The Cold War Timeline

Truman Doctrine - In March of 1947, president Truman created the Truman Doctrine, which provided millions of dollars in economic and military aid to Greece and Turkey to help them combat commuist threats.

Marshall Plan - In June of 1947, Secretary of State George Marshall proposed giving American aid to help rebuild deprived European countries. They also believed that this plan would help give Europeans the strength to help repel communism.

United Nations - In 1945 a charter was proposed to establish a world peacekeeping organization called the United Nations, or UN. This was established after WWI in 1941. The UN had two main goals: to promote peace and human dignity.

NATO - In 1949, in response to the threats of aggression posed by the Soviet Union, NATO or North Atlantic Treaty Organization was created. It consisted of many Western European countries and the United States. Their purpose was to prevent the spread of Soviet Influence and establish measures of defense.

Warsaw Pact - In 1955, in response to the creation of NATO, the Soviet Union created the Warsaw Pact which held most Eastern European countries under Soviet control, including Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and the Soviet Union. This pact also firmly established the conflict between the two sides.

Soviet Union tests atomic bomb - In 1949, US intelligence discovered that the Soviet Union had tested an atomic bomb. Such a test proved that the Soviet Union was much farther along in developing the atomic bomb than projecetd by the US.

Korean War - In 1950, conflict broke out when North Korea crossed the 38th parallel and attatckd the unprepared South Korean army. Soon after, the North Korean army controlled Seoul, the capital of Korea.

The Red Scare - During 1946-1950, the time period known as The Red Scare where many Americans feared that communist sympathizers lived among them and might try to overthrow the goverment. During this time period many people, even government officials, for being Soviet spies.

Fidel Castro overthrows local government - In 1959, communist dictator Fidel Castro led a revolution in Cuba and overthrew the local government, replacing it with communism. He then assumed control over private businesses, forcing thousands to flee from Cuba to the U.S. This relationship between Castro and the Soviets worried the U.S. due to their close proximity.

JFK attempts to overthrow Castro - In 1961, President John F. Kennedy attempted to overthrow Castro by sending armed Cuban exiles to invade Cuba on its south coast called the Bay of Pigs. The plan failed, and some exiles fell as casualties. Castro's forces gathered the rest of the exiles and placed them in prison. Many viewed this attempt to overthrow Castro as an embarrassing attempt to overthrow communism.

President Kennedy learns of secret missle bases - In October of 1962, President John F. Kennedy discovered the existence of secret missle bases built by Cuba from U-2 spy planes. Many feared that if Cubans finished these bases, warheads with the capacity to hit targets as far inland as Washington D.C. were capable to exist. To put a stop to this possibility, Kennedy decided to form a blockade with the American naval fleet around Cuba, stopping any Soviet ships from entering. This strong stand led to a comp

Alliance for Progress aid program - In 1961, President Kennedy passed the ten-year Alliance for Progress aid program to help Latin American countries improve the lives of their people. He promised to assist in building schools, developing farming methods, and other notable deeds. The Alliance for Progress did some good, but did not end poverty in these countries.

Soviet launching of Sputnik - In 1957, the Soviet Union shocked Americans by developing what was potentially a new method to launch nuclear weapons on enemy nations. In October of that year, the Soviets launched Sputnik, the world's first artificial satellite, into space. Americans worried that if the Soviets could send a satellite into space, nothing could stop them from using that technology to launch nuclear weapons from space to the United States.

NASA founded - In 1958, President Eisenhower established the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). This was created in response to the competition breaking out between the Soviet Union and the United States to send the largest satellites furthest into space. As tensions increased between the two sides, many wondered if nuclear war would break out.

President Nixon visits China - In 1972, newly elected President Nixon sought to end the Vietnam War and significantly improve relationships with the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China. This would help ease the Cold War tensions and escalation of nuclear arms. In 1972, Nixon shocked America by visiting China. He walked along the Great Wall of China and ate with Chinese officials. This visit changed relations with China by ending tensions and establishing a positive relationship.

President Nixon visits the Soviet Union - In 1972, after visiting China, Nixon shocked America again by visiting the Soviet Union, which also helped greatly reduce tensions and reduce strain in a policy that became known as détente.

Star Wars - In 1981, when Ronald Reagan took office, he stated that Americans needed to oppose the Soviet Union with "all their might." To show that the U.S. was a stronger nation, he increased military spending and supported a sysetm reputed to destroy Soviet missles from space called Star Wars. This program also supported a shift from offensive to defensive strategies to combat nuclear arms.

The Soviet Decline - In 1985, a new communist leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, rose to power in the Soviet Union. He supported reform and encouraged Soviets to speak openly about the economic and social problems facing the nation. Previously, the government had murdered or imprisoned people who spoke out about such things, so this came as a shock to the Soviets. Gorbachev hoped that allowing people to speak freely would help solve the nation's problems.

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