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Korean War
American troops help defend South Korea. The war began when communist North Korea invaded non-communist South Korea, and the U.S. intervened in the attempt to halt the spread of Communism.
(1950-1953) -
Bay of Pigs
U.S. sponsored invasion of Cuba fails. The forces were made up of Cuban exiles, and were sent to Cuba by the CIA. Their goal was to overthrow the communist government of Fidel Castro, but ended in 3 days with the failure of the Cuban exiles. -
Cuban Missile Crisis
U.S. forces Soviet Union to remove nuclear missiles from Cuba. The Soviet Union had missiles in Cuba pointed at the U.S., so the U.S. set up missiles in Turkey pointed at the Soviet Union. -
U.S. build up of troops in Vietnam War
By the year 1969, there were as many as 549,500 U.S. troops in Vietnam. -
President Richard Nixon visits China and Soviet Union.
Nixon and Brezhnev sign first Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT). The two met to discuss limitations of their nuclear arms, to protect their countries from each other. -
Paris Peace Accords are signed
This ends U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. This was signed by North and South Vietnam, to bring an end to the fighting. -
OPEC places an embargo on oil to U.S.
This was due to the nation's support for Israel in the October War.This led to a 42 percent increase in the cost of gas in the U.S. -
U.S. signs treaty
Agreeing to return the Canal Zone and control of the canal to Panama by 1999. At points, U.S. and Panamanian tensions were high over the canal zone, but they eventually reached an agreement. -
Camp David Accords
President Jimmy Carter sponsors peace talks between Egypt and Israel. The two signers of the treaty, Anwar El Sadat, and Menachim Begin, received and shared the 1978 Nobel Peace Prize. -
U.S. establishes full diplomatic relations with China
The U.S. recognized the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China. -
Response to Soviet invasion of Afghanistan
U.S. places an embargo on sales of American grain to Soviet Union, boycotts Moscow Olympic Games, and delays completion of SALT II. This action by the Soviet Union severely damaged U.S.-Soviet relations. -
President Reagan orders invasion of Grenada
This was after a Marxist revolution in the nation. This was to stop the spread of Communism, and it resulted in a U.S. victory in a matter of weeks. -
Iran weapons deal
American public learns that U.S. secretly sold weapons to Iran in hopes of gaining release of American hostages in Lebanon. These arms were used to assist the Contra rebels in Nicaragua. -
U.S. invades Panama
Also captures Manuel Noriega. They did this to end the dicatorial rule of Noriega. -
Bush and Gorbachev hold summit
This summit is held in Washington D.C. The summit focused on the topic of Germany and its place in Europe. -
Persian Gulf War
U.S.-led multinational force ends Iraqi occupation of
Kuwait. A ceasefire was ordered only 100 hours after the ground campaign had begun. -
Attack on the U.S.
The Twin Towers, as well as the Pentagon are crashed into by planes that were hijacked by terrorists.
