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Russian Revolution
The Russian Revolution consisted of two battles in Russia fought by civilians led by a group of revolutionaries called the Bolsheviks, revolting against the government. The government was overthrown, which marked the end of the Romanov Dynasty and centuries of Russian imperial rule, and led to the formation of the Soviet Union by the new communist government. -
Atomic bomb- Hiroshima/ Nagasaki
On August 6th, 1945- America dropped the first ever atomic bomb on the Japanese city Hiroshima. 90% of the city (800,000 people) were killed in this attack. 3 days later, another A- bomb was dropped by another B-29 plane on Nagasaki- this time killing 400,000 people. This caused Japanese unconditional surrender, the Japanese emperor recognizing the power of a "new and most cruel bomb," and putting America in a powerful position in the post- war world. -
Potsdam Conference
The Potsdam Conference was one of the last meetings of WWII, held by American president Harry S. Truman, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin. Throughout the conference, the 3 leaders issued an "unconditional surrender" from Japan, and established a Council of Foreign Ministers- including themselves, France, and China. Conditions were also reached regarding the German economy, punishment for war criminals, and land boundaries for the war. -
Molotov Plan
The Soviet Union's plan to provide economic aid to countries in Eastern Europe and help them rebuild, a symbol of their refusal of the Marshall Plan. -
Hollywood 10
Ten Hollywood screenwriters, directors, and actors refused to answer questions from the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) regarding communist influence in the film industry- causing them to be banned from working in most studios. -
Truman Doctrine
The Truman Doctrine was established by president Harry S. Truman- deciding that the US would provide political, military, and economic assistance to all democratic nations under threatened by communist powers. It's purpose was to counter Soviet expansion. -
Berlin Blockade
Soviet's attempt to force the US, Great Britain, and France to give up their post- WWII powers, causing the first major dispute of the Cold War and tensions to arise. -
Marshall Plan
An attempt of the US and it's WWII allies to relieve economic depression in Europe as quickly as possible and prevent the denigration of many countries. The US planned to clear away the damage as fast possible and lay the foundation for NATO. -
Berlin Airlift
After WWII when Germany was defeated into four zones, capitol city Berlin was located in the Soviet Zone, but was split as well into four sections. The Russians, in an attempt to obtain the city for themselves only closed all sources of food and supply delivery to Berlin. The US, however, used an airlift to deliver supplies, and provided over 2.3 million tons of cargo to the city. -
Korean War
A war between North and South Korea that began when North Korea invaded South Korea across the 38th parallel. The first war fought with a jet aircraft during air combat. -
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was a military alliance created by the United States, Canada, and some Western European countries to protect against the Soviet Union. -
Rosenberg Trial
An espionage persecution trial in New York Southern District Federal Court of a couple accused of spying and selling US nuclear secrets to the Soviet Union. This couple ended up being convicted and executed, although they would not be tried for treason. -
Soviet Bomb Test
The first Soviet test of a hydrogen bomb authorized by Joseph Stalin during WWII, produced a yield of 400 kilotons. -
Battle of Dien Bien Phu
The battle of Dien Bien Phu was fought for control of a small mountain near the Vietnamese border between the French, who occupied it originally, and the Vietminh. The French lost this battle and essentially ended French presence in Indochina. -
Geneva Confrence
The Geneva Conference was an attempt to resolve the war between the French and Vietminh in Indochina in which several world representatives peacefully met in Geneva Switzerland. Leaders from the US, China, France, and Great Britain all discussed the communist leader Ho Chi Minh, and he and his army's bloody battle with France. -
Army-McCarthy Hearings
These hearings were initiated by Senator Joseph McCarthy investigating the US army, as he claimed they were "too soft" of communism. McCarthy made the bold statement that there were over 200 communists in the state department, and became one of the most famous communist hunters in the US. -
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact was formally known as "The Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance." This was a defense treaty between the Soviet and 7 other states in Europe during the cold war created as a reaction to the integration of West Germany into NATO. -
