities across the region. Martin Luther King Jr. became leader of this group. This group was open to people of all religions and races. -
Little Rcck Nine are harassed and prevented from entering school
A crowd of angry whites harass the Little Rock Nine, a group of African American students as they arrive for their first day of school at Little Rock's Central High School. The guard prevents them from entering and they don't until nearly 3 weeks later when President Eisenhower sent troops to protect them. -
ICBMs are developed
Intercontinental ballistic missiles that could travel thousands of miles and strike close to their intended targets were developed by the U.S. -
The Sit-in movement starts
The sit-in movement was a nonviolent form of preotest against racism. This started when four college students in Greensboro, North Carolina ordered coffee and were denied service so they remained seated until the store was closed. -
The Oil Embargo begins and OPEC is established
Arab nations in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries decided to impose an oil embargo on the United States in response to American support for Israel. -
The Great Debates
Nixon and Kennedy debate on air. This event increased the average American's interest in politics and set a standard for modern election campaigns. -
The Bay of Pigs Invasion
The planned invasion of Cuba that lasted until April 19, 1961 and ended in failure for the U.S. -
The Freedom Riders take a stance
Thirteen African American volunteers would go on a bus trip through the South and try to use the whites-only facilities. They were harassed violently. -
The Space Program
Kennedy wanted to catch up to the Soviet Union in space exploration so he asked congress to fund the unmanned exploration of space, they approved. -
Vienna Conference
President Kennedy and Khrushchev met in Vienna, Austria during the time of the Berlin Crisis. Khrushchev demanded that the U.S. recognize Communist East Germany as an independent nation and demanded that the U.S. withdraw from West Berlin. -
The Berlin Wall
Communist forces blocked the crossing points between East and West Berlin with a high concrete wall to prevent people escaping. -
The Albany Movement
A campaign in which local civil rights leaders brought national attention to the problem of protestors being jailed by inviting Martin Luther King Jr. to lead more deomstrations. -
The National Farm Workers Association is established
They fought for social justice for farm workers and were led by Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta. -
The Cuban Missile Crisis
The most dangerous crisis in the cold war, when the U.S, and Soviet Union were on the brink of nuclear war. It began because a U.S. spy plane detected SAMS and evidence found later proved that the Soviet Union was placing offensive missiles in Cuba. -
The Birmingham Campaign
Martin Luther King Jr. raised several hundred thousand dollars to fund this campaign. This campaign begun with sit-ins and marches. April 12, King and hundreds of others were arrested. Next demonstrators ages six to sixteen marched and more than 900 were arrested. More marches came and the government used more violent force to stop them. -
March on Washington
The largest civil rights demonstration ever that involved more than 200,000 people of all races. Martin Luther King Jr. delievered his "I Have a Dream" at this rally. -
Martin Luther King Jr. Gives his "I have a Dream" Speech
Martin Luther King Jr. gave this speech to address racism and his dream to end it. -
Assassination of President Kennedy
President Kennedy was riding in an open car through Dallas, Texas and was shot by Lee Harvey Oswald. -
Twenty-fourth Amendment is ratified
This amendment banned states from taxing citizens to vote. -
Congress passed the Tax Reduction Act
Another part to the war on pverty, Johnson pushed this act to cut taxes. This was part of Johnson's "Great Society". -
Johnson announces his plans for the "Great Society"
At the University of Michigan Johnson desribes his plans for the nation. -
Voting Rights Reform
The Court ruled that legislative districts must have equal populations to ensure that each citizens vote had equal weight. This reform was made after the court cases Baker v. Carr (1962), Westberry v. Sanders (1964), Reynolds v. Sims (1964). -
Civil Rights Act of 1965
This Act banned discrimination in employment and public accommodations. -
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is enacted
This created special protections for women workers and outlawed discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion, and national origin. -
Congress pass the Tonkin Gulf Resolution
This expanded U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.
U.S. became involved because of the Domino theory, the belief that communism would spread to neighboring countries. -
Economic Oppurtunity Act is passed
Johnson asked congress to pass this act to launch the war on poverty. It funded several antipoverty programs such as the Job Corps (offered work-training programs for the unemployed youth) and VISTA (provided help in poor communities in U.S.). Part of Johnson's "Great Society". -
Wilderness Preservation Act is signed into law
This act protected 9.1 million acres of national forest. Part of Johnson's "Great Society". -
The Free Speech Movement begins
After events at Berkeley, this movement swept across the nation with a goal of freedom of speech. -
Jack Weinberg collects donations for CORE in banned area on campus
CORE was a civil rights group. Police tried to arrest him, but students wouldn't allow it. This started other protests during the counterculture movement. -
Operation Rolling Thunder
This was a bombing campaign over Noth Vietnam by the U.S. military in the Vietnam War. -
Congress passes the Elementary and Secondary Act
This act gave aid to public schools and was a part of Johnson's "Great Society". -
Anti War Demonstartion in Washington, D.C.
