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The end of World War 2
The end of World War 2, the new invention of the Atomic Bomb, and growing tensions with Russia set the stage for the Cold War to begin. -
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Cold War
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Berlin Airlift Begins
Faced with increasing pressure form the Soviet Union in and around Berlin, as well as thier blockades left only air channels to provide the much needed aid to Berilin. It was decided that sending humanitarian planes ment that the Soviet Union would have to back down, break their policies, or shoot down the planes and start a third world war. The lift lasted until September 30, 1949 after the USSR ended the blockade. -
Soviet Union gets the Atomic Bomb
The USSR sucessfully detonates a 20 kiloton nuclear bomb, comparable to the Trinity test conducted by the US, using stolen US information. Klaus Fuchs gave the USSR everything the US knew about the Manhattan Project, hydrogen bombs, and even the design of the bomb dropped on Nagasaki. -
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Korean War
The first major conflict for the US in the Cold War. Was fought as he North invaded the South. Many NATO countries fought for the SOuth, with the US making up the majority, and China and the USSR openly and covertly, in the case of the USSR, aided the North. The war begame a proxy war between the USSR and the NATO countries. The war did not technically end, and peridic fighting still occurs. -
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Vietnam War
The most well known US involved conflict during the Cold War. Again a proxy war where the North was supported by the USSR and China, and the South was supported by the US and NATO countries. The war ended with the North winning as the US forces had to withdraw. -
NASA Formed
In response to the Soviet Union's succesful space program President Eisenhower signed the Ntional Aeronautics and Space Act which established NASA. It absorbed the NACA, NASA's predecessor, and all of its employees, funding, and 5 major test facilities. It was intedned to beat the Soviet Union in the space race, a task which it excelled at. -
Construction of the Berlin Wall begins
East Germans begin to build the Berlin Wall which became a symbol of the Iron Curtain. It began with the complete closing of many border crossings and greater restrictions on who and when somenone could cross the border. The roads were torn up, barricades that could stop tanks were erected, and the whole border was gaurded by armed gaurds with authorization to kill anyone attempting to cross the border, made easy by a 100+ yard open area called the "Kill Zone." -
Cuban Missile Crisis
The USSR delivered nuclear missiles that could hit the US in Cuba. This resulted in the US blockading Cuba so no more missiles could enter, and a very tense standoff ensued. The crisis ended when the USSR removed the missiles in exchange for the US removing thier missile in Italy and Turkey. This resulted in the formation of the Washington-Moscow hotline to ensure a quick connection between the countries. -
Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia
In response to a series of reforms that the USSR was not happy about and so they invaded. The resistance was expected to last only a few days, but instead lasted almost 8 months, nearly all of it non-violent, against a large military. They would turn signs and paint them over, and even refered to all the towns as Dubcek or Svobada, all of wich thouroughly confused the invaders. -
Nixon visits China
Nixon becomes the first US president to visit the Peoples Republic of China. It ended 25 year of separaton between the two countries. It even resulted in China siding with the US against the USSR, amid the Chinese-Soviet relations deteriorating. -
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Soviet-Afghan War
The USSR invaded Afghanistan after a coup and revolution. The US aided the Mujahadeen rebels by supllying them with arms, just as the Soviets did in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. So this war was yet another proxy war fought during the Cold War. It is often referred to as the Soviet Unions Vietnam, as they were forced to retreat in a similar fasion to the US. -
US invasion of Grenada
After a coup killed the Prime Minister of Grenada, and instituted a policy of summarily executing anyone outside after curfew, the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, Jamaica, and Barbados asked the US for assistance. The US responded by invading Grenada. This invasion was seen as justified by the US and a violation by many members of the UN, however this invasion was succesful and after a 4 yer interim government, Grenada held a free election, and the 25th became a holiday in Grenada. -
Soviet-Afghan War
Usage of a US Stinger missile against a Soviet helicopter by Afghan rebels during the Soviet-Afghan War. They were intorduced in September of 198, and were responsible for almost all of the downed aircraft for the last two years of the War. -
Fall of the Berlin Wall
The demolition of the wall begins, though some areas had already recently opened up. The wall was continuosly dismantled afterwards and crossings became more lax until East and West Germany reunited. -
Dissolution of the Soviet Union
On the 25th Mikhail Grobachev resigned form his position as leader of the USSR and declared the office extinct and gave Russia all of the nuclear cpabilities. The next day all of the former Soviet Republics were acknowledged as independent of the USSR. With the signing of the Alma-Ata Protocol the USSR was officially gone.