Hungarian Revolution
An uprising in Hungary after Nikita Krushchev attacked Stalin's rule. This uprising was triggered by a newfound freedom of criticism and was eventually won by the rebels. -
U2 Incident
A US U-2 spy plane is shot down while taking ariel photographs in the depths of the Soviet Union. -
Bay of Pigs Invasion
The Bay of Pigs Invasion was an invasion of Cuba initiated by the CIA by Cuban refugees, hoping to overthrow their communist government. The invading force was defeated in three days by Cubans. -
Berlin Wall
A concrete wall to separate West Berlin from East Berlin and the rest of Germany and completely cut it off. -
ACuban Missile Crisis
A 13 day standoff between leaders of the Soviet Union and the US over the Soviets' claims to install nuclear missiles on Cuba, 90 miles from the US. After announcing to the people of the US that they may be under attack, president JFK informed the country that the US was prepared to fight back in case of a nuclear war. -
Assassination of Diem
Ngo Dinh DIem- the president of Vienam- was arrested after a siege on Saigon and and escaped. Diem was then killed by the CIA. -
Assassination of JFK
US President John F. Kennedy was shot by a former US Marine during a presidential motorcade through Dallas Texas. -
Tonkin Gulf Resolution
This resolution allowed US President Lyndon Johnson to "take all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the US to prevent further aggression" from Vietnam communists. -
Operation Rolling Thunder
Operation Rolling Thunder was a code name for an American bombing campaign attack on North Vietnam. This was the first major assault on Vietnam and became an expansion of US involvement in the war. -
Tet Offensive
One of the largest military campaigns during the Vietnam war, an attack on civilian command centers in South Vietnam. The name Tet comes from the name of the Chinese New Year- when the attacks took place. -
Election of Nixon
The 46th presidential election, where republican candidate Richard Nixon defeated democratic candidate Hubert Humphrey. -
Riots of Democratic Convention
These conferences were held in 1968 at Chicago, Illinois for democrats to elect a candidate. This was a year full of violence and destruction following the assassination of MLK and the riots that instilled after. -
Invasion of Czechoslovakia
This invasion of Czechoslovakia was made by the 5 Warsaw Pact countries, causing a victory for these troops. 137 Czech civilians were killed and over 500 injured during the attack. -
Assassination of MLK
Dr. Martin Luther King was shot on the balcony at the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee by James Earl Ray- a fugitive from Missouri. -
Kent State Masacre
A gunman opened fire on 4 unarmed Kent State University Students during a peaceful protest in Ohio. -
Nixon Visits China
Nixon visited The People’s Republic of China in an attempt to prove the peaceful relationship between the US and China. Nixon also visited to gain more leverage over the Soviet Union. -
Ceasefire in Vietnam
This ceasefire was known as the Paris Peace Accords, and marked peace in Vietnam and the end of the war. 250,000 US troops returned home. -
Fall of Saigon
The Fall of Saigon was the capture of South Vietnam’s capitol city by the “People’s Army of Vietnam.” This began a formal unification of Vietnam. -
Reagan Elected
Ronald Reagan was the republican candidate and won with 50.7% of the popular vote. -
SDI Announced
SDI was also known as "Star Wars," a defense policy against nuclear war. This nuclear defense policy involved claiming that any missiles would be taken out of the air by lasers, a statement that any opposing countries would have to economically match. -
Geneva Conference With Gorbachev
President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Gorbachev met again, but came to no strong agreements. The two leaders did, however did gain a surprising personal relationship. -
'Tear Down This Wall' Speech
The “Tear Down This Wall” speech was made by President Reagan in Berlin, the first time speaking with one side of the wall not protected. It was a huge risk, but Reagan spoke anyway. -
Iron Curtain
The boundary separating Europe into two different political areas; the West- which had political freedom, and the East- which was under Soviet control from the end of WWII to the end of the Cold War. -
Fall of Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was torn down after a change in the relationship between East and West Berlin. At midnight, it was announced that citizens could cross the wall. -
Alger Hiss Case
Alger Hiss was a military official who was accused of being a Soviet spy.
