Early Cold War Events
Early Cold War Events
#1. YALTA CONFERENCE
Meeting between Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin in February of 1945 in Yalta, in southern Soviet Union. Main topics discussed were the creation of an international peace-keeping organization (later called the United Nations), the problems of occupation (who would occupy which areas after the war), and the final defeat of Germany and Japan. A secret agreement was reached on this last point. Russia would declare war on Japan and in return would receive control over parts of Asia. Stalin made promises of democracy for Eastern European countries.
#2. POTSDAM CONFERENCE
Meeting between Truman, Stalin, and Churchill in the summer of 1945 before Japan had surrendered. The main topic of this meeting was the division of Germany and Berlin. It was decided that both Germany and Berlin would be divided into fourths, with each major Allied power getting a quadrant. It was meant to be a temporary division, but ended up lasting for almost 50 years.
#3. U.S. DROPS ATOMIC BOMB
The United States began research in 1942 to develop an atomic weapon under the code-name the Manhattan Project. On July 16, 1945 the U.S. successfully detonated the first Atomic bomb in New Mexico. With war still raging in the Pacific, and the Soviet Union neglecting their promise to invade Japan, President Truman decided to drop two atomic bombs on Japan to force their unconditional surrender. The United States officially ended World War II.
#4. IRON CURTAIN SPEECH
Winston Churchillcoined the term in a speech at WestminsterCollege in Fulton, Missouri on March 5, 1946. Churchill was referring to the areas in Eastern Europe under communist domination, isolated from the free world. Churchill was warning of future communist advances. “From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent.”
#5. TRUMAN DOCTRINE
The program of economic and military aid for countries faced with aggression, specifically for Greece and Turkey, whose governments were being challenged by communist guerillas that were supported by the Soviet Union. President Truman outlined this plan in 1947 and stated it was necessary to the security of the United States.
#6. CONTAINMENT POLICY ADOPTED
A long term U.S. policy, formulated in 1947, to support the governments and economies of countries in Europe and Asia who were liable for Communist take-over. Later referred to as the “domino theory.” If one country falls to communism, its neighbors will as well. The United States must contain communism in order to ensure the security of democracy throughout the world.
#7. MARSHALL PLAN
Named after Secretary of State George C. Marshall and officially known as the European Recovery Program, it was formulated in 1947 and was designed to aid in the economic recovery of Western Europe. Setting the patter forU.S. foreign policy aid in the future, the plan is credited with helping Western Europe resist both poverty and Communist advances. It differed from the Truman Doctrine by involving the countries concerned in working out plans for their own recovery. Originally 22 nations were invited to participate, but Soviet Russia and five of there satellite nations withdrew.
#8 CZECHOSLOVAKIA BECOMES COMMUNIST
In February 1948 the Soviets staged a brutal coup against the elected government of Czechoslovakia and installed a communist regime. This is just another Eastern European country to “fall” to Soviet pressure; previously both Poland and Bulgaria had already been forced by Stalin to install communist governments.
#9. BERLIN AIRLIFT
The USSR cut off all access to Berlin from the summer of 1948 until the spring of 1949 to counter western plans to unify Germany (as a democratic country). The U.S. and Britain reacted by dropping supplies into the city via airplanes.
#10. U.S. FORMS NATO
In April 1949, western nations formed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a mutual defense pact. The original members included Britain, France, Spain, Italy, the U.S, and Canada. The agreement states “an armed attack against one or more of [its members] in Europe or American shall be considered an attack against them all.
#11. GERMANY DIVIDED INTO EAST & WEST
In the summer of 1949, Western allies consolidate their occupation zones to form the Federal Republic of Germany, or West Germany. The Soviets control the German Democratic Republic or East Germany. West Germany has a democratic government while East Germany has a communist government.
#12. USSR TESTS ATOMIC BOMB
In the fall of 1949 the Soviet Union tests its first atomic bomb, alarming western nations.
#13. CHINESE CIVIL WAR ENDS WITH COMMUNIST VICTORY
Communists led by Mao Zedong fought the Nationalist government under Chiang Kai-Shek. The United States sent limited aid to the Nationalists, but in December 1949 Mao proved successful. Mao established the People’s Republic of China. The U.S. refused to acknowledge the new China and blocked their attempt to join the United Nations.
#14. KOREAN WAR BREAKS OUT
Communist North Korea with Chinese aid invades South Korea. The United Nations condemns the action and sends in U.N. forces, including many American troops, to defend South Korea.
#15. MCCARTHY SPEECH
Senator Joseph McCarthy makes a speech in 1950 in West Virginia. He claims that the government is full of traitors, communist sympathizers, that are weak on fighting the commies. He demands that there is an investigation to weed out all of these traitors who are jeopardizing the safety of democracy.
16. STALIN FORMS WARSAW PACT
In 1952 as a response to NATO, Stalin creates his own military alliance. Members of the Warsaw Pact included the USSR, Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Rumania.
17. KOREAN WAR ENDS
In July 1953, an armistice is signed setting the border between North and South Korea at almost the exact prewar line.