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Postwar Occupation / Division of Germany
German forces surrendered and allied forces agreed to divide Germany into four zones occupied by: United States, Soviet Union, France, and Britain. To rebuild Germany, allied forces created new infrastructure and government in order to stabilize the economy. This had a positive impact on Germany and its occupants. -
Churchill's Iron Curtain Speech
Winston Churchill gave this speech at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri, where he addressed how the Soviet Union built an "Iron Curtain" separating Eastern Europe from Western Europe. The importance of this speech was to inform the allied forces of the blockade between Europe. This speech was the first instance of the announcement of the Cold War. -
The Truman Doctrine
The Truman Doctrine was created by President Truman to contain threats in Greece and Turkey. This resulted in the United States providing financial aid for the economies of Greece and Turkey. This speech laid the foundation for NATO. -
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Enactment of Marshall Plan
The Marshall plan was signed by President Truman to provide assistance to the rebuilding of post-war Europe. After WWII Europe's economy was in shambles and needed foreign assistance to help rebuild. The Marshall Plan did just that as well as stop the spread of Soviet Communism in Europe. -
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Berlin Blockade and Airlift
The Soviet Union blocked the Allies' means of transportation (roads, railways, and canals) and agreed to stop the blockade if the Allies agreed to get rid of the Deutsche Mark. The Allies responded with with the Berlin Airlift, which used the Allied Nations' Air Force to transport supplies from the air. This new method to transport goods was more efficient than previous means of transportation, which resulted in the Soviets lifting the blockade. -
Formation of NATO
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) was created as a military alliance between 29 North American and European countries. The organization was created to incorporated a system of collective defense against enemy nations. NATO has been wildly successful so far and is still in effect today. -
Chinese Communist Revolution and the Great Leap Forward
A Chinese Communist leader named Mao Zedong, created the People's Republic of China to stop the civil war between the Chinese Communist Party and the Nationalist Party. The Great Leap Forward was a movement created by Mao Zedong to change China from a predominantly farming society to a modern, industrial society. Due to China becoming a communist nation, the US stopped relations for decades. -
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Korean War
The Korean War was a civil war between North and South Korea during the Cold War. The two sides fought along the border and resulted in Korea being split into two states. These states today are widely known as communist North Korea and democratic South Korea. -
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Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was a revolt against the government and president of Cuba. The revolution continued for 5 years until rebels ousted Batista, resulting in Cuba becoming a socialist state. This revolution positively impacted Cuba's relations with the US. -
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Formation of Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact was a defense Treaty signed in Warsaw, Poland. The treaty resolved conflicts between 7 Eastern Bloc satellite states of Europe. The pact integrated West Germany into NATO. -
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Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a civil war between communist North Vietnam and South Vietnam and its ally, The United States. Due to the division of US citizen's opinions about the war and the number of fatalities, President Nixon withdrew US forces in 1973. Communist forces gained control of South Vietnam and the country became a Socialist Republic in 1976. -
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Sputnik (Space Race)
During the Cold War between the United States and Soviet Union, tensions dramatically grew between these two countries and slowly space became a new area for these countries to compete in. On October 4, 1957, the world's first artificial satellite named Sputnik, launched into the atmosphere signifying the start of the space race. Then on July, 20, 1969, Apollo 11 landed on the moon, signifying the end of the space race and a US victory. -
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Bay of Pigs Invasion
1,500 Cuban exiled peoples launched an invasion at the Bay of Pigs on the South Coast of Cuba. These people were trained and funded by the United State's CIA. The invasion and their plan to overthrow Fidel Castro and his revolution failed. -
Building of the Berlin Wall
After the blockade imposed by the Soviet Union, tension with the Soviets and the Allies occupying Germany grew. Millions of citizens passed through Berlin from the German Democratic Republic into the Federal Republic of Germany. The movement of goods and workers through Berlin posed a massive economic problem for the divisions of Germany, which resulted in the building of the Berlin wall. -
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Cuban Missile Crisis
Leaders of the United States and the Soviet Union engaged in a 13-day standoff. President John F. Kennedy informed the nation on live TV of the United State's awareness of the missiles in Cuba and enacted a plan to create a naval blockade around Cuba. The dispute ended after the leader of the Soviet Union agreed to remove the Cuban missiles in exchange that the United States does not invade Cuba. -
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Soviet-Afghan War
Soviet troops invaded Afghan in support of the Afghan communist government against anti-communist Muslim guerrillas. The war lasted over 9 years until the new leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, signed a peace treaty to end the war. His reason was that the war was costing Soviet troops and hurting the economy. -
Tiananmen Square Massacre
During a protest among Chinese civilians, Chinese troops and security police stormed through the square, firing into the crowd. The savagery of the Chinese government shocked both the United States and Soviet Union. The leader of the Soviet Union said that the Chinese political should be democratized. Three weeks later the US Congress imposed economic sanctions against the People's Republic of China in response to the massacre. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
The spokesman for East Berlin's communist party announced on this day that citizens of the German Democratic Republic were free to cross the wall. Eastern and Western citizens flocked to the border wall and celebrated as they tore down the wall. This became known as "the greatest street party in the history of the world". -
Fall of the Soviet Union
On Christmas Day Soviet representatives announced they would not be a part of the Soviet Union any longer. Instead they would establish a commonwealth of independent states. Since the 3 Baltic Republics declared their independence from the Soviet Union, only 15 republics remained. Gorbachev, the leader of the Soviet Union at the time, was disappointed in his nation and resigned on December 25, 1991. A day after the Soviet Union was officially deconstructed.
