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Korean War
After World War 2 Korea had been split into a northern zone controlled by the Soviet Union, and a southern zone controlled by the U.S. In 1950 the Russians withdrew leaving a communist government in the North. Then the North invaded the South. The U.N. raised an international army led by the U.S. to stop the North. The fighting was to be confined to the Korean peninsula, rather than the countries involved on each side attacking one another directly. -
Bay of Pigs
A failed military operation. The plan was to overthrow Fidel Castro by landing 1200 disgruntled Cuban exiles in the Bay of Pigs. The plan failed and forces Cuba into to USSR even more. -
U.S. build up of troops in Vietnam War
After Kenndey's elction on 1962 he took a more aggressive stand against the communist in Vietnam. In the begining of 1961 he sent Special Forces troops to South Vietnam to advise the Army of the Republic of Vietnam on more effective ways to fight the communist forces. By 1963 more than 15,000 american advisers were fighting in Vietnam. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
Fidel Castro was worried that the United States would attack again.Castro allowed the Soviet to construct nuclear missile sites in Cuba. The resulting crisis brought the world to the brink of nuclear war in 1962. -
Nixon visits China and Soviet Union
In February 1972 Nixon made the trip and toured the Great Wall and other historic sites. Nixon sat down for a long talk with Zhou Enlai and Mao Zedong. The visit was successful and an important step towards normalizing relations with China. Then after Nixon made the trip to Moscow. After that he reported to congress that he and Brezhnev had reached agreements in a variety of areas. ex: a joint U.S.-Soviet space mission. Also the first SALT treaty was signed. -
Paris peace accords are signed ending US involvement in Vietnam War
The United States, South Vietnam, Viet Cong, and North Vietnam formally sign “An Agreement Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam” in Paris. Due to South Vietnam’s unwillingness to recognize the Viet Cong’s Provisional Revolutionary Government, all references to it were confined to a two-party version of the document signed by North Vietnam and the United States. -
OPEC places an oil embargo on US
During the 1973 Arab-Israeli War, Arab members of the OPEC imposed an embargo against the United States in retaliation for the U.S. decision to re-supply the Israeli military and to gain leverage in the post-war peace negotiations -
U.S. signs treaty agreeing to return Canal Zone and control of canal to Panama
In Washington, President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian dictator Omar Torrijos sign a treaty agreeing to transfer control of the Panama Canal from the United States to Panama at the end of the 20th century. -
Camp David accords- President Carter sponsors peace talks between Egypt and Israel
Egypt had opposed Israels founding in 1948. As recently as 1973 the two nations had fought a bitter war To help continue the negotiations President Carter invited the two leaders to Camp David, the presidential retreat. For nearly two weeks the three leaders carried on the difficult negotiations that provided Camp David Accords. These agreement provided the framework for a peace treaty in which Egypt recognized the nation of Israel. In return Israel withdrew its troops -
U.S. establishes full diplomatic relations with China
United States officially recognized the government of the People’s Republic of China in Beijing. -
Delay of SALT II treaty
The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan to prop up a tottering communist government. Carter responded by delaying the SALT II treaty and placing sanctions and restrictions on the Soviets. The sanctions included a boycott of the olympic games that were held in Moscow. -
Ronald Reagan orders invasion of Grenada
Reagan acted to counter another perceived threat. Members of a radical leftist movement, with some help from Cuba, had violently ousted the Grenada prime minister. On October 25, 1982 the United States troops invaded Grenada to prevent the island from becoming communist. -
Iran Weapons Deal
The Iran-contra affair began when the U.S. sold weapons to Iran in 1985 in exchange for Iran's promise to pressure terrorist groups in Lebanon to release American hostages. The plan did not work -
U.S. invades Panama and captures Manuel Noriega
Bush sent more than 12,000 troops to invade Panama and arrests the dictator Manuel Noriega. Brought him to the US for trial and he was convicted for several charges including drug trafficking and sentenced to 40 years in prison. -
Bush and Gorbachev held summit in Washington, DC
Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev arrives in Washington, D.C., for three days of talks with President George Bush. The summit meeting centered on the issue of Germany and its place in a changing Europe. -
Persian Gulf War
150,000 Iraqi troops invaded Kuwait. By invading Kuwait, Saddam Hussein sought to take over the rich oil deposits. President Bush made it clear he would not tolerate this. He worked with the UN to come up with a resolution demanding Iraqi troops to withdraw. -
Attack on the US
Bush had been in office for less than a year when the United States was attacked by a foreign enemy for the fist time since Pearl Harbor. On September 11, 2011 four commercial airplanes were hijacked and crashed. Millions Americans rushed to donate supplies, money, services, and their own blood.