200,000 people gather at the Washington monument to protest the Vietnam War. -
Johnson Doctrine
This was Johnson's guideline for intervention in the Dominican Republic to stop the spread of Communism. -
Omnibus Housing Act is signed
This act provided housing for low-income americans. Part of Johnson's "Great Society". -
Head Start Program is launched
OEO launches the Head Start Program which was an education program for preschool children of low-income parents. Part of Johnson's "Great Society". -
Medicaid and Medicare are signed into law
Congress passed Medicaid, a program that provided health care to the poor and Medicare, a program that provides heath care for people over 65 years old. This was part of Johnsons "Great Society". -
Voting Righting Rights Act
This ended the requirement that voters pass literacy tests. Part of Johnson's "Great Society". -
Voting Rights Act of 1965 is ratified
One of the most important civil rights legisltion ever passed. This act gave the federal government powerful tools to break down the barriers to African American voting rights. -
National Farmworkers strike
Migrant agricultural workers fought for social justice and against their low wages. This strike started in Delano, California and lasted more than 5 years. -
Higher Education Act is passed
Gave scholarships and low-interest loans to college students. Part of Johnson's "Great Society". -
Black Power Chants
Stokley Carmichael addressed a rally and would yell, "What do you want?" and the crowd would cheer "Black Power!". Black Power was African Americans dependence on themselves to solve problems. -
The National Organization for Women forms
This was a group of feminists that fought gender discrimination in the workplace, schools, and the justice system. -
The Black Panther Party is founded
Huey Newton and Bobby Seale founded this group. They rejected nonviolence and called for violent revolution against racism. -
Summer of Love
The height of the hippie movement based on peace, love, and harmony. -
The Brown Berets form
This was one of the most militant organizations in the Chicano movement. -
Tet Offensive is launched
These were a series of massive attacks throughout South Vietnam by communist forces. This ended in failure for the U.S. and South Vietnam and swayed American public opinion. -
Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated
James Earl Ray, a white sniper shot and killed King while he was standing on the balcony of his motel. -
Civil Rights Act of 1968 is passed
Also called the Fair Housing Act, it banned discrimination in the sale or renting of housing. -
The American Indian Movement is founded
This movement pushed for Native American rights and a renewal of traditional cultures, economic independence, and a better education for Indian children. -
Apollo 11 is launched
Apollo 11 was launched holding Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin, and Michael Collins from Kennedy Space Center. On July 20th, they landed on the moon. -
SALT I
President Nixon and Brezhnez of the Soviet Union agreed to a five-year slowdown in building offensive weapons in these talks. -
Antiwar Protest at Kent State University
Protestors set fire to the campus Reserve Officers' training Corps building.
May 4, students gathered for a rally and through rocks at the troops on campus. The troops fired into the crowd and killed four students. -
The Pentagon Papers are published
The New York Times published a collection of secret government documents that traced the history of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam
war and revealed that government officials had been misleading the American people. -
The Twenty-Sixth Ammendment is passed
This ammendment passed by McGovern lowered the voting age from 21 to 18 years old. -
The Equal Rights Amendment is passed
This would promise equal treatment for men and women in all spheres, including employment. It was never ratified. -
Burglars caught during break-in at the Watergate
Nixon had a team of burglars break into the offices of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate hotel-office complex to collect information about the Democratic strategy. -
The Indian Education Act is signed into law
This established culturally appropriate educational programs for Native American students. -
Roe v. Wade
This was a supreme court case centered around the women's movement which campaigned for abortion rights. It was ruled that abortion laws violeted the constitution and they were abolished. -
A Peace Agreement is reached to end the Vietnam War
The U.S. agreed to withdraw all troops from South Vietnam and to help rebuild Vietnam. Both sides released all prisoners of war. -
The Watergate scandal begins to unfold
May 18- the Senate Watergate Committee began televised hearings into the scandal
October 20- Nixon fires special prosecutor
April 30- The white houss released edited transcripts of tapes
July 24- The supreme court ruled that the white house must turn over the tapes -
War Powers Act is passed
This law reaffirmed Congress's constitutional right to declare war. -
President Nixon resigns
After the Watergate Scandal unfolded, Nixon announced his resignation. -
The Camp David Accords
At this meeting President Carter guided Sadat and Begin to an agreement after the conflict between Israel and Egypt. -
SALT II
Negotiators began a second round of discussions on arms limitation in the U.S. and Soviet Union -
Iran Hostage Crisis
A mob of Iranians attacked the U.S. embassy in Tehran and captured several dozen American employees. -
The Soviets invade Afghanistan
The Soviets invade Afghanistan with the goal of insuring communist rule. -
Reagan initiated the Strategic Defense Initiative
This was a concept which involved a shield in space to protect the United States from incoming Soviet missiles. -
Gorbachev announces announces the new era of Glasnost
The Soviet Empire was collapsing. Gorbachev had a plan to reform the failing Soviet system. He announced an new era of Glasnost which would lift media censorship and allow public criticism of the government. He also worked on the process of perestroika, which was the restructuring of the corrupt government bureaucracy. -
Mikhail Gorbachev becomes leader of the Soviet Union
This new leader believed the only way to salvage the failing Soviet economy was to make a deal with America. -
Iran-Contra Affair
This unfolded when members of thr National Security Council staff secretly diverted money from the illegal Iran arms sales to the Contras in Nicaragua. -
INF Treaty is signed
This treaty between the U.S. and Soviet Union ordered the destruction of a whole class of weapons. It was signed by President Reagan and the leader if the Soviet Union, Gorbachev. -
Tiananmen Square Massacre
Chinese students called on their communist leaders for reform and led a pro-democracy demonstration in Tiananmen Square. Then on June 4 a line of tanks came and open fired on protesters. -
The Berlin Wall falls
The East German Government opened the gates of the Berlin Wall -
The Persian Gulf War begins
The dictator of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, ordered an invasion on Kuwait. On January 15,1991 U.S. forces moved in, starting with targets in Kuwait and Iraq. -
Operation Desert Storm is launched
A campaign in the Persian Gulf War that mostly used high technology air power as a military tool, like laser guided bombs, against Iraqi troops.
